TOP TIPS

For a Healthy Body, Mind & Spirit

1) Eat Antioxidant Rich Foods

Antioxidants are natural health treasures found in abundance in fresh fruits, vegetables and herbs. These wonderful little nutrients can reduce your risk of disease by fighting the damaging effects of inflammation, fatigue and stress. They can neutralize free radicals which have been linked to cancer and heart disease. Ensuring your body has a steady supply of antioxidants is a great way of promoting optimal health. Particularly beneficial foods are

broccoli, leafy greens, fresh berries and the culinary herbs turmeric, garlic, ginger & parsley.

2) Manage Your Stress

Stress has many detrimental impacts on your health. It reduces the immune system, digestion and also contributes to fatigue and mental health issues

such as depression & anxiety. Stress also contributes to aging - a recent study at the University of California showed that chronic stress can accelerate aging as much as 10 years. Assessing all the things that you find stressful can be a useful starting point – and then work out how you can make some positive changes. By finding a favorite activity and making it a part of your day you can also learn to better manage your stress. Gentle to moderate exercise, massage, yoga, pilates and walking in nature, all reduce your stress levels. Engaging in hobbies

such as art, music and reading are also effective stress busters. In my opinion the best thing to manage stress is to learn how to deep breathe & meditate.

Karen McElroy

3) Get Better Quality Sleep

Sleep is sometimes called “the great healer” and indeed sleep will promote much repair and regeneration in the body. Research has shown that less than an average of 8 hours of sleep at night can contribute to premature aging. The hormonal changes caused by sleep deprivation can cause inflammation, generate free radicals and initiate cellular aging. Sleep also offers many benefits to our emotional and mental health – giving important time for the brain and psyche to process and make sense of our busy days and help facilitate insight & problem solving. Which is where our popular saying to “sleep on it” comes from.

4) Drink Lots of Good Quality Water

Water is the fuel of life! Your body is made up of 60-70% water and relies on water to process foods, detoxify properly, control weight and maintain normal blood pressure. Being well hydrated with quality water will promote supple, younger looking skin, bright eyes and healthy hair.

Good quality water is often hard to get – as most town and city water supplies have many chemicals added.

Whilst these ensure toxic bacteria are kept to a minimum they also create unhealthy byproducts. If you canʼt collect rainwater, then consider a filter to remove chlorine and other chemicals. At least 6-8 glasses of water throughout the day is essential.

5) Switch to Good Fats

Whilst many people avoid fats for fear of getting fat, the truth is that not all fats are created equal. Your body has a need for quality fats that nourish and support good health. Much of how you look – your skin, hair, nails as well as your posture & movements are reliant on good fats and fat soluble vitamins. The problem is that most people donʼt get enough of the good guys and way too much of the bad fats. Most people are deficient in the essential fat called omega-3 – which are found in cold-water fish, raw nuts and seeds (especially linseeds, chia, walnuts) & cold pressed flaxseed/linseed oil. Other healthy fats include avocado, extra virgin olive oil & coconut oil. Remember, contrary to common belief, the stable fats such as butter & pastured animal fats are far healthier than processed vegetable fats, trans fats and hydrogenated fats.

6) Love & Connection

Love is a fundamental part of life! Humans are social beings and without loving connections to friends and family, it is very difficult to achieve great health & resilience. It is well known that babies and children fail to thrive when they are devoid of touch and positive attention. While the groundwork for healthy self-esteem and self worth is laid in childhood through loving interactions with caregivers, adults still benefit and need love and emotional support thoughout their life. Compassion, forgiveness & gratitude have been shown to be the highest emotions we can experience and they bring positive and healthy changes to all aspects of our being.

7) Exercise

There are so many benefits of exercise and a ton of research to support this easy health habit. Exercise can improve your energy & memory, boost your immunity, balance weight, slow aging and improve your skin & complexion. Exercise can even reduce your risk of a swag of chronic disease – includi ng heart disease, diabetes and cancer. The best exercise is one that you enjoy

and can sustain! Try different types until you find one you love – it could be walking, cycling, swimming, dancing, jogging, dynamic yoga. Then aim for a session three times a week for at least 30 minutes. Exercise also has the benefit of improving your mood and keeping you motivated to make healthy choices.

8) Avoid Processed & Fast Foods

We have become so removed from nature, that most people donʼt know where food comes from. We have become so time poor and unskilled in the kitchen that the lure of a quick fix to satisfy hunger is hard to resist. Unfortunately, these highly processed and refined "foods" are very difficult for your body to process, lack nutritional value and contribute to disease. Much of what is in the supermarket is processed, preserved, artificially flavoured & coloured. The problem is that every time we process and add chemicals to our food – we decrease the nutritional value of that food. Moreover, most processed products have been designed to be profitable rather than healthy and many of the chemicals added can trigger addictive mechanisms in the brain.

9) Kick The Sugar Habit

Sugar gives, what I call, “false energy”. The artificial boost your get when you eat sugar is quick lived and normally followed by a ʻcrashʼ – whereby you will crave it again. This yo-yo effect of sugar contributes to fatigue and illness in many people and is very stressful on the body eventually leading to diabetes. Sugar also creates a nutrient deficit – whereby your body requires specific nutrients to process sugar - none of which are contained in sugar itself. Artificial sugars and sugar substitutes are marketed as healthy – but in reality they are even worse than sugar. These should be avoided totally as they have been shown to be toxic to your body – particularly your liver & brain. They have even been shown to trigger obesity in animal studies!

10) Cleanse Your Body Regularly

Modern life brings with it an onslaught of chemicals and toxins that are very pervasive in the environment. Being mindful to avoid chemicals by choosing organic food, using eco cleaning products and avoiding plastics in food storage, are all important methods to reduce our chemical burden. Even the best of diets and lifestyles however, still present challenges for the body and cleansing or detoxing is the most effective way to

help your internal organs operate at top efficiency. There are many ways to support cleansing of organs such as the liver, kidneys and bowel and doing a practitioner supported detox program annually is recommended.

11) Laughter – funny but true!

Ok, so itʼs no joke...laughing is one of natureʼs best tricks for keeping us healthy and happy. Laughter, happiness and optimism have all been shown to slow the aging process, block pain and reduce stress levels. With all these great benefits of laughter be sure to make it a significant part of your day. Read jokes, tell funny stories – or even engage in a local laughter yoga class. Kids are great at this – and will easily join in with a funny game and will be sure to get the giggles. Whatever you do – make sure you incorporate laughter into your routine as it really does pack a punch for wellness.

When you adopt these Top Tips for a healthy body and lifestyle you will make a great start in achieving natural vitality and long term health. If you would like more support in adopting any of these health tips, please visit my website to discover the different ways you can work with me – from consultations to wellness programs and online courses. I look forward to supporting you on your journey to optimal health & vitality. Healthy Blessings Karen