by Dr. Kristen Bovee, Peninsula Naturopathic Clinic –
The New Year brings new resolutions, and often that includes making new commitments to our health and wellness.
Whatever your health goals may be, there are ways to achieve them on a budget.
Here are five ways to stay committed to your health:
Plan your meals. You eat the best when you take the time to shop for your food and prepare it at home. When you are busy with work or family this can be a challenge, but it can be done if you do a bit of planning. Purchase locally-grown food; it is generally cheaper. When you do find organic fruits and vegetables on special, buy these for added health benefit. Pick a day in the week and make a hearty stew or soup that you can eat for packed lunches, have leftovers for dinner, or freeze for later.
Eat less meat. Lets admit it: we over-indulge during the holidays, and eating meat and dairy can be expensive. For the New Year, commit to eating more fruits and vegetables and consider using beans as a main source of protein. Beans are high in trace elements and good fiber that support digestion and detoxification. Make smoothies in order to get the daily fruits and veggies in that you need. You can blend fresh or frozen and use green smoothie recipes such as those found on www.simplegreensmoothies.com. Join for free and do the 30-day Smoothie Challenge!
Exercise. Investing in exercise is an investment in yourself. Choose to set up a 30-minute daily routine of exercise, making sure you get outside once a day. If the weather doesn’t permit, there are classes you can watch online (YouTube is a great resource) such as yoga and pilates, or dance programs such as Zumba. Your local recreation centre is a wonderful place to work out, you pay as you go and it’s inexpensive.
Supplementation. Nutritional supplements can be pricey; however, there are basic nutrients we all need a little extra of during the winter months. Vitamin C is necessary for nearly all body systems, the immune system, tissue repair and energy production. It comes in powder form that you can add to water and get doses of throughout the day. Vitamin D is often deficient in most of us. Studies show we all need 2,000IU daily during the winter months. Zinc is also an often-deficient nutrient, and is involved as a cofactor in a number of enzymatic processes including liver detoxification, methylation and insulin regulation. Zinc lozenges are inexpensive and an excellent way to get more in your system. Consider using teas instead of capsules or tinctures when choosing agents to cleanse and detoxify. Some herbal medicines to consider using in teas are burdock root, stinging nettles, dandelion and ginger.
Destress! After the holiday season we all can use a bit of downtime and chronic stress causes cortisol levels to rise. It is important to take time for yourself, even if you have to schedule it in and catch up on sleep. Spend time on a hobby you love, read a good book that’s been waiting for you to pick up, avoid watching TV or the news, limit social media usage and begin using your extended health care again for a massage, a visit to your chiropractor, acupuncturist and naturopathic doctor.
