Do you want to be healthier? Here are 9 easy (and inexpensive!) ways:
1. Move more.
Dr. James Levine’s study on obesity indicates that increasing unplanned daily physical activity, like standing, walking, talking, cleaning, and fidgeting, can be a more effective way to lose weight than seeking out organized exercise. Increased daily activity may also be more preventative against cancer than recreational activities. Want to learn more? I wrote about it here.
2. Retire your labor-saving devices
Adding more manual labor to your days is an easy way to increase daily physical activity. This time of year you can shovel snow, prune bushes and trees, hand wash dishes, sweep, clean, cook from scratch, take the stairs, etc. Manual labor makes us stronger and fitter and may also help us to ward off depression. (Plus you can pocket that cash you’d spend patronizing a gym.)
3. Go outside
Nature is good for us. Just viewing natural settings can lower blood pressure, reduce stress, and boost immunity.
4. Plant a vegetable garden
How can you get moderate daily activity, reap the mental health benefits of manual labor, enjoy nature, and ensure a bounty of fresh (inexpensive) vegetables? Grow some veggies!
5. Commute car-free
A study of car and train commuters in New Jersey found that train commuters took 30 percent more steps per day. And perhaps more importantly, the train commuters reported significantly lower stress levels and better moods than the car commuters. That’s no small finding considering another study found that car commuters can experience greater stress than fighter pilots going into battle or riot policemen.
6. Relax
Learning to relax can have huge health benefits. Relaxation methods have been shown to slow heart rate, reduce blood pressure, increase blood flow, reduce chronic pain, and improve concentration. You can do yoga or tai chi, listen to music, exercise, meditate, do guided visualization, get a massage, or just sit and drink a cup of tea.
7. Call a friend
Many studies indicate that a good social support system can reduce stress levels and increase longevity. But a third of Americans report having fewer confidants than 20 years ago and 25 percent of Americans say they have no one at all to confide in. Are you stumped on how to make more friends? Start here or here.
8. Take a walk
A daily walk around your neighborhood is a great way to add more activity to your day and connect with your neighbors.
9. Eat real food
In my three decades, I’ve already seen a number of health fads come and go. Fat was the nutritional pariah of the nineties. Then Y2K rolled around, carbs went out of style, and everyone started loading up on Omega-3s and antioxidants. Meanwhile, we slathered ourselves in sunscreen and treated sunny afternoons like radioactively contaminated Superfund sites. Except now everyone’s vitamin D deficient and popping D3 like Rolaids. My point is, perhaps we shouldn’t make too much of breaking health news, especially since so many studies are funded by the food companies that stand to gain from them. (I wrote more about this topic here.)
So what should we eat? Michael Pollen’s mantra is probably a good way to go: “Eat Food. Not Too Much. Mostly Plants.”
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If you liked this post, you may enjoy these related posts:
- Why Real Food Beats Nutrition Science
- Ditch the Gym and Get Fit
- Want Healthy, Happy Kids? Walk with Them.
- Kick Nature Deficit Disorder
- 5 Ways to Make February Fabulous
Do you have any tips to share?
All so true! My Father surprised me with a kitchen aid a few years ago because I cook and bake for so many people, it even has the dough attatchment for my breads….I used it once, it is red (which I love) – I take it out for a good dusting every now and again, mostly it’s a high tech knick nack!
I can’t wait to read more of your blog…to answer “Is knitting better than prozac?” My answer would have to be YES!
good tips. i have noticed that i’ve been feeling more gloomy from time to time lately and also that as soon as i go out for a walk, my mood improves a lot. thanks for the reminders!
Great inspiration for 2010! There are so many places in the city to get out and get moving in. Climbing stairs instead of the elevator is one good thing to do. Join a community garden–gardening burns lots of calories and at the same time you can beautify your city and produce some healthy food. Thanks for this nice blog.
Thanks for your comment! Community gardens are awesome. I plan to write a post about them as spring approaches.
“Meanwhile we slathered ourselves in sunscreen and treated sunny afternoons like radioactively-contaminated Superfund sites. Except now everyone’s vitamin D deficient and popping D3 like Rolaids.”
This cracked me up. 🙂
And a story about community gardens real quick… when they were newlyweds, my parents took part in an apartment garden. Everyone in the apartment had a tiny plot on the land where they could grow a garden. My parents planted their little garden, but became baffled about where the food was going. They were convinced that someone was actually stealing food from their veggie garden (other gardens were mostly flowers) at night!
One night they stayed up and hid in the bushes to see who the culprit was. A few hours after sunset they saw a handful of bunnies appear out of nowhere and start their midnight feast. They continued the garden, and the bunnies continued eating it, but they said that was okay. Bunnies are too cute to stay mad at.
Oh, what a great story! Thanks for sharing it.
Wow really great tips. For the past 25 years of my life I have never been concern about living a healthier life. I know that it is quite late but I vowed that in 2010 I will do my best to live healthier.
Thanks by the way