As another new year approaches, it’s time to reflect on 2018, and look for ways to bring health and happiness into 2019. Small steps taken daily will make the biggest impact on your health and wellness. Setting daily, mindful intentions can help bring balance and encourage a happy, healthy mind, body and spirit.

Here are our top tips for balancing the body through intention:

Practice mindful eating. 

Honor your hunger and fullness cues. Make every meal and snack an experience by eating slowly and savoring your food. This will not only deter overeating, but will bring more satisfaction to your meals. Rule of thumb: Enjoy a variety of fruits and vegetables with each meal. This helps your brain realize you are full faster. Not only that, but eating more plants increases and diversifies good gut bacteria. This is linked to improved sleep and energy, better heart and brain health, and weight management!

Move daily.

All movement counts! Whether you do a yoga class, a high intense interval workout, weight training, or a hike in the hills, your body and mind will feel better for it. But most importantly, if you don’t have time for a planned workout, take a 5 to 10 minute walk a couple times during the day. Any little bit will help mental and physical health.

Manage stress.

Stress manifests in many ways, mentally and physically. At Alive + Well, our goal is to promote overall balance by counteracting the negative effects of stress. Find your stress-relieving niche, and make it part of your routine. Try acupuncture, get a massage, enjoy the float tank, practice yoga or nourish your body with healthy, nutrient dense meals. The simple act of daily meditation and deep breathing has been proven to bring cortisol levels down, improve blood sugar, and soothe the system. Keep your stress in check. This is vital for preventing or managing disease and reaching optimal wellness.

As we turn another corner, incorporate these simple, yet effective ways to find mental and physical balance.  Alive + Well is excited to support your journey of reaching intentional balance of the mind, body and spirit!

Looking to set some health goals for the new year? Make an appointment with our nutritionist or dietician to look at practical ways to help you feel better!

By Natalie Olsen, RD, LD, ACSM EP-C