New Year, New You: Healthy Habits With Mogestri
According to conventional wisdom, prevention is more effective than cure. The New Year presents new opportunities to enhance your health and reaffirm your commitment to a healthy lifestyle. By making small adjustments to your daily routines and habits, you can improve your overall health and wellness over time, possibly preventing common health conditions.
As the new year begins, it presents an opportunity for a fresh start, inspiring individuals to strive for a happier and healthier version of themselves. Many people approach this time with commendable intentions and enthusiasm for the positive changes their newfound commitments will bring. However, these changes are frequently unsustainable, leading to disillusionment and a reversion to previous habits.
Considering that resolutions may not always be sustainable, it is more prudent to transform these commitments into straightforward lifestyle adjustments that will enhance your health and wellbeing.
To achieve significant lifestyle changes, it is advisable to divide larger objectives into manageable steps. Recognise that these modifications require time and dedication; therefore, integrate them into your daily commitments and routine accordingly.
A few common healthier changes that will bring about long-term benefits include the following examples. To ensure the sustainability of these changes, science-based evidence is provided to support each suggestion.
- Rather than making a general statement to “eat healthily,” aim to introduce two colourful and fibrous vegetables to your regular meals.
- Colourful vegetables contain pigmented compounds called phytonutrients, which have anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer properties.
- Fibrous vegetables can help promote the growth of beneficial gut bacteria, thereby improving gut diversity, which is associated with better health outcomes.
- Commit to limiting fast foods to no more than twice a week.
Studies indicate that fast foods contribute to:
- Insulin resistance
- High blood pressure
- Fluid retention
- Weight gain and obesity
- Chronic diseases
- Mental health impacts
- Inflammation
- Ensure every meal is balanced with protein.
Protein is essential for:
- Improving strength and increasing muscle mass as we age, especially when combined with resistance training.
- Reducing appetite (protein is more satiating than carbohydrates and fats, helping to manage weight).
- Maintaining bone health, reducing the risk of fractures and osteoporosis.
- Read the ingredients on food labels and ensure they contain recognisable ingredients. Limit ultra-processed foods (UPFs) as much as possible.
UPFs are associated with:
- Increased risk of chronic diseases, such as heart disease, obesity, diabetes, and cancer
- Reduced immunity and inflammation
- Mental health issues
- Nutritional deficiencies leading to poor cellular function
- Limit snacking between meals. If you do snack, choose quality options such as fruit and nuts.
Low-quality snacks contribute to:
- Blood sugar spikes
- Weight gain
- Nutrient deficiencies contributing to chronic diseases
- Choose at least two days a week where your last meal is three hours before bedtime.
This practice supports:
- Deep sleep
- Circadian rhythm
- Weight management
- Improved digestion
- Regulated melatonin production
- Aim for a 15-minute after-dinner walk at least three times a week.
Research indicates benefits such as:
- Improved sleep
- Enhanced digestion
- Reduced bloating
- Lowered blood sugar levels
- Boosted mental health
- Drink a glass of water upon waking and 20 minutes before each meal.
This supports:
- Rehydration
- Detoxification
- Improved mental health
- Enhanced metabolism
- Boosted brain function
- Weather permitting, allow 10–15 minutes of morning sun exposure.
Proven benefits include:
- Regulating circadian rhythm and resetting your body’s internal clock, important for sleep, hormone production, and metabolism
- Enhancing vitamin D production
- Boosting mood and cognitive function
- Supporting eye health
- Increasing serotonin production
- Stimulating melatonin production for better sleep
- Regulating cortisol production, improving mood, boosting energy, and supporting cognitive function
- Keep your devices charged away from your bedroom.
This helps to:
- Reduce EMF exposure
- Reduce blue light exposure, which can disrupt melatonin production
- Focus on deep breathing during your daily “me” time.
Benefits include:
- Improved mental health and relationships
- Reduced cortisol levels
- Better sleep
- Set a timer to move if you are sitting for longer than an hour.
This can:
- Lower blood sugar and blood pressure
- Enhance metabolism
- Improve mental health and cognition
- Incorporate resistance exercises at least twice a week.
These exercises improve:
- Cardiovascular health
- Bone health
- Mental health
- Metabolic health, improving glucose sensitivity and resting metabolic rate
- Spend time with positive, motivational people or listen to a podcast.
Research shows this can lead to:
- Improved mood
- Stress reduction
- Enhanced resilience
- Mental stimulation
I trust the above examples have provided inspiration for sustainable lifestyle changes. If you would like further assistance tailored to your specific circumstances, feel free to reach out.
Wishing you a happy and healthy 2025! I’ll conclude with one of my favourite quotes: “Take care of your body. It is the only place you have to live.” – Jim Rohn
Make a sustainable difference in your life! Book a consultation with our in-house nutritionist, Mogestri Pather at nutrition@elixr.com.au.
