What I've Been Up To and a Health Update

Hi everyone! This post is about my resolutions for the coming year. The theme I've chosen for 2014 is "Get Healthy!" So here's what I have lined up.

Health Check-Ups!

I've been really bad about getting my annual checkups...like... it's been YEARS since I've been to the dentist. What can I say? Those places make me nervous and I dislike the experiences I've had in the past. However, I really need a deep cleaning and I want to know if there are cavities I need to deal with (I'm going to try the natural route with these). It's just turned into one of those things I need to get taken care of.

I've also been terrible about going to the doctor. Since I rarely ever get sick and I'm not a huge fan of conventional medicine I've just been putting this off time and time again. I do however need to get my blood tested for deficiencies and in order to get that done, I need to get a check-up so I can get a draw for lab work. What's cool is I don't need to go to a regular doctor to get the preliminary stuff done because my job has a free holistic clinic that I can go to (YAY). They offer everything a normal doctor would with some great referrals at their disposal.   

I need new glasses. I've had the same pair for the past 10 years. I think it's time for some new ones! Oh perhaps look into pinhole glasses to retrain my eyes.

Get Hydrated!

Drinking enough water is a huge problem for me. To combat this, I'm going to try and drink at least 3 glasses of water a day with some lemon squeezed in to make it more desirable. One of the ways to keep from having to use the bathroom so often when I up my intake of water is to add a small pinch of sea salt, so I will be doing this more often as well, especially when I'm at work.

I will also incorporate fresh coconut water, nourishing herbal infusions, and herbal tonics when I can.

Improve Digestion!

I feel like in the last 4 years my poor digestion has taken a toll on my health. Bad breakups are bad news when it comes to digestion and negative emotions can create havoc on so many levels in the body. Who knew that such emotional experiences could be so detrimental?! 

To improve my digestion and nutrient absorption I will be increasing my intake of fermented foods (with every meal), probiotics (twice a day), and digestive enzymes (every meal). I will also be experimenting with food combining and keeping track of food sensitivities and reactions along the way.

I will also take a fiber supplement (homemade or otherwise) morning and night to enhance the effects of detox.

My goal is to eliminate constipation, bloating, and acne breakouts.

Balance Hormones!

Hormone imbalance can be caused by so many different factors. I believe that my personal imbalance stems from stress, poor digestion, and a sluggish liver. 

My plans to reverse hormonal imbalance is to take this supplement twice a day along with vitex and milk thistle to improve liver function and detox. 

Eat Real Food!

I will make a strong effort to avoid fast food and processed food and instead eat a diet high in healthy fats, fresh greens and vegetables, raw dairy, and small amounts of gress fed meats. 

I will make a point to eat with reverence and enjoy my meals even if I'm having a rough day in order to improve stress levels and digestive health.

Lower Stress!

This is always a tough for everyone. I've said these two words to tons of customers at work and almost always get an eye roll and a humorless laugh, but it can be done! 

I plan on incorporating adaptogenic herbs like holy basil and rhodiola to my daily supplements to help rebuild and nourish my adrenals. These herbs are strong allies to have when dealing with overreactions to stressful situations.

I will also take the time to do things I enjoy doing instead of constantly being on the go doing things that "need to get done" when they really don't. Stop and smell the roses as they say. 

Exercise More!

I've been doing a lot better with this lately and have been running a few times a week along with stretching and other exercises. I plan to keep this up and increase the distance I run little by little until I can run without stopping often. 

Exercise also gets things moving and lowers stress so i can kill two birds with one stone on this one.

So there you have it! A little update from me on what I plan to do to improve my health and well-being and will post updates as I go along. Will you join me?