A week is a short time in context of a lifetime, but when you make the most of each moment, seven days can be profound.
Doing just one healthy thing per day for one week – Monday to Sunday, can help cement nourishing habits and pave the way for sustainable lifestyle change. Feel energised, renewed & more motivated with my ‘Seven ways to feel dramatically different’.
image via pinterest
Monday – Enjoy a glorious start to the day with a big, healthy breakfast
Set a considerate tone for the day by making time to enjoy a good, healthy breakfast, cleanse and eliminate in a relaxed state and prepare for the day ahead. Wake with the sun, synchronising your wake/sleep cycle with daylight and darkness for a stress free start to the day. According to a Tel Aviv University study, human metabolism is significantly impacted by our body clock — the circadian rhythm that manages our body’s biological processes over each 24-hour cycle.
Eating a big breakfast jumpstarts metabolic processes and keeps them high all day. Studies show those who eat their largest daily meal at breakfast are far more likely to lose weight and waistline circumference than those who eat a large dinner.
Tuesday – Go to bed early and reconnect to a state of calm
After dinner, switch off the lights, computers & phones. Set a stress free and natural ambience with candlelight and soothing music. Draw a bath with natural bath salts & oils that exfoliate, soften and relax. Lather up in your favourite body oil or cream and slip into clean sheets with a good book or loved one!
Wednesday – Get some sunlight, fresh air & some green oxygen
Enjoy lunch or a walk outside of your office or work environment. Spend time amongst trees; they breathe out the oxygen we breath in. In addition, you’ll be obtaining much-needed vitamin D from sunlight.
Interesting studies have shown the power of nature to delight & inspire: participants were exposed to images of either natural or non-natural environments while listening to a guided imagery script that instructed them to tune into their environments, notice colours and textures, and imagine sounds and smells. Before and afterwards, they were asked to describe their life goals—both what the researchers refer to as “intrinsic aspirations” (personal growth, intimacy, community) or “extrinsic aspirations” (money, image, fame)—before and after the presentations. In the fourth study, participants were asked to come to a lab that was either free of plants or was furnished with four plants. All four studies were performed at New York’s University of Rochester.
Results from all the studies showed that the participants exposed to nature -either via slide-show images or the presence of live plants in the lab setting -valued intrinsic goals more, and extrinsic goals less, than they had before spending time in the presence of nature. Why? The study authors speculate it’s because nature can remove individuals from their daily pressures, and help them tune into themselves in the moment.
Thursday – Bake a cake & become an office or family favourite!
But don’t just bake any cake. Choose a healthy, delicious recipe that will rival any sugar laden and processed store bought cake. A quick, easy and healthy wholesome recipe is my easy, peasy Banana Coconut Cake: in a food processor, add 6 eggs, 5 bananas, 3 tablespoons of raw honey, ¼ teaspoon of cinnamon powder and process well. Follow with 2.5 cups of desiccated coconut. Process further. Pour batter in a well coconut oiled pan. Thinly slice bananas and arrange on batter. Bake at 180C for 50 minutes or until golden brown. Your work colleagues or family will not only be rapt but you’ll also contribute to their health and wellbeing – lollies out, healthful cakes, in.
Friday –Drink quality water
Drink quality, filtered water. Don’t forget to use it for tea making too! Notice thirst signals and hydrate accordingly, feeling cleansed & refreshed. Place a jug on your desk as a reminder, and add a pinch of good quality sea salt to each glass to assist hydration & electrolyte balance.
Saturday – Do a food audit & prepare for the week ahead
A simple cleanse of your pantry & fridge will inspire a healthy food choices for eating well during the week.
Throw out expired items and products with process ingredients such as additives, sugar, salt, yeast, milk solids, and vegetables oils. Choose wholesome foods by educating yourself as to what they look like! My I Am Food eBooks give guidelines for foods and ingredients to eat and avoid. Choose whole fresh foods from a farmers market, baker, fishmonger, pastured meat butchery or health food store.
If you fail to plan, you plan to fail! Use today to plan ahead.
Sunday – Juice up your creativity for health
As the Liverpool Arts Regeneration Consortium (LARC) have recognised, the arts are not peripheral to health and wellbeing, but integral. Research conducted by LARC’s Liverpool Thrive Programme demonstrated how arts and creativity has a massive impact upon peoples’ health and quality of life. The lesson? Unlock your hidden creativity; paint, draw, write, make music – choose one and creatively play on a Sunday.
As you can see, focusing on one goal per day is achievable, sustainable. Channeling your energy into one nourishing act per 24 hours gives you the space to fully embrace a habit & reap the healthy rewards. A week may be short, but for fostering wellness, profound.
Ref:
https://www.organicgardening.com/living/outdoor-time-makes-you-better-person
https://www.liv.ac.uk/culture-network/creativity-and-health/