As Ob/Gyns, clean lifestyle recommendations are the norm, especially when we focus on trying to conceive, pregnancy, and breastfeeding health. In reality, living a clean lifestyle is something all of us should strive to practice.
Healthy living improves every aspect of life – from the physical to the mental and emotional.
Tenets of Living a Clean Lifestyle
But what does living a clean lifestyle mean? As we look at our daily health habits, we begin taking stock of these essential aspects of health and wellness to see if there’s some “cleaning up” that needs to be done.
Eat a well-rounded diet
Trying to eat healthy all the time is unrealistic. That’s why we advocate eating a well-rounded diet. If you have an existing health condition – adhere to your doctor’s dietary recommendations and restrictions as much as possible. Otherwise, aim to eat a well-rounded diet that includes such an abundance of whole, fresh, high-fiber, and nutrient-rich foods that they counterbalance the fun-but-not-so-healthy-treats we all love from time to time.
Fun Healthy Lifestyle Tips: Try sticking to the 80/20 rule – keeping 80% of your calories from healthy food and 20% of your calories from some of those less-healthy favorites.
Drink in moderation
According to healthfinder.gov – drinking in moderation means:
- No more than one drink/day for women
- No more than two drinks/per day for men
Also, note that different alcoholic beverages have varying alcohol levels, so “1 drink” means:
- 12 oz (1 bottle) of beer
- 5 ounces of wine
- One shot of liquor (1.5 ounces)
Exercise moderately for 30-minutes a day, 5-days a week
Not only is exercise good for your heart, your muscles, and that ideal healthy weight target – regular exercise is a natural blood sugar balance. Those who exercise moderately for 30 minutes a day, for at least five days per week, have significantly reduced risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and even Alzheimer’s and dementia.
Exercise can also reduce your chances of osteoporosis, and core strengthening exercises promote pelvic floor health.
Get 7 to 9 hours of sleep each night
We’ve always known that getting a good night’s sleep is essential to overall health. Researchers find that sleep is more critical to brain and neuron health than we thought. Studies show, in addition to healthy diets and regular exercise, healthy sleep patterns can notably reduce your risk of Alzheimer’s and dementia – as a result of the amyloid cleansing that takes place during certain sleep phases.
Start a gratitude journal
Do you have a blank journal sitting around? Take it off the shelf and turn it into a gratitude journal. If you need a little help getting started, check out this list of pre-made gratitude journals! It’s a wonderful way to remind yourself about all that is going positively in your life – celebrating the abundance surrounding you.
If you’re concerned about anything related to your overall health and well-being, please contact the team at Overlake OB/GYN and schedule an appointment with us. We want help you get on track for living your cleanest, happiest, and most joy-filled life yet.