Adopt a new attitude to well-being, extending from food and fitness to your emotional and mental health, finances, work and family. Here are tips to get 2020 off to a good start, writes Glynis Horning.
“CLEAN” EATING AND DRINKING
It’s a buzzword bandied about by stars from Gwyneth Paltrow to Beyoncé, but it’s rooted in the natural health movement of the 60s and sensible principles.
- Focus on whole, natural, unrefined foods: lots of veggies and fruits, whole grains and legumes, some lean protein (preferably free-range), and healthy oils and fats like avocados, raw nuts and seeds and their oils, and fatty fish several times a week.
- Avoid or minimise processed foods, which often lose healthy fibre and nutrients, while gaining unwanted saturated fats or trans fats (“not healthy in any quantity,” says Joburg dietitian Lila Bruk), salt, sugar, preservatives and other additives. Read labels.
- Drink water – invest in a filter, and keep a jug in the fridge, with sliced lemon, cucumber, apple or mint leaves for flavour; sip unsweetened tea or coffee.
NON-TOXIC GREEN LIVING
It’s easier to live a healthier and more ethical lifestyle than you think.
- Buy local produce in season to lessen your carbon footprint (support farmers’ markets), and choose free-range and organic if you can afford it, “but only if it doesn’t mean you buy and eat less of a variety of fresh fruit and veges,” says Bloemfontein dietitian Tristi van der Spuy. Rinse well – even produce with inedible skins, as cutting through these with a knife may contaminate the insides.
- Also look for organic, non-toxic products to clean your body (your skin is your largest organ and some chemicals can penetrate it and be absorbed), as well as for your home, dishes and clothes.
- Keep plants around the home and your workplace to clean the air – they absorb carbon dioxide and release oxygen.
ACTIVE LIVING
Moving briskly for just 30 minutes a day will give your heart and other muscles a workout, keep you strong and help you maintain a healthy weight.
- Do what you enjoy, so you keep doing it: walk with a friend, dance with your partner, do squats watching the news. Three 10-minute sessions a day will do it. “Small pockets of exercise beat no exercise and add up,” says Durban fitness consultant Hayley Cassim of Gym in a Box.
- Work out with weights (or water bottles) for 10 minutes, to strengthen muscles and bones.
- Hire a trainer for a session to get guidelines on what works best for your body.
EMOTIONAL AND MENTAL WELLNESS
This is vital to cope with the challenges in turbulent times, helping you put problems in perspective and bounce back.
- Name your emotions: anger, stress? Don’t suppress or act on your emotions. Take a few moments to compose yourself (breathe deeply), then address them. If they’re more than you can handle, talk to an understanding friend, or a professional.
- Know the signs of depression – ongoing low mood, crying, agitation, angry outbursts, tiredness, changes in sleeping or eating patterns or libido, withdrawal. “Start by seeing a doctor who can rule out physical problems such as anaemia and hormonal imbalance, and refer you to other professionals,” says Cassey Chambers, operations director of the SA Depression and Anxiety Group.
- Get moving and eat sensibly: just exercising briskly for 20-30 minutes a day can help relieve stress and boost feel-good endorphins, and a balanced diet can improve mood.