Seriously Healthy (and Simple) Habits to Start your New Year Right

DRINK WATER: Water is essential for your body to function on a normal and healthy level. Everyday you lose water through breath, perspiration and urination, so it is essential to replenish your water supply. You can do so by drinking water and eating foods that contain water. So what does the doctor order? According to The Institute of Medicine an adequate intake for men is roughly 3 liters (about 13 cups, or a little less than a gallon) of total beverages a day. The adequate intake for women is 2.2 liters (about 9 cups) of total beverages a day. So get sipping ladies and gents and make 2014 a good one! We also found this article very interesting: Woman drinks water and looks 10 years younger.

MOVE: Walk around your neighborhood, play catch with your dog, head to the gym with a good book – We don’t care how you do it just move. In 2012 and 2013 physicians and researchers equated the adverse health effects of sitting to smoking. In an article by the LA Times, published in May of 2013 A study published in the journal Diabetologia in November 2012 and discussed that analyzed the results of 18 studies with a total of nearly 800,000 participants. When comparing people who spent the most time sitting with those who spent the least time, researchers found increases in the risks of diabetes (112%), cardiovascular events (147%), death from cardiovascular causes (90%) and death from all causes (49%). For those of you with a desk job, and little flexibility, Dr. Scharper recommends getting up often to head to the water cooler or just do a quick lap around the office. Thanks to modern technology there are lots of tools out there to help you gauge just how active you are. My personal favorite is the FitBit: http://www.fitbit.com/

EAT BALANCED MEALS: The best way to stave off hunger is eating meals that fulfill your nutritional requirements and offers balanced combination of fiber, protein and fat.  A fun way to practice a balanced meal is to eat all the colors you can. If your plate looks too brown chances are you are not getting a balanced array of nutrients. Add some leafy greens and colorful berries to a plate of grilled chicken and brown rice and you would be surprised how quickly a healthy, but lopsided meal becomes balanced.

BE KIND: At Serious Oats we are just as invested in our physical health as we are our mental health. And we are firm believers that the best thing for your mood, heart and soul is kindness. So head into the New Year with an intention to be kind. Every ounce of kindness, given or received, can elevate your mood and lighten your spirit.

LAUGH: Laugh therapist Steve Wilson says, “The effects of laughter and exercise are very similar. Adding laughter to familiar movements, such as waving your arms, activates just about every human physiological system, similar to traditional exercise.” And we know that laughter burns calories and reduces stress. So this year, even though we are getting pretty serious with our Serious Oats – Dr. Scharper says, “Don’t forget to laugh!”