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7 proactive health hacks to keep you feeling your best

Many people initially start their health and wellness journey looking to improve their overall physique. Staying healthy has a number of benefits besides just looking and feeling confident in your own skin.

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Maintaining your health can improve your longevity, allow you to get more out of life, and help you feel more lively and energetic throughout the day. Getting in shape and taking care of your body takes everyday commitment. Being proactive by exercising, eating well, and taking time for your mental health are all necessary to live a well-balanced and healthy life.

It’s not always easy, so we’re sharing helpful hacks that can help you in your health and wellness journey.

Proactive vs. retroactive healthcare

The main goal of healthcare is to keep you as healthy as possible. Throughout much of history, healthcare has focused on retroactive care in that a doctor comes to help treat an existing problem.

Although this can be effective, in recent decades, medical professionals have been pushing for a more proactive and preventative approach to healthcare.

Rather than waiting for someone with an unhealthy lifestyle to develop heart disease to begin treatment, proactive care would encourage maintaining a healthy weight through a healthy lifestyle to avoid heart disease altogether.

While the preventative approach can sometimes take some effort, it is well worth it to avoid health complications later down the road.

Nutritive health hacks

The food you eat makes a difference when it comes to your overall health. Staying on top of your food choices and opting for healthier options whenever possible is not always easy. Many foods that are not ideal nutritionally tend to taste good.

Below is a closer look at some helpful tips and hacks you can utilize to get your nutrition sorted and to help maintain healthy dietary habits.

Opt for complex carbohydrates whenever possible

One aspect of your nutrition that can drastically impact how you feel on a given day is your blood sugar. When your body digests carbohydrates it results in raising blood sugar levels.

Blood sugar is then utilized as a means of energy throughout the body to power cells. Certain carbs however are digested differently and can cause a blood sugar crash.

There are two main kinds of carbs, which include simple and complex carbs. Simple carbs like those found in fresh fruit and dairy products are quickly digested, resulting in a blood sugar spike.

Complex carbohydrates on the other hand are slowly digested resulting in a more prolonged release of sugar into your blood.

Opting for complex carbs, such as those found in sweet potatoes, whole grains, and leafy green veggies, whenever possible is an easy hack that can keep you energized and help you to avoid energy slumps throughout the day.

Plus, these veggies are also great sources of magnesium and other nutrients. Vegetables support your overall wellness in so many ways – they’re kind of like the ultimate life hack.

Support your cellular health

Another hack that can take your nutrition to the next level is to utilize your diet and supplements to support your body at a cellular level. Your body is made of trillions of cells and they rely on the foods you consume to obtain the molecules they need to survive and thrive.

When it comes to nutrition, many people don’t focus on their cellular health, which may be leaving some health benefits untapped. One way you can support your cellular health through nutrition is by supporting healthy mitochondria within your cells.

The mitochondria are the powerhouses of the cell and are the cellular basis for energy within the body. One effective molecule for supporting optimal mitochondrial functioning is MitoQ.

Taking MitoQ consistently over a couple of months can help to support the mitochondria, which has the ability to offer a number of benefits such as more sustained energy levels, mental clarity, and overall body support.

When your body is taken care of at a cellular level, it can have a number of beneficial impacts on your overall health and how you feel day-to-day.

Another way to support your cells is by making sure you incorporate plenty of antioxidants into your diet. Antioxidants are substances that help defend your cells against free radical damage, which can negatively affect your immune system and even lead to serious illness when left unchecked.

Foods high in antioxidants include berries (especially blueberries), dark chocolate, and most veggies (especially broccoli, carrots, and spinach).

Log your food

Everyone is unique in the food choices they make. Understanding your dietary habits and how they make you feel is a powerful hack that can enable you to feel your best more frequently.

Simply record the foods you eat in a day and at the end of the day ask yourself how you felt.

Once you have logged a number of days you will likely pick up on patterns that can be useful to you, such as late-night cravings and go-to snacks. Perhaps eating a sugary breakfast would more likely cause you to feel tired throughout the day or eating a light dinner would allow you to get better sleep.

Once you pick up on these habits you can tailor your diet to empower you rather than hold you back.

Physical health hacks

Eating healthy isn’t a cakewalk by any means, but dragging yourself to the gym and getting your heart rate up on a consistent basis to physically exert yourself is much more difficult for many people.

Below is a closer look at some helpful hacks that may be helpful in tackling and maintaining your physical health.

Find something you enjoy

When most people think about getting physically in shape, they most likely envision going to the gym and utilizing exercise machines or free weights. While the gym is a go-to for many people, it also isn’t for everyone.

The most worthwhile hack when it comes to getting physically active is finding something you enjoy that gets your body moving. When you enjoy the activity you’re doing, you’re more likely to stick with it.

There are a number of recreational activities out there that many people find genuine enjoyment in. Some examples include rock climbing, hiking, mountain biking, swimming, and surfing — even giving your local disc golf course or pickleball court a go may inspire a new hobby. Outdoor activities also have the special bonus of providing some fresh air.

Focus more on consistency

Going to the gym and seeing progression in your strength is quite rewarding, but many people fall into the trap of pushing themselves too hard too early.

A prime example of this is someone who is constantly trying to beat their personal record by continuously trying to lift the heaviest weights possible. Lifting too much too early can increase your likelihood of injury which could result in weeks without physical activity.

While lifting heavy and pushing yourself to exhaustion can improve strength, it can be more efficient to work more consistently at a lower intensity.

The main reason this hack is effective is that working below your maximum intensity doesn't require as much recovery time. Rather than pushing yourself to your limit and recovering for multiple days, you can work out more consistently — and this applies to all forms of physical exercise, not just lifting.

Don’t go from a half-mile to a full mile overnight, don’t worry about walking during lunch every single day to start — give yourself the space to adjust and level up at your own pace.

Mental health hacks

Mental health is perhaps the most important aspect of how you feel on a given day. You could be in tip-top physical shape but if your mental health is not where it ought to be it can cause a very real decline in your overall wellbeing.

Below is a closer look at some hacks and ways you can help support better mental wellbeing to allow you to feel your absolute best.

Create good sleep habits

Getting a quality night’s rest plays a very important role in your physical and mental wellbeing. From a mental health perspective, getting inadequate sleep can increase your likelihood of experiencing mental distress.

One of the best hacks for getting enough sleep is to develop healthy habits surrounding sleep. Also referred to as having good sleep hygiene, these habits are meant to help support more sound and restful sleep.

Some of these habits include avoiding exposure to bright lights before bed, avoiding caffeine in the evening, having a wind-down routine, having a consistent wake-up time, and ensuring you have a comfortable sleep environment.

Having good sleep hygiene won’t guarantee good sleep but it does give you the best shot at having a rejuvenating sleep to feel energized and ready to tackle the next day.

Take time for yourself

In today's world, it can be easy to get caught up with the busyness of life. Work responsibilities, deadlines, bills, and at-home responsibilities can sometimes become overwhelming.

Many people take all of this head-on constantly without taking a break. While this may seem like the only way to check everything off a to-do list, it can quickly result in burnout.

One of the best and simplest hacks to avoid burnout is to take time out for yourself. This can be as simple as staying off social media to encourage mindfulness during your lunch break or as involved as taking time off for a vacation or weekend getaway with those you love.

Taking these moments for yourself can allow you to be more productive and help to keep you feeling your absolute best.

Conclusion

Taking a proactive approach to your health is a worthwhile investment in your overall wellbeing. Taking care of your nutrition, physical health, and mental health can all help support a healthy mind and body, both of which are necessary to keep you feeling your best.

See where MitoQ can fit into your life. Learn more about MitoQ today.

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