Helpful Healthy Habits
Habits cost little energy – but they do determine our vitality and quality.
Not only today, but also as we grow older.
- Lukewarm food and drinks. “Drink your coffee before it cools down and eat your ice cream before it melts,” we often say. But at moderate temperatures, your body doesn't have to work as hard to get the food to the right body temperature. Consider consuming lukewarm foods and drinks more often.
- Start your morning routine by rinsing your mouth with water, which can easily be done in the shower or at the tap. This way you remove a lot of bacteria that have accumulated in your mouth overnight.
- Take good care of your liver, which is vital for your hormonal balance. Start your morning routine by drinking a mug of lukewarm water with lemon drops or apple cider vinegar drops before breakfast. Lukewarm water = ½ boiled and ½ cold water in a mug.
- Avoid snacking and skip the snacks at 10 a.m., 3 p.m., and 8 p.m. This gives your blood sugar balance the opportunity to calm down. After a few days, your body gets used to skipping snacks, which contributes to a calmer digestive system.
- Suffering from sugar dips? Consider replacing your chocolate sprinkle sandwich with toppings containing proteins and healthy fats. Protein and healthy fats slow the absorption of glycose into your bloodstream. Or choose oatmeal, for example. Fast carbohydrates and sugars lead to feelings of hunger, fatigue, yawning and the tendency to reach for coffee for extra energy. This causes significant fluctuations in your body. Try skipping a sandwich and observe the change.
- No more tiredness, dips, dizziness and flatulence. Sitting for long periods of time is not beneficial for various body processes. Both the intestines and the thyroid gland need exercise. The thyroid gland, essential for many bodily functions, is active at night during rest. When we sit still a lot during the day, the thyroid gland becomes active, thinking it is its turn, which can lead to confusion. Make sure you increase your heart rate significantly during periods of inactivity. Jump, dance, run, and get moving. This not only promotes proper functioning of the thyroid gland, but also helps the intestines function properly.
- Sleeping in is good for you’ we often shout. However, every extra hour of sleeping in on the weekend is experienced as mini jet lag and you have to pay it back on Monday morning. Your body becomes confused by changes in sleep times. It follows a biological clock, which must be respected. Do you feel tired? Better go to bed earlier. Hormones mainly recover between 10-2pm. Make sure you get enough sleep during this time.
- Spray perfume and aftershave on your clothes instead of directly on your skin. Some perfumes/aftershaves contain more than 200 toxic ingredients. What ends up on your skin is also absorbed.
- Wash synthetic new clothing before wearing it, because clothing comes into direct contact with your skin and can contain many hormone disrupting substances. Preference natural fabrics!
- Take the time to chew your food thoroughly. The Dutch are known for eating their meals within minutes. However, gentle chewing is essential for good digestion, as enzymes become active during chewing.
- Replace your cleaning products with natural vinegar and green soap; this will allow you to perform most tasks. It's healthier for you and your hormones, and it saves money too. Plus, it frees up space in your cupboards. Instead of killing all bacteria, we need to increase our resistance. We cannot live without bacteria.
- Chlorine is harmful to our hormones and our environment. Chlorine is used in all kinds of products, such as toilet paper, tissues, kitchen roll, tampons and sanitary towels. The residual product dioxin disrupts our mucous membranes, which can lead to dry mucous membranes, mucus formation and irritation in the bladder and/or vagina. Switch to chlorine-free tissues and sanitary pads/tampons that have not been bleached with chlorine. This can reduce or even eliminate complaints.
- Go to the toilet every day for a bowel movement – this is good for your hormones. If it still doesn't work even when you drink enough water, try taking magnesium citrate. It is good for bowel movements and also for hormones, so a double benefit.
- End your shower with cold water or alternate between cold and hot water. This is beneficial for the body and prevents the skin from drying out due to long and hot showers.
- Where possible, choose organic/biodynamic food and avoid 'bags and packets'’ in your diet, because they contain E numbers that can be harmful.
- Many herbs and spices are very healthy and delicious for making tea and salads. Dandelions and nettles can be picked in many places. Use them fresh or dried.
- Don't carry your cell phone in your pocket. Bring a bag to create distance.
- Put your cell phone on airplane mode (or off) at night or keep it out of your bedroom.
