Now with the change of seasons and sickness circulating more frequently—not to mention COVID-19 being still a real threat, bolstering your body’s defenses is more critical than ever. This time of year, many people also experience heightened stress, as the holiday season is hectic and plates are overloaded. Sometimes stress can’t be avoided, and you need to approach it in a way that is more beneficial.
1: Get adjusted
Through the chiropractic adjustment, we can remove interference in your nervous system. When the spine is free of interference, the body works at a more optimal level. Chiropractic can keep your body balanced and help you handle the stresses of life better.
2: Supplement smart
Despite our best efforts, we don’t always get the nutrients we need through food alone. That’s particularly the case during the holiday season, when we tend to indulge in tempting treats.
Dr. Caruso recommends boosting the intake of vitamins and minerals that you know you’re not getting in your food. In particular, it’s a good idea to increase intake of vitamins C & D, zinc, and quercetin, which are just a few during this time. Dr. Caruso likes the Standard Process brand, which offers High-quality Whole-food based nutritional supplements that provide potent immune system support.
3: Pay attention to what you eat and how you eat
You’ve heard the term garbage in garbage out. If you want to be healthier, it’s important to nourish your body with clean, healthy food, which can benefit your mental and physical health. It’s also a good idea to eat less and chew your food well, drink more room temperature water also.And take time to eat in a relaxed manner, not hurriedly. These simple changes will have a great benefit to your overall health.
4: Breathe properly
The best way to breathe is in and out just through the nose; most people breathe a lot with their mouth. With diaphragmatic breathing, when you take a breath in, your stomach goes out. Take a breath out and your stomach goes in. This practice helps balance your whole body.
You can also ask your sleep partner if you breathe through your mouth or nose. When you start breathing through your nose exclusively, you’ll see a big difference, because nose breathing affects your parasympathetic nervous system, which is relaxation and digestion.
5: Mind your mindset
This is one of the most difficult things to do. Being mindful requires more attention than you think. Think about what aggravates you and your reaction to it. Is that what you want it to be, or do you think it needs to be modified? If you find negativity dominating your thinking, ask yourself if those thoughts are helpful or true. If they’re not, it’s important to replace dominant negative thoughts with positive ones. What we focus on is what we get.
6: Move more
In our sedentary society, people spend many hours each day sitting, which is detrimental to health. Find a form of exercise you like, and you’ll be more likely to stick with it. You can also incorporate more movement into your day by taking the stairs versus the elevator. Use an adjustable standing desk that allows you to alternate between sitting and standing throughout the day. Try breathing only with your nose when you walk, then you can try it when you exercise.
By incorporating these small changes now you’ll carry them with you into the New Year for a healthier 2022!