10 Creative, Quick and Easy Steps Towards Better Health

Change is never easy. It takes time and some patience to adapt to new lifestyle modifications. However, it is easier than you may think. A health overhaul is always a learning process. It is manageable if completed in small steps instead of one massive transformation. Here are some easy tips to slowly adopt a healthy lifestyle.

1. Look for organic / natural alternatives for your snacks. Most companies are starting to realize that "healthy" foods are profitable. Practically every snack food has a less-processed counterpart for a dollar more. If you have the resources, the health benefits are worth it. For example: Fig Newtons have an organic relative: Fig Newmans. Goldfish Crackers could be replaced by Annie's Cheddar Buddies. They taste exactly the same. 
2. Try to follow the "rule of 1900" as best you can. If anything was synthesized after 1900, it is probably not a good idea to consume it. If your great grandmother has no idea what that ingredient is on a food label, don't buy it. The FDA is constantly re-evaluating the safety of new food additives, preservatives, dyes, etc. The jury is out whether or not these substances are really safe at all. No one really knows. For instance, Aspartame is NOT safe. It was denied eight times by the FDA, over a period of 16 years. It was finally approved due to political interests.
3. If you do not have access to organic produce, or cannot afford it, buy a bottle of soaking solution. It will last you a long time. These solutions pull off a significant amount (up to 98%) more of pesticides and wax than simply rinsing produce under water. 
4. Learn about GMOs (genetically modified organisms) and avoid them. How detrimental to our health is the practice of GMOs? We don't know the long-term effects yet. But I can tell you that injecting fish genes into strawberries to increase crop frost resistance probably won't fare well for us. The scary thing about GMOs is that most people are not even aware about which foods contain them. This is primarily because the food industry hides them from us. I highly recommend this website as a resource to learn about GMOs and how to avoid them. 
5. Start taking fish oil. It is fast. It is easy. It is available in many forms. Fish oil is (one of) the most bioavailable form of EPA / DHA (the active chemicals in fish oil) on the market (next to Krill Oil). The health benefits are staggering. Run a Google search to confirm this. Flax seed oil is about 16 times less effective than fish oil. Be certain to check out purity ratings from an independent third party such as Consumer Labs before purchasing an oil.
6. Want to make your sandwiches healthy? Make a few small changes. Purchase "light" meat. This usually cuts the sodium in half. If the meat tastes awful without the extra sodium, you might wonder about the quality of the meat itself. Find a brand that actually tastes decent when the sodium is reduced, such as Dietz & Watson. Purchase organic multi-grain bread, preferably with 5 ingredients or less, from a health store. Buy organic mayonnaise. 
7. Become aware of what ingredients are used in your cosmetics. Just because you aren't directly ingesting a product, does not mean it has no ill effects on your body. Your body readily absorbs many products applied to the skin. This is known as transdermal absorption. Try to eliminate Sodium Lauryl Sulfate and Propylene Glycol from all your bathroom products. The cosmetic database is an excellent resource to run searches on the safety of all your products and find alternatives. Don't just throw away all your shampoo. Gradually start replacing your products, one at a time. When your toothpaste runs out, buy a healthier alternative, such as Tom's of Maine.
8. Make exercise fun. Keep a fresh, upbeat playlist on your music player. Alternate routines or classes throughout the week. Too busy? What works better with your schedule... Exercising one hour per day or being dead 24 hours per day? 
9. Meditate daily. The benefits of (mindful) meditation have been well-documented by science. A  regular meditation regimen has the potential to reduce anxiety, depressive symptoms, blood pressure, and worrysome thoughts. There are endless other benefits. Even more recently, well-designed studies have confirmed that meditation reduces perception of pain.
10. Purchase a reliable, cost effective water filter. It is well-known that our water contains an exhorbant amount of chemicals and byproducts. It might frighten you to learn that environmental agencies have found traces of Prozac, antibiotics, fecal steroids, hormones, and detergents in the average municipal water supply. For fractions of a penny per gallon, you can save yourself from unnecessary exposure to a lot of nasty things.     

Disclaimer: Most postings on this blog are opinion-based. Information on this blog is not meant to serve as medical advice. Always consult with your healthcare provider before implementing any opinions presented on this blog.