Sophia’s Top 5 Health Tips!

By Sophia McDermott, Lifestyle Coach & Fitness Expert. 

Health is where it's at. We may wish for riches, love or world peace, but the bottom line is that if we don’t have our health, we don't have anything. Our body is the vehicle that allows us to carry out all that we do. If we are sick or constantly tired it's hard to get things done that bring us closer to what we want. And if we are feeling crappy then our overall quality of life is diminished. 

Everybody is different but there is a general mainframe that allows ALL bodies to thrive. 

Here are my 5 most essential health tips to adopt into your lifestyle for better health.

1. Eating healthy food

The old adage, you are what you eat rings so true here. Every cell in your body is influenced by the food we eat since it’s the food that provides the fuel for our cells to function. Think of your body like a car. We put the highest grade fuel in the Ferrari so it performs well. Why don’t we put the highest grade fuel into our bodies?  In my opinion, anything else is madness. We’ve only got one body. There is no option of a trade-in or upgrade. 

Reducing processed food packed with sugar or even worse, high fructose corn syrup, processed trans fats, deep-fried foods and refined white flour products is the first step. 

The next step is to increase the amount of whole, real foods. Fresh veggies, healthy proteins such as wild-caught salmon or pasture-raised eggs with healthy fats such as coconut oil, avocado and nuts will get you to the next level.  

2. Importance of sleep

Sleep is one of the most important things for our health. It is a time where our bodies and our minds are regenerating and repairing. If we don’t get enough sleep then our bodies aren’t healed from the day’s stresses and in time the chronic stress builds up. Our cortisol levels (the body’s stress response hormone) is constantly elevated which helps to retain water and store fat. Also due to lack of rest and repair, when we awake we are running on empty which compromises our immune systems and can make us more susceptible to getting sick.

3. Importance of movement

Lack of movement affects our circulation and other systems such as our lymph system that uses movement from the body like a pump to move fluids and remove waste from the body. We also miss out on the amazing endorphins that are our body’s ‘feel good' hormones that positively affect our mood and reduce pain if we don't workout. Many cells in the immune system have receptors for endorphins, and some studies show that increasing your endorphin levels is a great way to increase your body's immune function. But it also enhances your mood so that you feel good. How many times have you been feeling a little down, lethargic and lazy and then dragged yourself to do a workout and afterwards you feel amazing, vibrant and energised? That’s your endorphins at work! 

Aim to move your body a little every day. A walk in the park or tennis with friends or one of my quick and super effective workouts in my membership (add link)

4. Importance of positive emotions.

Now, this might be a left-field for some but I am a big believer that our emotions and our mindsets do have an effect on our health and our immune system. Basically being unhappy makes you more susceptible to getting sick etc. Going back to Richard J Davidson PhD, Author on The Emotional Life of Your Brain, he shares results for a test he performed whereby groups received the flu shot and those who reported they were happy and who performed specific stress-reducing practices to keep their mindset’s positive such as focused meditation produced higher antibodies from the flu shot than those who did not practice stress-reducing activities. Basically, your mood and state of mind affect your health. Be happy and be healthy. Fill yourself with thoughts that are full of joy and your body will thank you!

5. Get outside in the sun and surround yourself with nature.

There is a reason why so many people have photos of nature as their screensavers at their work computers. It not only makes you feel good while looking at it, I am a firm believer that being in nature contributes to your health - and if looking at it on a computer is our best option then at least it's something. We are not meant to be cooped up in office cubicles all day with fluorescent lighting, spending the majority of time indoors, staring at screens with blue light, devoid of nature. Sunlight, fresh air and trees… so simple but in this day and age, often a fleeting moment in anyone’s busy day.  Try your best to find the time to fill your lungs with fresh air and oxygenate your blood, get your daily dose of vitamin D from the sun and ground yourself with the earth and nature. These small things will enhance your mood as well as your overall health.

Some of these things may be more obvious than others to keep your immune system strong, but the whole body works together as one unit. If there are pieces of the puzzle missing in one area then the whole body is compromised one way or another. In order to stay truly healthy and to be able to fight off any infections, paying attention to all the factors such as healthy eating, moving your body, getting outdoors to get vitamin D, sleeping well and having happy thoughts are essential.