TrueCare Tips for a Healthy Living

Holistic health and wellness means taking each aspect of your life and environment into account. From nutrition and movement to stress management and work-life balance.

Healthy Eating & Nutrition 

Eating a balanced diet may sound easy and straightforward at first. But there are many conflicting opinions about what it means to eat a healthy, balanced diet.  There isn’t one diet or way of eating that works for everyone.  A food plan should be tailored to you in order to improve your overall health and well-being. A “balanced diet” is one that works for your lifestyle, health concerns, and food preferences. Below are some tips to get you started.

  • Set smart goals – set small attainable goals that help you incorporate healthy changes slowly.  Small, realistic changes over time are easier to implement, and are more likely to stick than a huge, dramatic change made suddenly.  Ex – replace soda with water or add fruits, cucumber or lime to water, replace white pasta & bread with whole grain
  • Stay Hydrated – Staying hydrated helps rid the body of toxins, builds resilience to stress, enhances metabolism, and promotes satiety.  Avoid sugary drinks, soda, and alcohol.  Add honey or natural syrup for sweetness but use in small quantity
  • Eat healthy carbohydrates from whole foods like fruits, vegetables, beans, lentils.  Avoid processed & refined food.  Add soluble & insoluble fiber to your diet
  • Eating healthy fats help support the brain and heart health while keeping you full and providing your body with energy.  Aim for fats from avocado, nuts, seeds, cold press oil
  • Eat the rainbow – Our bodies function best when they take in nutrients from all different types and colors of whole foods
  • Be mindful & conscious of what you eat & how much you eat.  Eating healthy & portion control is essential.  Be careful of fad diets.  

Exercise

Consistent physical activity provides many benefits for both mental and physical health. Exercise can help with:

  • Stress reduction
  • Weight management
  • Chronic health conditions
  • Mental health concerns like depression and anxiety
  • Activities like yoga are highly beneficial in improving flexibility and mobility over time and are a great low-impact workout that keeps the body in balance.

The key to an effective workout routine is to find activities you enjoy doing and to stick to a schedule that works for you. Get creative! If you struggle to motivate yourself to hit the gym, try a brisk walk/jog, or a dance session to your favorite playlist.

Stress 

The body’s stress response handles physical (e.g., sprained ankle) or mental (e.g., worry) stressors.  Short-term stress is often harmless, however chronic stress can have lasting adverse effects on the entire body. People who report higher levels of chronic stress are more likely to develop heart disease, depression, diabetes, dementia, cancer, digestive symptoms, and more.  Day-to-day stress is unavoidable, but it does not have to turn into chronic stress that negatively impacts your health. There are many ways to manage stress including:

  • Deep breathing, yoga & meditation is great way to release stress
  • Get at least 7-9 hours of quality sleep each night
  • Talk to a counselor
  • Start a gratitude journal
  • Optimize your nutrition to support a healthy stress response (healthy protein, fats and a variety of colorful vegetables and fruits)
  • Socialize with supportive friends or family
  • Spend time in nature
  • Do a digital detox (e.g.no electronic devices for 24-hours, or a weekend)
  • Reframe your self-talk (e.g. Instead of “They rejected my job application,” think “I wasn’t rejected, I’m being redirected towards something better.”)

Meditation

In today’s fast-paced, modern world, rarely are we given a chance to pause and connect with ourselves. A meditation practice is an excellent way to build mindfulness into your day-to-day, and meditating regularly has a positive impact on aspects of both mental and physical health. Meditation helps to:

  • Reduce stress and anxiety
  • Improve sleep hygiene
  • Bolster attention span
  • Raise self-awareness

BEST OF ALL, MEDITATION IS ACCESSIBLE TO ALL

Sleep hygiene

Healthy sleep habits are crucial to your overall wellness. Insufficient sleep has been linked with chronic illnesses such as Diabetes, Cardiovascular disease, Obesity, depression, anxiety etc.
While sleep needs vary from person to person, the average adult requires 7 or more hours of sleep per night. In order to ensure you’re getting the proper sleep, you’ll want to be intentional about your sleep habits. Aim for:

  • A consistent bedtime each night
  • Removal of electronic devices like TVs, computers, and cell phones from the bedroom
  • Avoidance of heavy meals, caffeinated drinks, and alcohol in the hours before bed