10 things you can do to promote health and wellness

There’s no secret, the simplest changes you make to your food intake, exercise regime and overall quality of life can be the difference between aging gracefully and aging with potential cognitive issues. Dr. Lisa Mosconi, PhD, Certified Health Coach and Integrative Nutritionist, has listed a few facts that can make a huge impact on your overall health and wellness.

Below are the top 10 things you can do to promote health and wellness:

1. Eat foods that naturally grow out of the ground or have a heart beat. This includes fruit, vegetables, nuts and seeds as well as lean meat, fish and eggs. Stay away from refined, process foods.
2. Stay hydrated. Water makes up two thirds of the body and performs many functions including acting as a carrier of nutrients to the brain –and as a cleaning lady.
3. Get enough sunlight on a daily basis. Adequate levels: Fair skin = 30 min, darker skin up to 3 hours. Vitamin D, the “sunlight vitamin”, has been associated with reduced risk for heart disease, brain aging, cancer and osteoporosis.
4. Choose not to smoke. Smoking cigarettes is extremely detrimental to healing processes the body needs to survive. A healthy brain is a brain that is toxicity free. Stay clear of the carcinogenic nature of smoking cigarettes.
5. Choose to exercise regularly. Resistance exercise helps to maintain muscle mass and strengthens the body. 30 minutes of moderate physical activity 3-5 times a week has great health benefits. Gentle but consistent exercise is better for your body and brain than strenuous exercise occasionally. Go for a walk, take the stairs instead of the elevator, get off the subway one stop before and walk home – these are all small adjustments that will make a big difference in the long term.
6. Choose healthy snacks. The key to keeping a stable body mass index and over all steady weight is to choose snack items that are wholesome and good for the body. A handful of almonds or other healthy nuts, seeds (sunflower and sesame are great suggestions), a piece of fresh fruit, carrots and celery sticks.
7. Lower your stress and find ways to have 20-30 minutes of relaxation time per day. Perhaps reading a book, meditation, a nap or some time outside in the sun will help in lowering stress. Get enough sleep. Sleep has the ability to optimize mental and physical energy and is restorative by nature. Recent studies have shown that, during deep sleep, the brain cleans itself from toxins and other pathogens, as well as from Alzheimer’s pathology that accumulates of aging.
8. Limit your alcohol. Limiting your intake in Alcoholic beverages promotes better healing in the body and will also improve occasional bouts of depression that are quite common. Especially in the winter months. Keeping hydrated helps the brain to process information and keeps your brain healthy.
9. Reduce your sugar intake. Excessive intake of sugar leads to an imbalance in insulin production and regulation, increasing the risk for insulin resistance, the metabolic syndrome and late-onset diabetes. Increased insulin levels also lead to excess fat accumulation in tissue, which in turn increases harmful inflammation.
10. Smile on a daily basis. Studies show that a positive outlook and attitude in life creates higher levels of Serotonin and Oxytocin in the brain.