Small health changes that genuinely helped you feel better

[Chloejane1]

I’ve been thinking about how easy it is to overlook the simple things when it comes to looking after our health. Drinking more water, getting a bit more movement in, improving sleep, eating a little better, or simply making time to switch off can sometimes make more of a difference than we realise.

I’m curious what’s actually worked for other people, rather than the usual “perfect lifestyle” advice. What’s one small change you made that helped you feel healthier or better in yourself?

Walking. Whenever I can I go for a walk around the village, takes about 45 minutes and I do feel better after. I also lose a few pounds if I keep it up.

I’m absolutely on board with this thread. I’m on this journey too.
ok so v little changes I have made -
no phone in bedroom. Even the DDs joined in and they all sit on charge on the landing. Alexas to used for alarms.
no screen time immediately before bed. I read a sleb biography on the kindle and it takes a page and a half to fall asleep like magic.
if I’m dying to watch something on tv and I break the routine I will really feel it and I can’t sleep. I’m kicking myself I didn’t do this sooner.

intermittent fasting works well for me though I fall off the wagon often.

my biggest one and I lecture my new staff all the time is make a decent packed lunch for work. If your job is strsssful it’s the one thing you can control. Get a leakproof sectional lunchbox and ice packs and a decent lunch bag. You can buy everything in Tesco and Sainsbury’s. Ditto leakproof coffee cup. I have a cream cheese bagel, cherry tomatoes and yoghurt and fruit. Have whatever you like but make sure there is fruit and veg you actually like in there. This is my biggest lifestyle change. If you sugar crave a colleague recently taught my about dates and walnuts and this is great.

reduce fizzy pop and if you can’t quit it one a day and nothing past lunch time.

Running. I didn't start until my 40s and am not fast, but I run Parkrun on a Saturday morning and am fizzing & alive for the rest of the day.

Eating 30 fruit & veg a week. Feel healthy, plenty of energy and generally feel good.

A period of no screens past 8pm always improves quality of sleep.

When using screens try and minimise stuff that raises anxiety levels, FOMO and blood pressure - so no/less sensationalist news, less Instagram etc

A small exercise routine done consistently rather than a big routine done periodically and then given up because of lack of time.

No alcohol - I switched to non alcohol for menopause reasons. Alcohol free - it has improved sleep, plus there are less calories and it the poison (alcohol) has been removed. Alcohol free wine is rank (happy to be proved otherwise!) but the alcohol free gin and beer are great. If you are a Guinness fan the zero version tastes exactly the same. Saves money too.

Try and feed my mind with good writing/literature to off set any crud I may have read.

Speak positively to my body. I read somewhere that they asked people to praise their own bodies and after a few weeks inflammation markers in their bodies had decreased. So I am giving that a go. So I feel a bit unfitter than normal, so if I go for a walk and it is hilly etc I praise my body silently because how amazing it was getting me up that hill. Or, just in general, I silently say, thank you to my body for reaching up to that high strength. Just a gentle running positive commentary. Probably complete bunkum, but it’s free and better than the normal negative self talk we slip into to.

Keep things that fall under treats as treats, not everyday occurrences. During the week I eat sensibly but at the weekend I incorporate some treats.

Protect my Peace - that is an Instagram friendly phrase but one I have embraced. I know from my own health that stress massively impacts me physically. When I have removed stressors from my life, small physical ailments have gone or significantly improved. So, within reason, everything I now do is through the lens of will this disrupt my peace - will it add stress - and if yes, I swerve or try to mitigate the consequences. Not always possible but you can avoid a lot of drama that way.

Stay on top of finances. If you have racked up a huge credit card bill through buying treats or stuff, get your head straight on why you are doing it, spending money to make others richer. Stop the Keeping up with Jones’s or whatever influencer’s life you are currently envying. Instagram is feeding a false, very edited view of everyday life. Living within your means and having a financially safety net is a massive stress reliever. I know the cost of living is high, and denial can be a chore, but there can be satisfaction in staying comfortably within your financial means. I used to be in credit card debt years ago, dug my way out of it, and that little pit of anxiety about a loss of control of finances is no longer there.

Going caffeine free. It took around 6-8 weeks to get rid of the withdrawal headaches but I have been caffeine free for about a year. Rarely get any headaches at all now and my blood pressure has dropped. I naturally have quite a lot of energy so I don't feel I need that boost.

Pilates

Mine come and go. When I have a period of acute stress, things go to pot again and I do all the wrong things. But when things are going well -

moving phone charger downstairs so neither leave my phone downstairs or the battery runs out. Either way I get more sleep.

keeping my water bottle by the kettle do I can chug some while waiting for the kettle to boil.

dancing around the kitchen when no one is watching (the cat doesn’t count )

cooking and filling the freezer to radically reduce my upf consumption

not eating sugar anymore,

Taking collagen. I can now walk up the stairs instead of almost crawling.

Vitamin D spray once a day. Keeps the coughs and colds away.

Collagen finally sorted out my split ends.

Daily yoga, whether that’s an hour of power yoga or 5 minutes of mindful breathing it all counts.

No devices in the bedroom.

Read every day.

Being caffeine free.

They’ve all lead to me feeling far better than I have for decades. Then I have more energy for walks, cycle rides, cooking healthier etc. My previously high bp is stable again too.

As a headteacher, with little time and enough work to keep me working 24/7 - I diarise relaxation time. Sounds counterintuitive but without it, I would carry on working.

Another is daylight when I first wake up. I take a cup of tea outside for a few minutes. Sets the carcadian rhythms for sleep.

Not reading work emails before bed. An email from my Chair of Governors, at 21.30, is enough to keep me awake!

A wellness expert who came to support staff also suggested a shower at the end of every day and as the water washes down over your body, visualise it taking the stresses of the day with it and into the drain.

She also suggested never driving with your work bag or files/diary beside you. Make a point of locking them away in the boot to clear the mind for the drive home.

I stopped watching TV except for when I’m in the bath or cooking. I have so much more down time… and so many hobbies. Incredible for mental health.

For me it’s reminding myself that it’s ok to arrive at mealtime hungry. I used to snack constantly to avoid hunger… and then overeat because I couldn’t tell when I had enough (as I was already satiated before I even started the meal!).

Gradually I’ve learned nothing bad happens when I feel a bit hungry whilst waiting for my next meal, plus I then enjoy the food more and practise stopping eating once I’ve had enough. I’m a few kg down already and feel so much better in myself not being bloated all the time.

Which brand if you don’t mind me asking?

I feel so much better when I limit screen time, cut out alcohol, eat significantly fewer if not zero UPF, and take my vitamins. A few years ago I sorted my sleep and I now always wear earplugs and eye mask and i bought an expensive pillow. It made such a huge difference to my overall health

Prioritising sleep has been the major one for me. Most things are manageable if you’ve had 8 hours.

Daily walking is the other one. It’s free and it does wonders for my energy levels and mood.

Don't check your work email before bed.

Quit negative self talk, it achieves nothing.

Regular exercise even if low impact.

2 things were game changers. First a standing desk. Second walking a lot more - typically 10k steps per day. Lost several stones in weight, blood pressure now under control, diabetes now under control. All without changing my poor eating habits!

Giving up wheat
No more than 6 units of.alcohol.a.week

Coffee reducti9n and walking increase to follow

Boring but earlier nights and more walks, even just short ones.

Same here @BibbityBoppityTwo. I also love swimming so try to lap swim twice a week. I feel amazing afterwards, physically tired in a good way :-).

Walking 4 times a week.
Purposefully sitting on the floor for at least 15mins a day.
Drinking 2 litres of water a day.
Cutting down on carbs.

Getting enough sleep, it's a constant battle tbh

Magnesium Glycinate just before bed. Made a huge difference to sleep quality and duration.

Estriol estrogen cream, sorted out dryness down there, and vastly improved the urethral area so not so much getting up in the night to pee. I still do mind, but not as much as before.

16/8 intermittent fasting. It's a total habit now but I break out for hols and other occasions. It's not for weight loss as such, more a means of re setting things and keeping my paws out of the biscuit tin in the evenings! I find it very easy to follow, but I am not too strict about calorie deficits during the eating window.

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