Wellness Practices to Bring into the New Year

The New Year is just around the corner and that means many of us are preparing our goals and New Year’s resolutions. Since I know many of us want to optimize our health and wellness this coming year, I thought I would share my favorite wellness practices that I’m bringing into 2023! ✨

Getting outside!

I love making time to go outside. It’s my free form of therapy. There’s something truly healing about fresh air and nature. It always makes me feel re-energized and at peace. 

I love neighborhood walks, seeing the sunrises and sunsets, going to the beach, going on hikes with friends and family, and many other activities. I truly appreciate nature. It always brings me back to center when I need it most. 

Pilates

I love Pilates! It’s low-impact, slow and controlled movements that work your muscles to exhaustion. It targets muscles I don’t normally work when I lift, and overall, it just makes me happy. I’m all for finding workouts that you enjoy–whether that be boxing, cycling, running, lifting, or even walking. To me, it’s all about what makes you happy and want to move your body.

Eating quality foods for YOU

I don’t follow any particular diet, but I am passionate about eating the right foods for your body and eating quality foods. Everyone’s body is different and so is everyone’s taste buds. Eating good and healthy food is all about finding what you like and how to make whatever you’re eating the healthiest it can be for your body. 

Here’s an example: I love burgers, tacos, and pizza. These are foods that can be coined “unhealthy”, but it’s really about the ingredients and where you eat them. I prefer to make my burgers, tacos, and pizza at home because I honestly like them better and not only that, I feel better. I make sure my protein is from a high-quality source (organic, grass-finished beef; organic, no antibiotics poultry; and, wild-caught fish), I eat complex carbs, I make sure all my veggies are organic, and any packaged goods have few and clean ingredients. 

For sauces, I focus on either making them myself or buying from brands I trust. I love buying sauces from the Farmer’s Market or from Primal Kitchen. 

You can still eat the food you love, it’s all about using quality ingredients and paying attention to how your body feels.

Limit social media and screen time

Technology is wonderful. It allows us to do so many great things and connect with one another. However, it’s also important to be present in the moment. The more I unplug from technology, the better I feel and the more I connect with my loved ones. 

Limiting my consumption of social media and time watching TV has tremendously helped my mood, my focus, and my sleep. The way I started limiting social media is I created another Instagram account and only followed the people I wanted to catch up on. This made it so that I stick to consuming content that benefits me. Another hack is being disciplined about the times I use my phone. I prefer to save social media scrolling for later in the day when I’ve achieved all that I’ve had to get done that day and turn everything off 1-2 hours before bed. I also limit the amount of time I scroll so that I’m utilizing my time in a healthy way.

Acupuncture 

I started consistently going to acupuncture earlier this year and it has been one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. What acupuncture does is it helps bring blood flow to the body to promote healing. Acupuncture helps me keep all systems working and in sync with one another and not only that, it has brought me a lot of peace. In the 7 months that I’ve been going, I have seen a significant positive impact on my health.

Extracorporeal Shock Wave Therapy

I also tried Extracorporeal Shock Wave Therapy (ESWT). It’s a non-invasive intermediary treatment that delivers shock waves to injured soft tissue to reduce pain and promote healing. Like acupuncture, it is another way to increase blood flow to the body and heal pain more effectively. This isn’t something I do as consistently as acupuncture, however, it is a resource I have in my back pocket. I have seen a tremendous reduction in pain from this form of therapy and it’s something I’m incredibly grateful for.

If you’re interested in trying it, I have linked more information about what it is and what it does. I am not a doctor, so please always consult with your doctor before doing anything I recommend. 

Meditation

One of my favorite mental wellness tools is meditating. Meditation increases my mood, lowers stress, and allows me to focus on what I truly want in life. 

I discovered the Superhuman app this year and it’s an app I absolutely love for all my meditation needs! The Superhuman app has a wide-range of meditations that you can do either seated, while getting ready, while working out, while walking, or doing other things around the house. It also has a category of “Just Music” which I love. What I love about these meditations is that it’s uplifting, positive, and it’s universal for anyone, regardless of spiritual or religious background. 

Therapy

Mental health is super important, which is why I am super adamant about getting help when you need it. Something I love about therapy is I love having someone to talk to. There are times in life where you may not want to confide in your friends or family for a variety of reasons and that’s where having a professional therapist as a resource can come in handy. 

I love using BetterHelp for my therapy needs. It is an online website that matches you to a therapist according to your preferences and it is more cost effective than traditional therapy. It’s all online, so there are no waiting rooms or having to physically go into an office. All you do is sign up, match with a therapist, and start your journey. 

If you are wanting to try BetterHelp, I provided a link that will give you a free week of therapy!

Seed Probiotics

As I am writing this article, I am realizing how much I invested into my health this year! I am actually super proud :) 

I added probiotic supplements into my routine this year and I’ve seen such a difference. Probiotics are wonderful for your health. It strengthens your gut, your brain, and your immunity, among other things. I decided to try Seed Probiotics and I really love them. I found that it helped ease my digestive system and I feel really in sync with my body. What I love about Seed in particular is that it is a synbiotic, meaning a prebiotic and probiotic all in one. Seed has only enhanced my digestion and my overall health!

Lion’s Mane Drops

Earlier this year, Liberté introduced me to Lion’s Mane drops. Lion’s Mane is a mushroom that significantly improves cognitive function, regulates your mood, and supports immunity, among other amazing benefits. What I love about Lion’s Mane drops is that it can easily be mixed into your coffee, tea, smoothie, or simply applied under your tongue. The brand I use is from my Farmer’s Market called Funghi Valley. I trust their process of creating these drops to get the most pure, fresh, and bioavailable form of Lion’s Mane. I put a tincture full of the drops in my coffee every morning and I definitely feel the difference. I feel more clear and alert. It’s not a buzzed or jazzed feeling that coffee gives you, but a more pure feeling of clarity. 

Disclaimer: Photos are from Pinterest.