7 Healthy Habits You Should Start Working On This 2019

Janus is typically portrayed as having 2 faces on his head, looking in the opposite directions of backwards (the past) and forwards (the future). Ancient Romans drew from this symbolism; they saw the bookend dates of December 31st and January 1st as an opportunity to cast old troubles behind them, and instead work toward hopeful new goals. Thus, the first “New Year’s Resolutions” as we know them were born.

One of the most common of these resolutions is taking better care of your health. Frankly, there’s never a bad time in the year to work on your health, but it makes sense to kick off new habits and reshape old perspectives on health now that you have the momentum of the New Year on your side.

On that note, here are 7 “forward-facing” habits for a better health situation in 2019.

• Put more trust in your healthcare partners. “An apple a day keeps the doctor away,” but even healthy individuals are not exempt from routine checkups. Perhaps the best precedent to good health in 2019 is getting assessed by medical personnel and gleaning specific points of action from them. Go for a quarterly checkup, get your blood work analysed at the lab, and ask the doctor what particular steps you should take to lower your blood sugar, cholesterol, and the like.   

• Take a master class or two for your health and wellness. At the mention of “class,” the first thing you thought of was probably a yoga or pilates membership. Of course, those are good places to start, but you can also level up your health and wellness game in a first aid training course in Hoppers Crossing or a nearby suburb in Victoria. It’s in this type of module that you can extend your knowledge of health basics and prepare yourself to apply this knowledge on others if the time ever came.  

• Make health a priority, even in your skincare and grooming regimen. The heat is notorious in Australia, and a good skincare routine works in the interest of avoiding severe sunburn and skin cancer. With that in mind, you should keep up the habit of wearing sunscreen; apply a layer every one or two hours, even if you won’t be going outdoors. Ladies who wear makeup regularly can use moisturiser products that are already formulated with sun protection factor (SPF), layering them under a foundation base.

• Get some regular exercise. “Exercise more” is a constant in this subset of health-related New Year’s resolutions. It’s also the resolution that people tend to give up on early in the year. On your end, try to adopt a form of exercise that eludes the usual excuses of ‘I’m too busy’ or ‘I’m too tired.’ Get into something that’s fun, makes use of your natural skills and inclinations, and is easy to incorporate into your daily routine.

• Get creative with your diet. This is another resolution that’s difficult to maintain, as it often comes at the cost of your personal enjoyment. However, healthy, delicious eating is now easier than it’s ever been. There’s no dearth of restaurants that serve healthy cuisines; supermarket chains and specialty grocers alike now have healthy, organic, and ethically-sourced products in their inventories. Plan your next food crawls along establishments like these, expand your palate to accommodate surprising new flavours, and try cooking some dishes for yourself and your family. In short: eat well without compromising on either nutrients or enjoyment.

• Get plenty of sleep. We can’t overemphasise the importance of sleep to good health. Sleep is crucial in keeping your brain sharp, repairing your blood vessels, and strengthening your immunity to illnesses. Any disruptions to your circadian rhythm (“body clock”) of 24 hours could initiate a slump of exhaustion, weakness, and even depression. Therefore, one of the healthiest habits you could sustain in 2019 is sleeping right on schedule for 7-8 hours—no all-nighters, less caffeine, and minimal time with gadgets before you sleep.   

• Do some spring cleaning every now and then. It may not be of great notice to you, but your immediate surroundings also factor into your healthy disposition. Dust and bacteria around your house might be exacerbating your allergies and asthma. Take the cue from current worldwide sensation Marie Kondo and instigate a cleanup of your surroundings, getting back to the routine every now and then.

Here’s to welcoming the New Year, staying at the peak of your health, and facing forward in every endeavour!

Sources:

• Wonderopolis.org
• Entrepreneur.com
• Forbes.com
• Makeup.com
• Sleepfoundation