Micro habits for better health
When it comes to nutrition, diet and lifestyle, we are often told that it’s the big changes that count. It’s these types of changes that can also cause a ‘good food’, ‘bad food’ and an ‘off the wagon’ mentality and are notoriously had to stick to long term. Instead, we advocate taking tiny steps that you can build into a sustainable daily routine. These micro habits are both achievable, and effective. For example, just one extra portion of vegetables per day adds up to 3650 servings over a decade. That’s a lot of disease-reducing phytonutrients, and antioxidants and fibre!
We suggest starting with no more than three new habits at a time, to enable them to embed and become your new normal. Here are a few examples of new habits that have the power of changing your health and wellbeing long term:
- Add a portion of bitter foods to your lunch, or as a starter. These include rocket, radish and chicory.
- Limit (or ideally, stop) caffeine after 12pm, for more deep and restorative sleep.
- Make sure you include protein and fat in your breakfast (nuts, seeds, yogurt, cheese or eggs). These will balance blood sugar levels and energy levels throughout the day.
- Sleep with your phone in another room. Blue light from screens plays havoc with the quality of our sleep.
- Try a new wholegrain or pulse every week. We love wild rice, butter beans, buckwheat and flageolet beans.
- Walk outside, ideally in nature, every day.
- Eat the rainbow – try to eat a range of coloured vegetables and fruits, every day.
- Read a chapter of a book before bed, in soft lighting. Reduce screen time and right lighting before bed for better sleep.
- Include more cruciferous vegetables in your diet. These include brussels sprouts, kale, broccoli and cabbage. These are full of fibre for gut health and are natural liver detoxifiers.
- Find and practise a movement or exercise that you enjoy. Hate spinning, don’t spin. Brisk walking, yoga, tennis, swimming and dancing are our favourites!
