9 Simple Ways to Improve your Health

Written by Jenn, Contributing Writer

It’s about the end January but I’m just now getting motivated to start some new “resolutions.”

One of the things I want to focus on this year is eating more whole foods and trying some more natural remedies for the sicknesses that tend to hit our family this time of year. I got to thinking that the new year is a great time to evaluate what we can do to improve our overall health. There are some very simple, no fuss ways you can take steps toward a healthier you (and your family will benefit too!) And so I bring you nine of the many ideas that have been running through my head:

1. Start Each Day with Time in God’s Word
When we think of improving our heath, we usually think of our bodies first. It’s important to nourish our spiritual health as well! I’m definitely a work in progress, but I find that when I begin my day with devotions and spend some time in prayer that I am a more peaceful, relaxed and purposeful mom and wife. There are lots of great devotional books or you can simply study a book of the Bible, like I am doing right now with the Good Morning Girls Ephesians study.

2. Try One New Organic or Local Food
Let’s face it, the only local foods that can be found in my part of the country right now are the red berries hanging for dear life onto the bare tree branches in my backyard. But if you’re blessed to live in a region where you can shop at a farmer’s market all year long, try one fruit or vegetable that’s new to you. Find out a tasty way to prepare something like kale or artichoke and you may just find a new family favorite. Organic is great and local organic is even better! But don’t bypass your local grower’s stand just because he isn’t certified organic. It could be that he uses organic growing practices but isn’t classified as such just yet.

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3. Make One Homemade Cleaning Product
Homemade cleaning products are frugal, easier on your clothes and dishes and typically more eco-friendly than their conventional counterparts. It’s very simple to make your own homemade powdered laundry detergent and you can use some of the same ingredients for Angela’s recipe for dishwasher detergent. Simple ingredients like baking soda, vinegar, lemon and olive oil can be used for all types of cleaning.

4. Exercise 10 Minutes a Day 
Oftentimes, it’s hard for us moms to carve out an extended period of time during the day to exercise. Studies show that heart-pumping exercise for even 10 minutes at a time can improve our health. In the past, I’ve used 10 Minute Solution workouts, “jogged” up and down the stairs for 10 minutes and hopped on my elliptical for that short time. There are plenty of everyday activities that can give you a workout too—gardening, scrubbing the floor (with great fanfare) or playing tag with the kids, for example.

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5. Eat a Healthy Breakfast
The next time you feel the urge to go to the cupboard for some boxed cereal, make a bowl of oatmeal instead. Old-fashioned oats can be made in just a few minutes or you can use steel-cut oats that are soaked the night before. Homemade yogurt with fruit or eggs and whole wheat toast keep you fuller longer and kids will eat them too! You can find some more healthy breakfast ideas here or some reasons why breakfast is important here.

6. Increase Your Calcium Intake
Getting plenty of calcium is super important, especially for those of us who are pregnant and nursing mothers (the recommended amount is 1200-1500 mg per day). If you’re not getting enough, your baby will take what he or she needs and you may end up with brittle nails or leg cramps (Charlie Horse) among other things. I noticed these symptoms in myself about 6 months into nursing my third baby so I upped my intake by consuming more dairy, drinking calcium-fortified orange juice and eating some extra broccoli and spinach!


7. Drink More Water
This has been said by many but bears repeating (if only to myself): we need at least 8 glasses of water each day to keep ourselves hydrated and (ahem) regular. Drinking lots of water has helped alleviate my headaches and keeps up my nursing supply. An easy way to make sure you’re getting enough is to post a notecard on your fridge with a picture of 8 glasses, crossing one off each time you drink.

8. Try One New Supplement or Herbal Treatment
Last year, we began taking elderberry to strengthen our immune system and found that we got sick less often. This year I’m researching what supplement or herbal treatment I can use as headache remedies–I’d love some ideas in the comments!

9. Add One New Type of Rice or Bean to Your Diet
We weren’t really into rice or beans up until a few years ago but learning to live frugally changed all that! Now we actually like using black beans, kidney beans and brown rice in meatless meals. I’m still getting up the courage to try something even better like quinoa, pinto beans or basmati rice.

What are you doing to improve your health this year?