If you’re reading this, you’ve probably made a resolution to improve your health in 2023. Taking care of your body and mind is important, and there’s no better time to kick off this intention than the start of a new year. But how do you actually get started and make lasting changes? What are the best ways to uplevel your health not just physically but also mentally and spiritually? We’ve got several tips that will help guide you on your journey toward becoming the kind of person who keeps your New Year’s resolutions, starting with the following 10 ways to uplevel your health in 2023.
1. Eat foods that promote longevity
When it comes to eating, focus on consuming fewer processed foods and more whole foods. Processed foods typically contain added sugars, which can lead to diabetes and obesity. They also contain preservatives and fillers that may be harmful to your body.
Whole foods, on the other hand — the stuff you’d find in nature and not in a package — are high in fiber and vitamins, can help to prevent diseases, and will improve your energy and overall quality of life. Take a look at the NOVOS Longevity Diet to learn about the best foods for increasing longevity, plus simple swaps you can make, such as vegetables and legumes in place of bread, potatoes, pasta, and rice.
2. Add more movement
You’ve heard it before, but the benefits of regular exercise are undeniable: it reduces your risk of heart disease and diabetes, boosts your mood and energy levels, improves sleep quality, and increases self-esteem. So if you want to take your health to the next level in the new year and beyond, consider adding an exercise routine to your daily life.
As we mention in this article, even a brisk, 20-minute daily walk can be beneficial. Want to uplevel it even more? Exercise intensely for at least an additional 20 minutes, three times per week. Intense exercise could be weightlifting, aerobic exercise like running or cycling, or high intensity interval training (HIIT).
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3. Incorporate mindful breathing
Breathing is a vital part of your body’s functions. It can also be a form of meditation and help you relax, focus, or fall asleep. If you’re not sure how to get started with breathing exercises, here are some simple techniques to try:
- Box breathing. Exhale all of the air from your lungs to a count of four. Hold for a four-count, and then inhale to a count of four. Hold the air in your lungs for four counts, and repeat for at least four rounds.
- 4-7-8 breathing. With your mouth closed, inhale through your nose for four to eight counts. Hold for seven counts. Exhale for eight. Repeat for four rounds of breath.
- Abdominal breathing. Place one hand on your upper chest and the other on your belly underneath the ribcage. Relax your belly, and inhale slowly through your nose. Exhale through your nose or through slightly pursed lips. You should feel your stomach rise and fall as you breathe while your chest remains fairly still.
There are many other breathing techniques you can try, but these few methods will get you started. As long as your breathing makes you feel more relaxed and at peace, it’s working! You can also incorporate meditation along with breathing to enhance your wellness even further.
4. Be conscious of what you put on your skin
You can slow down the appearance of aging by taking good care of your skin from the inside out. Start by protecting your skin from the harmful rays of the sun: wear a strong sunscreen, and put on a hat when you go outdoors.
From there, be sure to use science-based skin products, and incorporate supplements known to slow down skin aging and reduce the appearance of wrinkles. This includes hyaluronic acid, glucosamine sulfate, alpha-ketoglutarate, and glycine. You can learn more about these supplements and how they promote great skin in this article.
5. Be mindful about screen time
No doubt, there are plenty of amazing TV shows, movies, websites, and social media accounts to follow in the world. If you’re not careful, however, you could end up spending too much time in front of a screen.
In our tech-obsessed world, it’s important to take steps to limit blue-light exposure, which can interfere with sleep quality. In addition, spending excessive amounts of time consuming content online can lead to numerous problems, including stress reactions, depleted mental energy, reduced physical activity (leading to obesity), and limited “green time” — that is, time spent in nature. All of these negative effects are bound to work against your New Year’s resolutions, not to mention negatively impact your health and well-being.
To protect your health, use blue-light filtering glasses, add blue-light filters to your tech devices, and stop the use of electronics at least one hour before bed. Learn more in this article.
6. Create a clean living environment
When it comes to your health, the environment around you can be just as important as anything you do to promote your body’s health. If you’re living in an environment full of chemicals (from cleaners, cigarette smoke, or other toxic compounds), allergens, mold, pollution, or other harmful substances, it’s not going to be easy to stay healthy. In fact, these kinds of external factors can damage your DNA and accelerate the aging process.
To start with the basics, give your home a complete cleaning using nontoxic cleaners. Get underneath the furniture and in all of the corners of your home. Clear out any clutter that’s collecting dust, and donate or trash it. Vacuum your home from top to bottom (don’t be afraid to use the attachments!). You’ll be amazed at what a clean, clutter-free environment does for your mental health in addition to freeing your home of toxins.
7. Get high-quality, adequate sleep
When it comes to living a long, healthy life, sleep is one of the most important things you can do. It’s crucial to your brain and body — especially if you want to be at peak performance in all aspects of life. Lack of high-quality sleep is associated with accelerated aging, as well as increased risk of health problems such as type 2 diabetes, heart disease, depression, and Alzheimer’s.
Sleeping better isn’t just about getting enough hours of shut-eye, either. It’s a balancing act that involves specific supplements, reprogramming of your circadian rhythm, behavioral approaches such as avoiding caffeine and alcohol before bed, sleep devices, and addressing any medical conditions such as sleep apnea. And while that might sound like a tall order, once you get your sleep routine down, you’ll likely find that it’s easy and enjoyable to give your body the rest it needs. Check out our compilation of 50 science-based tips to sleep better here.
8. Cultivate happiness
In order to achieve your goals, it’s important that you look for ways to bring happiness into your life. Research shows that happiness extends lifespan, enabling people to live healthier for longer simply by having a positive disposition. In part, this phenomenon is due to happiness releasing substances like endorphins, serotonin, and brain growth factors, all of which can positively impact your health. In addition, being happy makes you more likely to manage stress and avoid negative thoughts, lowering unhealthy amounts of the hormone cortisol and adrenaline.
Being happier starts with simple practices like being grateful, avoiding negative people, saying “no” to things that do not fill your cup, and having a purpose in life. To get started, try writing down three things that make you feel gratitude every morning and every night. Look at the list often to remind yourself of everything that’s going right in your world. See more of our best tips for maximum happiness in this article.
9. Take the proper supplements
Here at NOVOS, our science-backed research points to the need for supplements to help us live longer, healthier lives. This is the foundation behind our NOVOS Core and NOVOS Boost products, along with the information we share with our audience.
The question of which supplements to take is a complex one and is something we delve into in various blog posts and webinars such as this webinar series. We recommend digesting these materials to get a better understanding of why supplements are important and how certain supplements can support your longevity journey. In general, there are strong arguments for taking supplements regularly, including:
- Most people do not get adequate nutrition for optimal health. This is due both to modern diets (often consisting of grains and meat) and to the fact that our bodies are not well-equipped to absorb all of the nutrients we need.
- Modern lifestyles tend to push us indoors. This can mean we lack exposure to the sun to produce vitamin D and may engage in unhealthy habits like alcohol consumption more regularly.
- Even those who consume the government-recommended doses of daily nutrients do not reach the levels needed for a long, healthy life.
Read through the full explanation of why we recommend taking supplements here.
10. Choose how you use your time
Our lives are becoming increasingly more busy, but we don’t seem to be getting anymore productive. Instead of chasing the next promotion or buying something new, take the time over this holiday break to reflect on how you can use your time in a more meaningful way in 2023. One way to uplevel your use of time in the new year is to choose experiences over material belongings or career moves that cause you to over-sacrifice.
As we discuss in this article, the brief endorphin rush you may get from buying a shiny new object will quickly subside. The experiences you gain from traveling, making memories with your loved ones, and meeting new people will last you a lifetime. In 2023, try incorporating more experiences that spark joy and help you create stories you can pass down to future generations.
Final Thoughts
Taking care of your body and mind is important, and this new year is the perfect time to get started. It’s an opportunity to look back on the previous year and make some resolutions for the future. For many of us, that means taking active steps to improve our health, well-being, and overall longevity.
Whether you engage in any of these activities or choose to uplevel even more in other ways, the important thing is to be mindful of the importance of self-care and take steps toward establishing healthy habits that will allow you to enjoy your life more and longer. From eating healthy to improving your mindset, these 10 tips will get you off on the right foot in 2023 and beyond.
