If we did everything we ‘should’ to be healthy, we would spend all our time and money on ourselves and that’s not even healthy! But neither is that an excuse to do nothing.

Even though there are many, many free things you can do to promote health, this list is purposely short. First, you can think of some of these just by reading the title. You know what to do. Secondly, long lists overwhelm me, and the task of deciding which one to focus on is too much. If the list of possibilities is too long, I tend to do nothing. I tried to find some unusual tactics that you possibly haven’t heard of. I hope one of these inspires you to build a new habit.

Joy and temperance and repose

Slam the door on the doctor’s nose.

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Mind

Develop a positive mindset. See your kitchen as a healthy place. When you cook, see yourself as a healthy cook. When grocery shopping repeat: I fill my cart with healthy food.

Believe you are healing, or already healthy, See yourself finding solutions, doing your best. Picture yourself well more often than sick. Say out loud, I rarely get sick. I am strong and healthy. Some people may feel like this is untruthful. Yet I think it’s just as untruthful to say, I catch every germ, I always have a headache. Choose to tell yourself helpful things.

Did you know you cannot be grateful and anxious at the same time?

I heard once that you cannot hum and have a panic attack at the same time because it exercises the vagus nerve, which then resets the nervous system.

Go outside and listen for birdsong. I learned from this site that birdsong signals our nervous system that we are safe.

See creative hobbies as promoting your health – paint, write, arrange flowers, arrange furniture or garnish your lunch beautifully, while letting your mind enjoy the process.

A good laugh and a long sleep are the best cures in the doctor’s book.

Irish Proverb

Menu

Sugar. Here’s a little hack to try. If you cannot resist the sweet treat, have some vinegar with it. You can dilute it to make it more palatable. Drink with a straw to protect your teeth enamel. Vinegar, taken before, during or after eating, blunts sugars insulin spikes by 30%.

If you have a high carb meal, do some exercise afterward. Just do one thing to failure — as many pushups or lunges as you can do or hold a plank pose as long as you can. This makes the muscles use up a lot of that glucose quickly right after the meal.

Occasionally have a 16 hour fast.

Choose your healthy signature recipe and remake it every week. Everything counts.

Slow down at meal time and visualize nutrients in your food doing their full good for everyone around the table. You’ve heard of slowing down and chewing your food sufficiently. If you’ve ever tried this, you know it’s harder than it sounds.

For happy health, fuel yourself with dreams and greens.

Terri Guilemets

Movement

Yes, just keep moving. If you sit a lot, get up every half hour for a walk or some stretches. Take the stairs. Park in the far corner. If you walk barefoot in the sunshine first thing in the morning while meditating or accompanied by a pet, you’ve got benefits on steroids!

Deep breathing is exercise for the internal organs. Yeah, I wouldn’t be reading this if I wasn’t breathing, you are thinking. This is another one of those things so simple we dismiss it. Deep breathing, the kind that pushes out your stomach, tells your nervous system to relax. Instead of mentally thinking, I need to relax, just take 10 to 20 deep, slow breaths and you will start to relax. You can do specific breathing techniques, but this isn’t rocket science. Good times to practice are on arising, at meal time (tells the body to rest and digest) and bedtime. There are many more benefits to deep breathing. If you are curious, do some research.

You may possibly have access to free exercise videos that don’t require any equipment. Ten minutes is fine!

The best six doctors anywhere,

and no one can deny it,

Are sunshine, water, rest and air,

Exercise and diet.

These six will gladly you attend

If only you are willing;

Your mind they’ll ease,

Your will they’ll mend,

And charge you not a shilling.

–an old nursery rhyme

Miscellaneous

Declutter. There have been scientific studies that prove clutter is stressful – especially to women. There are some stresses we cannot avoid, but a cluttered house is one we have control over. And a decluttered house is easer to…

Clean. Wash, dust, vacuum, sweep. Change filters of all sorts. And open the window; indoor air gets stale quickly. There are physical and mental benefits to a clean home.

Turn off tech some time before bed. Fifteen minutes is a start; work up to an hour. Set phone on airplane mode for less radiation in your bedroom.

Hug for 6 seconds or up to 20 seconds. If it’s not possible to hug someone, you can snuggle with a pet. Or hug your pillow. Or wrap your arms around yourself. I have heard that all of these will boost oxytocin, the feel-good love hormone.

Track your cycle. It’s better for all of us if we learn to work with what is instead of powering through.

Give yourself credit for the healthy habits you already have. Maybe write a list to reinforce their benefits on your mind.

Here’s to health! Add your ideas for free healthy habits in the comments, please.

–Liz

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