By Juliana Pires Johnson
If you’re reading this, chances are you want to improve your health and knowing where to start can be overwhelming. The amount of contradictory information out in the wild, trying to sell us on products, trends and gadgets makes it hard to choose a path to begin and do so without spending unnecessary money.
Truth is the most effective wellness hacks are available to all. These are the ones that will absolutely change your life if you are consistent. You’ve heard it a million times – the best things in life are free!
Keep in mind that the “optional” suggestions below are just that. Enhancements should you choose to dig deeper, but all of these suggestions require no spending!
“Start where you are, use what you have, do what you can.” Arthur Ashe
Hydration
Honestly, we can’t begin to count how many times people say they feel unwell, weak, have a headache or are hungry because they are dehydrated. DRINK MORE WATER!
Pro-tip – add some Himalayan sea salt (NOT table salt!) for extra hydration in the mornings.
OPTIONAL: For those who exercise a lot, you may want to look into clean electrolyte replenishment options. Our favorites are ULTIMA and LMNT. Both zero sugar alternatives (which are very common in traditional brands).
Sleep
The closest thing to a miracle pill, really. While we will dig deep into sleep in a future issue, keep in mind this is when your body repairs itself, when your brain cleans itself of toxins, you re-set for another day. We all know that being sleep-deprived robs us of our days, causes weaker will-power, bad decision making and increases cravings. I can safely say that the days I make poor movement and nutrition choices coincide with those in which I lacked sleep. 7-8 hours of consistent sleep is a good place to start.
OPTIONAL: Once you become more bio-hackery, consider investing in an OURA ring or WHOOP band to really track the stages of your sleep and how long you spend in deep sleep, REM sleep, how many disturbances you have throughout the night and heart rate. This will teach you how to monitor and adjust what you eat, when you eat, what you drink, how you move and when, meditation and screen time and reduce daily stressors to better your sleep according to your stats. We also like taking Magnesium Glycinate before bed to help with sleep. Our favorites are from NOW and Calm.
Sunshine
Vitamin D has been said to be a key nutrient to keep immunity up and Covid related illnesses at bay. The best part is that Vitamin D is free. Mask up and go out on a safely distanced walk – a good 20 minute will do the trick.
OPTIONAL: Most people do have to supplement, though, so do get tested. We love NOW D3+K2 Vitamins.
Movement
A nice brisk walk will activate your lymphatic system, work your cardiovascular system and get in some important exercise to keep you fit. Just step outside as you are getting that Vitamin D.
Nutrition
Just make good choices – easier to make with lots of sleep and hydration, mind you. A good place to start is ditch anything that comes in a package and eat real foods! Fill that plate with plants, proteins and healthy fats!
Fasting
A hot topic at the moment is that of Intermittent and Extended Fasting. Fasting has shown to provide us with so many benefits including autophagy, anti-ageing, lowering insulin and improving metabolic health, fat-loss and better cognition. Guess what – it’s also free! Try a 16:8 or 18:6 window every now and again to kick up those ketones and keep your body functioning at a high level.
OPTIONAL: We are big fans of the Bulletproof Coffee Hack. This means roasting toxic free coffee beans and mixing in some MCT Oil (we like 1 tbsp. Bulletproof’s Brain Octane Version), 1 tsp of Ghee (add some Innerfuel Prebiotic Fiber to keep our guts happy and full when necessary). This mix keeps you full, alert and your brain firing up in the morning (I feel a massive difference in productivity at work), while still in ketosis, tricking your body into believing it is still fasting. A simpler hack is just black coffee for breakfast. Black coffee raises your ketone levels asap and also provides benefits. Keep in mind a lot of coffee beans, especially not organic, accumulate mold and toxins and it is important to source clean options and always check the bag’s expiration date at the grocery store before adding to cart.
Breathe
Simplifying meditation. Sit in silence, breathe. Whether you do it with an app or guidance, truth is, sitting in silence, taking deep breaths, is free. Meditation and proper breathing show to actually change your brain, calm your nervous system and get you back in touch with your essence. The Transcendental Meditation technique has changed my life and more on that later as it’s a specific method/ program you would sign up for and complete.
OPTIONAL: Try downloading the Wim Hof Method app and doing guided breathwork in the mornings for 10 minutes.
Your Social Tribe
Be mindful of who you are around, people who make you feel your best and worst, news and social media you consume and content you are bringing into your life. Pick your tribe carefully, commit to fasting from social media in the evenings or the same schedule that you Intermittent Fast, at dinners, etc. Don’t let external factors control you. When you start to pay attention and chose what energy you bring into your mind, your life will change. Free of charge!