Healthy living difficult and time-consuming? Sometimes. You can incorporate these four healthy habits into your daily routine right away.
1. SPICE IT UP
Flavor your meal? Instead of a sauce, opt for fresh spices, such as spicy peppers. Extremely tasty and healthy:chili peppers contain twice as much vitamin C as an orange and this spicy aunt is rich in antioxidants, carotene and minerals. But dried herbs are also perfect seasonings. A number of handy herbs to have in stock.
2. FRUIT IN SIGHT
Research commissioned by the National Institute for Public Health and the Environment shows that no less than ninety percent of Dutch women up to the age of 69 eat too little fruit. Set a fruit bowl on the coffee table today and fill it with bite-sized fresh fruits, such as grapes, apples and apricots. If you settle down on the couch at home after a busy working day, you will reach for a piece of fruit faster, because it is simply in front of you.
3. TEN MINUTES FOR YOURSELF
With a busy (family) life, a nice job and a bunch of fantastic friends, you sometimes want to miss a moment of rest or some time for yourself. But did you know that a day has 1440 minutes? Surely you should be able to take ten of those for yourself? Meditating may seem difficult, but it can be the way to unwind. In addition, meditating from just a few minutes a day has positive consequences for your health and happiness.
How do you do that? Choose a quiet moment, for example ten minutes before you start your day or ten minutes before you go back to bed at night. Sit back and try to focus only on your breathing. Breathe in deeply through your nose and slowly out through your mouth. The art of meditation is letting go of your thoughts. Let thoughts come and go and try to keep your concentration on your breathing. In this way you clear your head and free from stress. You will see that after ten minutes of meditation you will feel a lot clearer. This way you can start the day fresh or end it peacefully. Need help? The Headspace app helps you meditate and provides useful tips.
4. BRUSH AND SQUAT
Most people are taught it at a young age:brush your teeth for two minutes twice a day. So that's two times two minutes in which you just stand in front of the sink or stare out of the bathroom window. You can use those precious minutes positively by lowering your knees several times in a controlled manner and performing a number of squats.
