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12/11/2023

Fighting Climate Change Should be Affordable and Within The Reach of Our Generation - Bright Chimezie Irem

In Dubai, amidst the grandeur of skyscrapers and the timeless sands, leaders and visionaries convened for COP28. It was a gathering underscored by a sense of urgency, a collective awakening to the reality that our battle against climate change is not a distant struggle, but a present and pressing reality. As I did a mental/mind-walk-through the corridors, imagining an engagement (mental-engagement) with thinkers and doers, I was reminded of the days in governance and leadership, where every decision made by our heroes and founding fathers carried the weight of future generations.

The United Arab Emirates (UAE), in a bold stride, announced a $30 billion fund dedicated to global climate solutions. This was more than a financial commitment; it was a beacon of hope, aiming to catalyze a staggering $250 billion in investments by the end of this decade. It echoed the sentiments I always believe and share: We are the first generation to feel the impact of climate change and the last one that can do something about it.

The conversations at COP28 weren't confined to the high walls of conference rooms. They resonated in the bustling streets and quiet homes, touching lives far beyond the summit. More than 130 nations agreed to integrate emissions from agriculture into their national climate plans. This decision was not just about policy; it was about acknowledging the role of every farmer, every community, in shaping our planet's future. It reminded me of the resilience I read about in the heartlands of America, where the spirit of conservation runs deep.

In a world often divided, COP28 presented a united front with 118 countries committing to a massive increase in renewable power generation. This agreement to boost renewable capacity to 11,000 GW was a testament to our collective will to harness the power of nature for a sustainable future. It was a step towards realizing a dream: a world powered by the wind, sun, and water, not by finite and polluting resources.

Yet, the path to a cleaner world is not without its challenges. The fossil fuel industry, long the bedrock of our global economy, now stands at a crossroads. The commitment by fifty oil and gas companies to significantly reduce methane emissions by 2030 is a start, but it's just the beginning of a much-needed transformation. This pledge must be the precursor to more ambitious actions, driving us towards a future where clean energy is not just a part of our energy mix, but the cornerstone.

As I reflected over these developments, I was reminded of a fundamental truth: our generation's fight against climate change is not just a battle of policies and pledges; it's a journey of hope, resilience, and shared destiny. It's about communities coming together at all levels, industries transforming, and nations uniting for a cause that transcends borders and generations.

The commitments made at COP28, while significant, are merely steps in our marathon for a sustainable future. The real change happens in the daily choices we make, in the values we instill in our children, and in the legacy we leave behind. As we forge ahead from COP28, let's remember that the fight against climate change is not just the responsibility of governments or corporations; it's a calling for each of us.

We stand at a pivotal moment in our history, a time when our actions will define the future of our planet. Let's rise to this challenge with the knowledge that our collective will can move mountains. Let's work together to ensure that the fight against climate change is within reach of not just our generation but every generation to come.

Our planet, our shared home, deserves our utmost effort, our unwavering commitment, and our deepest love. Together, we can and will turn the tide on climate change.

Bright Chimezie Irem is a Fellow at The Mandela Washington Fellowship for Young African Leaders of The U.S. Department of State, ExchangeAlumni U.S. Department of State: Bureau of African Affairs and a Member of Office of Global Health Diplomacy

05/13/2023

Health Executives Conference, Cairo Egypt 🇪🇬.
The future of in Africa

07/18/2022

How to Improve After

Evidence suggests that Covid survivors have substantially higher chances of developing cardiovascular disease. But experts say there are effective ways to minimize the risk - By Knvul Sheikh.

Before Jennifer Fagan got Covid-19 in March 2020, she considered herself somewhat of a fitness enthusiast. She used to go running two or three times a week and took a hot yoga class almost every other day. But several weeks after she recovered from the initial stages of the illness, she still felt excruciating pain in her chest and got winded all the time. By June, she started having heart . “I told my that I felt like I was in the body of a 70 or 80 year old,” Ms. Fagan recalled.

She saw a and a , but the could not find any health problems in initial tests on the 48-year-old. So Ms. Fagan eventually worked up to a running routine again. Then, in December 2020, she went into cardiac arrest after returning from a slow, two-mile walk.

At first, neither her husband nor the workers could figure out what went wrong. They took her to the hospital, where doctors diagnosed a rare inflammation of the heart muscle known as myocarditis and implanted a defibrillator to stabilize her heart. But that was not the end of her heart issues. While she was still in the hospital, Ms. Fagan started having bouts of extreme dizziness. And she’s experienced a range of long Covid symptoms ever since, from fatigue to shortness of breath, as well as rapid or irregular heart rhythms.

Studies estimate that some 10 to 30 percent of people who have been infected with the coronavirus may develop long-term symptoms. And in a recent analysis of Department of Veterans Affairs health records from more than 150,000 people who contracted Covid-19, researchers found that Covid survivors had a “substantial” risk of developing cardiovascular disease up to a year after their initial illness, even if their infections never landed them in the hospital. When compared with millions of other patients who were never infected, Covid survivors were 63 percent more likely to have a heart attack and 52 percent more likely to have a stroke. They also had higher risks of heart failure, irregular heart rhythms, blood clots and inflammatory disorders such as pericarditis and myocarditis.

The problem is that traditional medical exams for diagnosing heart conditions — like electrocardiograms (EKGs), ultrasounds and other functional tests of the heart — often show that people who’ve had Covid-19 have no obvious heart damage. “When we do all those tests, they’ll actually look pretty good,” said Dr. Ruwanthi Titano, a cardiologist at Mount Sinai’s Center for Post-COVID Care in New York City. So doctors have had to reimagine how they diagnose and treat people with heart issues that linger long after a coronavirus infection.

If you have heart-related symptoms, whether it is chest tightness or pain, shortness of breath, a racing or skipping heart beat, dizziness or extreme fatigue, your health care provider may still want to perform these basic tests to rule out any abnormalities or impairments in the cardiovascular system, Dr. Titano said. But new studies suggest that damage to the nerve fibers that help control circulation may actually be to blame. And this damage has a name: small fiber neuropathy.

Luckily, the tools to treat many types of post-Covid neuropathy already exist. “People are not going to have to live with this for the rest of their lives,” said Dr. Salim Hayek, a cardiologist and co-director of Michigan Medicine’s Covid-19 Long Haul Clinic in Ann Arbor. “The vast majority of the time, these symptoms ranging from palpitations to lightheadedness resolve within six months of treatment.”

According to data collected by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, most people recovering from Covid-19 benefit from tailored physical and mental health rehabilitation services.

Breathing exercises
Amy Ridgway, a physical therapist and manager at Emory Outpatient Rehabilitation in Partnership with Select Physical Therapy, said that many long Covid patients can start seeing immediate improvement with a few simple breathing exercises. “One of the first things that we teach is diaphragmatic breathing,” she said. Practicing deep belly breathing every day allows the lungs to soak up much needed oxygen and is known to help reduce pain and anxiety. “It’s a great technique for anyone,” Ms. Ridgway said.

Energy conservation
If you experience symptom flares after any kind of exertion, a therapist may recommend that you manage your daily activity levels or keep a diary to help anticipate which activities may be too mentally or physically draining. This self-pacing technique, often used by those with chronic fatigue syndrome (also known as myalgic encephalomyelitis, or ME/CFS), assumes that people have a set quota of energy they can spend each day. So small tasks, like showering or getting dressed, may use up less of their energy, whereas vacuuming or walking to the end of the driveway may drain their energy much faster, leading to something called post-exertional malaise.

Conserving energy throughout the day can help reduce post-Covid fatigue while patients recover, Ms. Ridgway said. “It’s a little bit of a different treatment approach than a lot of other physical therapies, but we really want to make sure we’re doing everything that we can to empower these patients.”

Sitting aerobic and strength exercises
Doctors and therapists agree that people with long Covid need to return to exercising at a very slow pace, often by starting with relearning basic aerobic conditioning and doing recumbent strength training before advancing to more intense, upright movement. This may involve trying to activate your core while in a supine or sideways position, performing balance exercises or doing seated cardio on a recumbent bike or rowing machine. A health care provider will likely monitor your heart rate, blood pressure and oxygen levels while you perform these exercises and ensure that you don’t experience a skipping heart beat or any other cardiovascular symptoms, Dr. Titano said.

Walking and other upright aerobic exercises
Eventually, you may feel comfortable trying an elliptical or walking on a treadmill. Your doctor or physical therapist may also ask you to count your steps or attempt to climb the stairs in your home a certain number of times every day. One of the goals that Ms. Fagan’s cardiologist set was to walk 5,000 steps a day — a target the specialist suggested in October 2021. “It’s March now and I just reached it,” she said.

Home monitoring
Progress in managing long Covid symptoms can be excruciatingly slow, so it is often encouraging to be able to see your improvements over time. People may track their data using a heart rate monitor in a smartwatch, a blood pressure cuff or pulse oximeter if they have one at home. Health care providers may advise that you enlist a family member or friend to help you use some of these devices, and to ensure that you remain safe while performing any exercises. “It’s nice to be able to track progress,” Ms. Fagan said. “It personally helps me because the progress is so incredibly slow. You just don’t see it day to day. You do not even see it month to month. It’s more yearlong progress.”

Medications
If you experience really debilitating symptoms that prevent you from doing everyday tasks — like the laundry, going to work or taking care of your kids, for example — you may need additional help from prescription medication and closer monitoring by a health care professional, Dr. Hayek said. Depending on your individual heart disease risk and current symptoms, certain blood pressure medications like beta blockers or calcium channel blockers can help alleviate extreme dizziness and treat chest pain and abnormal heart rhythms, he said. And these drugs can be tapered off once your cardiovascular symptoms abate.

Adolescents and young children with long Covid, however, are not eligible for many heart drugs. When seeing young patients, Dr. Sindhu Mohandas, an infectious disease expert at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, said she tends to recommend more lifestyle changes that, in addition to physical therapy, may help patients focus in school and rebuild their endurance for sports.

Lifestyle changes, like managing daily energy reserves or slowly building up your capacity for exercise, may seem trivial, but they can have a large effect on reducing your long-term risk of heart attack or stroke, said Dr. Salim Virani, a cardiologist at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston. And health care providers are constantly learning of more ways to help long-Covid patients improve their health, he said.

As for Ms. Fagan, she is hopeful that working with her physical therapists and doctors will help her continue to rebuild her fitness levels and eventually return to normal life. Just last month, she was able to go to a restaurant with friends and then walk to a play at her daughter’s high school, which “was a big deal.”

“Sometimes there’s nothing to do but to slow down,” she said. “And that’s an OK thing.”

07/18/2022

Is increasing or decreasing in the US , 🇺🇸 ?

There were more than 523.2 million cases of disease in 2019, an increase of 26.6% compared with 2010. heart ...

https://www.facebook.com/100483601600682/posts/574909400824764/?sfnsn=scwspmo

07/18/2022

Read & Share 🫂

, number one cause of de@th rank likely to be impacted by COVID-19 for years to come.

Heart disease #1 cause of death rank likely to be impacted by COVID-19 for years to come
American Heart Association Report – Annual Statistical Update.

Highlights:

❤️ Heart disease remains the number one leading cause of de@th worldwide in the latest annual Statistical Update from the Heart

Experts say the effects of COVID-19 are likely to influence health and mortality rates for many years, directly and as a result of increased -related risks during and after the .

The 2021 Statistical Update also offers new insight into the importance of maternal health complications and how those affect health of mothers and their babies.

DALLAS, Jan. 27, 2021 — Heart disease remains the leading cause of death worldwide, according to the American Heart Association’s Heart Disease and Stroke Statistics — 2021 Update, published today in the Association’s flagship journal Circulation, and experts warn that the broad influence of the COVID-19 pandemic will likely continue to extend that ranking for years to come.

Globally, nearly 18.6 million people died of cardiovascular disease in 2019, the latest year for which worldwide statistics are calculated.

That reflects a 17.1% increase over the past decade. There were more than 523.2 million cases of cardiovascular disease in 2019, an increase of 26.6% compared with 2010.

Experts predict the global burden of cardiovascular disease will grow exponentially over the next few years as the long-term effects of the current COVID-19 pandemic evolve.

“COVID-19 has taken a huge toll on human life worldwide and is on track to become one of the top three to five causes of death in 2020. But its influence will directly and indirectly impact rates of cardiovascular disease prevalence and deaths for years to come,” said Salim S. Virani, M.D., Ph.D., FAHA, chair of the writing committee for the 2021 Statistical Update and an associate professor in cardiology and cardiovascular research sections at Baylor of in Houston, Texas. “Research is showing that the unique coronavirus can cause damage to the heart. Importantly, we also know people have delayed getting care for heart attacks and strokes, which can result in poorer outcomes.”

©️ &

06/02/2022

The Post

06/02/2022

The Post.
Emerging 💯 Watch this space 🍇

05/05/2022

By 2040,health care as we know it today will no longer exist.There will be a fundamental shift from “health care” to “health.” And while disease will never be completely eliminated, through science, ,& technology,we will be able to identify it earlier, intervene proactively.

04/18/2022

Healthy and Adequate Sleep is vital for and living.

10 Ways To Stay Asleep Through The Whole Night, From

What’s worse: Struggling to fall asleep in the first place, or instantly falling asleep when your head meets the pillow only to wake up in the middle of the night? Neither scenario is ideal, but lying awake in the dead of night, counting down the minutes until you actually have to get up for the day, is a grueling feeling.

Fortunately, there are plenty of expert-backed ways to sleep through the entire night without waking up.

Reasons you might wake up in the middle of the night.

According to sleep expert Jacob Teitelbaum, M.D., waking up in the middle of the night isn’t uncommon. In fact, according to a study published in the Journal of Psychiatric Research, 35.5% of 8,937 participants surveyed reported middle-of-the-night awakenings at least three times per week, while 23% reported waking up at least one time per night.

Wake-ups generally take place during light sleep, or the second of the four phases of sleep when the body’s core temperature starts to rise, explains sleep expert, Michael J. Breus, Ph.D. Unlike in deeper sleep stages like REM sleep, the brain can easily be awakened during light sleep.

But what causes these middle-of-the-night awakenings? “Sometimes simply going through a stressful time can cause people to wake in the middle of the night,” says Teitelbaum. He adds that another common reason people wake up in the middle of the night is their body is experiencing an adrenaline rush triggered by something like low blood sugar or a hormonal flux.

In order to put a stop to your late-night stirring, the first step is to identify why it’s happening in the first place. If there’s an obvious answer—i.e. you’re feeling stressed or you’re dealing with a stuffy nose—great. If not, something is, most likely, going on either subconsciously or physiologically, so you’ll have to dig a little deeper to get to the root of the issue.

If you find yourself waking up in the middle of the night consistently for more than two months, it’s important to talk to a physician for professional help and guidance.

10 tips to help you stay asleep.

1. Create a sleep routine.
If you’ve been keeping up with mbg’s sleep content, you probably already know about this one. But hey, it's a cliché for a reason! According to Teitelbaum, creating a solid sleep schedule is key to falling and staying asleep through the night.

Think about it: If you eat breakfast at 9 a.m. every morning, over time your body will start giving off hunger cues around this time out of habit. The same goes for your sleep schedule. If you get into the habit of going to bed at 10 p.m. every night, and waking up at 7:00 a.m. every morning, your body is likely to get into a rhythm of falling asleep and staying asleep until it’s time to rise and shine.

2. Take a sleep suppement.

While they can't undo an unhealthy sleep routine, high-quality supplements can help prime the body for more restorative rest. If you're looking for a reputable one, mindbodygreen’s sleep support+ combines magnesium bisglycinate, jujube, and PharmaGABA® for a formula that promotes natural, quality sleep, as well as a steady-state of relaxation to ensure you stay asleep throughout the night.* The supplement is melatonin-free (read up on why here) and proven effective for calming the mind and body to help people sleep soundly and wake up feeling refreshed.

3. Curb late-night cravings with protein-packed snacks.
Teitelbaum tells mbg that everyday stressors can cause a drop in blood sugar, making you both hungry and irritable (aka hangry). This is an especially common occurrence around bedtime, when your mind is racing with thoughts about the day’s events and the day ahead, and makes it even more difficult for cortisol stress levels to drop low enough to allow peaceful sleep.

So, rather than a chocolate chip cookie or bowl of ice cream for dessert, Teitelbaum suggests reaching for something like a hardboiled egg or a handful of almonds to balance blood sugar and make it easier for you to fall and stay asleep.

4. Make your mental health a priority.
Feelings of stress can interfere with your sleep cycle, so it’s imperative that you are constantly checking in with yourself and making your mental health as much of a priority as your physical health.

Incorporate stress management tools like meditation, breathwork, journaling, or a calming supplement into your nightly routine to set yourself up for uninterrupted slumber.* If racing thoughts still continue to affect your ability to sleep or your quality of life, consider recruiting the help of a physician or specialist.

5. Meditate before bed.
A regular sleep meditation practice has been scientifically shown to help calm your mind before bed. A 2020 systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials published in the Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, for example, found mindful meditation can significantly improve a person’s sleep quality.

Of course, meditation can be practiced in a myriad of ways, so if sitting pretzel-style on the floor, in silence, isn’t exactly your idea of calm, you might want to give guided practices or even meditative yoga sequences a try.

6. Limit liquids before bed.
If your bladder is to blame for your late-night wakings, Breus recommends taking your last sips of liquid an hour and a half before bed. You should also make a point to stop by the bathroom before getting comfy under the covers, this way you’re running on empty with nothing to release in the middle of the night.

7. Ban blue light from the bedroom.
If you’re tempted to scroll before you snooze, remember: Your phone isn’t doing you any favors when it comes to clocking in some quality shut-eye. See, blue light and other forms of artificial light from devices, negatively impact sleep by interrupting your circadian rhythm.

By mimicking daylight, blue light can suppress the production of melatonin (aka your sleep hormone) and therefore make it harder for your body to shut down properly. To limit your exposure, Breus suggests leaving your phone in another room, eliminating the temptation to scroll altogether.

8. Make your bedroom a sleep oasis.
It turns out, sexy time isn’t the only time to “set the mood.” According to a board-certified internal medicine physician at Crossover Health and the Host of TED Health, Shoshana Ungerleider, M.D., a major part of good sleep hygiene is creating an ambiance that’s optimal for sleep.

“Since medical school, I have slept with earplugs and blackout curtains, and I make sure my room is 68 degrees Fahrenheit or cooler,” she tells mbg. Making sure your bedroom is dark, quiet, and cool, she says, will help your body feel tired and ready for a long night’s sleep.

9. Reserve your bedroom for sleep only.
Trying to fall (or fall back) asleep when your body feels the polar opposite of tired can be a literal nightmare. If your toolbox of sleep tactics (meditating, body scanning, counting sheep, etc.) isn’t working, Ungerleider says you’re better off getting out of bed.

“Use your bed just for sleep—meaning don't watch TV or work in bed if you have a hard time falling asleep or staying asleep,” she tells mbg. Instead, "Do something which relaxes you, like read a boring book, listen to calming music, or drink caffeine-free tea. When you feel sleepy, go back to bed.”

10. Use a sound machine to block out any unwanted noises.
One of the most common sleep disruptors is noise pollution. If you’re constantly waking up in the middle of the night to sounds like traffic and public transportation, dogs barking, or your partner snoring, you know what a drag it can be. Luckily, there are ways to eliminate this type of sleep disruptor in the bedroom, like having you and your partner sleep in separate rooms, or investing in a sound machine that masks noise.

Sleep expert and head of content at Saatva Christina Heiser previously told mbg that white noise "remains consistent across all hearable frequencies" and "creates a masking effect, blocking out the sudden changes in noise—like snoring, or the dog barking, or a truck rumbling down the street." Some machines also have pink, brown, and blue noise options—all of which are slightly different sound frequencies that achieve the same goal: to mask the noises in your environment that are keeping you from staying asleep.

The bottom line.
There are many reasons why you might be waking up in the middle of the night. From environmental noise to stress, sleep disruptors lurk behind every bedroom door, but you don’t have to endure the constant tossing and turning. Instead, make these little lifestyle changes to vastly improve your quality of sleep.

Written by: Guerra is a health and writer reporting for mindbodygreen, Elite Daily, and INSIDER. Formerly the beauty editor for , she's contributed to Women's Health,...

04/06/2022

12 Simple DAILY HABITS TO START TODAY - Bright Chimezie Irem

Here is a list of 12 healthy daily habits that you can do every day to help create a healthier lifestyle.

1.
Wake Up Early
Alright, you don’t need to rise and shine with the sun every morning, but waking up at a decent (early) hour is essential for optimal health. The human body and brain have evolved to follow a circadian rhythm that helps to regulate sleep and wake patterns that are set by our natural environment, specifically the rising and setting of the sun. This natural circadian rhythm also corresponds with the body’s natural cortisol levels: a hormone well known for its role in our metabolism, immune system, stress response and energy levels. In a balanced state, cortisol levels start to rise 2-3 hours after the onset of sleep and continue to rise into the early morning helping to wake us. Cortisol levels in the body will then peak around 8:30 am or 9:00 am and continue to gradually decline as the day continues. Therefore, following the body’s natural circadian rhythm and cortisol levels is a simple way to maximize energy levels, productivity and overall health.

2. Drink Water Before Anything Else
Staying hydrated is vital for our health and although we’ve heard it many times, it’s often overlooked. Our bodies are 60% water and not drinking enough water can lead to more than just dehydration. In fact, low levels of dehydration are linked to fatigue, headaches and increased cravings. Although it is imperative to drink water throughout the day, one of the best (and easiest) times to drink water is first thing in the morning. So, before you start sipping on your morning brew, drink a glass of water. Not only is it refreshing, but it can help to hydrate the body while aiding digestion and metabolism at the same time.

3. Make Time for Movement
Humans are designed to move but as we create more sedentary lifestyles we are moving less and less. Many of us work sitting down, travel sitting down, and relax sitting down, so it is becoming more and more important that we create ways to move since they are no longer occurring organically. Gone are the days where our daily lives included manual labour and, therefore, we must carve out specific time for movement lives. Exercise has tremendous health benefits for both the body and the mind and there are so many different ways to create movement in your day. Whether you love biking, swimming, dancing or going to the gym, it is imperative that you find some form of movement that you enjoy and make time for it on a daily basis.

4.
Spend Time Outside
Getting fresh air on a regular basis is one of the easiest ways to improve your overall health. Exposure to the sun enables the body to produce vitamin D, which has been shown to have many essential functions in the body. Deficiency in vitamin D has been linked to fatigue, weakened immune system, bone and back pain, low mood and depression. Ironically, vitamin D is one of the most commonly supplemented vitamins, while daily exposure to the sun could prove to be a simple solution to this concern. So, whether it’s spring, summer, winter or fall, ensure that you spend some time outside every single day.

5.
Eat Sitting Down
When it’s time to eat, sit down. Not only does the act of sitting down help to ensure that we are not mindlessly eating in front of the pantry, but eating while sitting down helps to support digestion. Eating while sitting down forces you to slow down and chew the food you are eating, which are the first (and most important) step in the digestives process. The act of sitting down also helps to ensure that the body is in a more optimal postural position for the digestive system. So, if you constantly find yourself munching everywhere around the house, implement this simple guideline of eating while sitting down to help bring more awareness to your food and your health.

6.
Go For a Walk
Walking is one of the most underrated healthy habits you can do. Walking is often overlooked because it’s so simple or it “doesn’t burn that many calories” but science shows that putting one foot in front of the other can lead to some impressive mental and physical health benefits. Not only does walking improve fitness, cardiovascular markers and help to prevent weight gain, but it has also been shown to improve posture, mood, circulation, the risk for chronic disease, as well as alleviate fatigue and depression.
Moreover, going for a walk every day, long or short, can help to increase the amount time spent outside and exposure to sunlight, further supporting the body’s production of D and natural circadian rhythm.

7.
Take Time to Cook
Learning to cook is one of the simplest healthy daily habits you can do and one of the greatest gifts you can give to your health. Although cooking is often thought of as a “chore” it is, in fact, a basic human skill that is required to satisfy a basic human need. Not only is does cooking help to control the quality of the food that you eat, but it helps to create more appreciation for your food and a connection to it. If you are just reheating food in the oven every night or ordering takeout it will be more challenging to bring mindfulness to your eating habits and your food. Moreover, cooking is a simple form of self-care that you can practice every single day, making it one of the most beneficial healthy daily habits.

8.
Eat a Vegetable
This is certainly not the first time you’ve been told to eat vegetables, so consider it a simple reminder. Not only are vegetables whole foods but they are rich in vitamins, minerals and are great sources of fibre, which can help to maintain a healthy gut, prevent constipation and other digestion issues. Individuals who consume vegetables regularly had roughly a 20% lower risk of coronary heart disease and stroke, compared with individuals who ate less than 3 servings per day. Moreover, by virtue of adding more vegetables to your diet, there becomes less and less room for processed foods, refined carbohydrates and added sugars. So, instead of focusing on what not to eat, focus on what you can eat and eat more of it.

9.
Put Your Phone Away.
Putting away your phone (tablet or computer) might seem like a simple challenge, but being connected 24/7 can have many negative side effects on our health. The average person has eight social media accounts and spends at least 2 hours and 24 minutes checking their phone every day. Just think of all the time that could be spent outside, moving, exercising, or cooking! This constant digital connection can increase perceived stress and constant exposure to blue light has been shown to suppress the production of the body’s natural melatonin production, which is integral for the body’s natural circadian rhythm and sleep patterns. So instead of cruising the web until the wee hours of the morning, turn off your phone at least one hour before bed and allow yourself to relax and unwind without the digital stress.

10.
End the Day with a Clean Kitchen
Whether you are aware or not, the physical space we live in has a large effect on how we behave. A messy bedroom, cluttered living room and dirty kitchen can all have a negative impact on our mental state and our health. Not only does tidying up help to make things like cooking and exercise easier, by creating more space and time, but it decreases frustration, improves efficiency and can serve as a catalyst for further change. So, after every meal, do the dishes and put things away or, at the very least, do the dishes at the end of the day. Going to bed with a clean kitchen allows you to wake up to a fresh start without having to deal with yesterday’s mess.

11.
Read Something
Reading has benefits to both your physical and mental health and those benefits can last a lifetime. Not only can reading stimulate growth, but it can help to reduce stress, prevent age-related cognitive decline and promote a good night’s sleep. Reading is the workout for your mental health and, the same way you take care of your body, it’s important to take care of your brain.

12.
Go to Bed Early
Sleep is the only time during the day where our bodies are able to relax, unwind and recover. Unfortunately, many people are falling short of the recommended 8 hours of sleep per night and this can have devastating impacts on our health. Many people are putting off bedtime in favour of other activities; including television, social media, and video games, but over time this can come at the cost of our health. Lack of sleep, or poor quality sleep, has been linked to memory issues, mood changes, weakened immunity, altered eating behaviour and increased ageing. Not to mention, sleep has been shown to support weight loss given lack of sleep has been shown to create hormone imbalances in insulin, leptin, cortisol and many other hormones, which have a profound impact on weight. Moreover, going to bed earlier will actually make waking up early easier, which is one of the most important healthy daily habits you can do. So, if you are a night owl, try to get to bed a little earlier by giving yourself a curfew because, let’s be honest, nothing productive happens after 10:00 pm. Turn off digital devices, turn down the lights, read a book and focus on getting restful shut-eye.

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