After a long and cold winter, the weather is finally warming up. Kick off spring on the right foot with a few healthy habits to keep your body feeling top notch. 

1. Exercise 

Spring is a great time to start an exercise regimen. Warmer weather makes it easier to get outside for long walks, play with children & participate in recreational sports. Just a 20 minute walk per day can help improve your health. Weight bearing exercise is also a great addition to your exercise program. Aim for two days per week when starting out.

2. Eat Healthy

Fill your plate with colorful foods inclusive of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean meats and low fat dairy. The CDC recommends half of your plate be made up of fruit and vegetables and half of all grains to be whole grains. Use portion control. Drink plenty of water. Aim for 6-8 glasses of water per day to help keep you hydrated, full and thinking clear. For more information on water intake recommendations and benefits, check out the CDC’s recommendations. 

3. Sleep 

When it comes to sleep, there are three main factors you should focus on, according to the AASM: quality, quantity and regularity. A great way to ensure quality sleep is to eliminate actions that disrupt your sleep such as caffeine, alcohol, tobacco. Aim to get a minimum of seven hours of sleep per night. If you can get more, do it, but try to never get less than seven hours. Lastly, your body benefits from sleeping in a routine so aim to go to bed and wake up at approximately the same time each morning and night. 

4. Learn about your health history

Find out what runs in your family and be proactive in treating it. If you have a family history of high blood pressure, consider choosing sodium free foods, eliminating added salt and taking long walks once per day. 

These healthy habits are easy to start and will become second nature in no time. For more health tips and tricks, check out palmdiagnostics.com/news.

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