With more than 30 years’ experience in the residential and commercial water treatment space, Mark Nelson is a Class 1 Drinking-Water Operator and a CBWA (Canadian Bottled Water Association) Certified Plant Operator. As founder and president of Nelson Water in Ottawa, Mark focuses on dealing with challenging water treatment system designs for problem water. He also heads the largest water bottling plant in the city of Ottawa with a delivery network throughout the Valley.

Life can be hectic, so remembering to make healthy choices can be a challenge. While unhealthy options tend to be more convenient, it is crucial to stop once in a while to assess the ways to enhance your mind, body, and spirit. Here we’ll explore some suggestions that can ease you into a healthier and happier life.

Get Moving

You don’t need to swim the Great Lakes or run a marathon to benefit your body. In fact, less than 5% of adults perform the recommended 30 minutes of physical activity each day. However, moving your body will improve energy and relieve stress. So, try getting up from your desk periodically and walking down a hallway or attempting a few jumping jacks in the morning. When you give it a little thought, it is fairly simple to add 30 minutes of physical activity into your day. Even something simple such as parking your car a little further from work will add a little walk into your day, twice! Just allow yourself a little extra time, and you’ll enjoy some great health benefits.

Take a Proactive Approach to Health Care

Regular dental and doctor visits can allow a proactive approach to your health care. This will allow you to address any problems that could get worse over time. It is estimated that employers lose more than $300 billion per year in lost hours of work and medical costs, so staying on top of your mental and physical health benefits everyone. So, don’t ignore that nagging back pain or stress symptoms, take a proactive approach to discover what can be done to help you now.

Evaluate

Living a healthier life means understanding what does and doesn’t work for you now. So, it’s a good idea to evaluate your day to day to assess what changes need to be made for a more productive and better life. Just remember that we all change as we age, so while cheeseburgers and little physical activity may have worked in your twenties, you’re likely to need to work a little harder to stay fit in your thirties and forties. So, you’ll need to be realistic. Write a plan and evaluate whether it is working for you right now. There is no point in trying to go for a 5k run every day if you’re currently living a fairly sedentary lifestyle. So, if your goal is to be able to run 5k, you’ll need to build up to it. Set yourself some goals and evaluate your progress as you get fitter.

Adopt a Healthy Diet

Even if you’re not fighting with an extra few kilos, this doesn’t mean that you’re at optimum health. Research has shown that 40% of the total caloric intake in children aged 2 to 18 comes from empty calories of solid fats and sugars. Unfortunately, the typical adult diet isn’t much better. There are staggering health effects that can arise from such an unhealthy diet. So, try to make healthier choices and adopt a healthy diet. Swap out sugary sodas for water and try to eliminate junk food. Increase your intake of nutritious foods such as vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and nuts; you’re likely to find junk food less appealing as you feel happier and healthier.

Manage Your Stress Levels

Stress can be extremely debilitating, causing emotional, mental and physical health issues. The stress hormone cortisol is designed to protect us from danger, making us more alert to danger. Unfortunately, when we are under prolonged stress, we continue to release cortisol, which can be damaging to our health. Whether you’re suffering from digestive issues and headaches or feeling exhausted and blue, it may be due to your stress levels. So, it is crucial to manage your stress and where possible lower it. Fortunately, there are lots of things you can do to manage stress, such as exercise, socializing or even meditating. Try to discover which coping mechanism works best for you and plan it into your daily activities to avoid reliance on caffeine, alcohol or other inappropriate measures. Even something as simple as taking a daily walk can help you to feel refreshed, alert and feeling good.

Re-Center

Regardless of whether you have spiritual beliefs or not, trying to re-center your mind can be beneficial. In simple terms, it is a call to quiet your mind for a few minutes a day to help slow things down and help you get back in touch with your core. You don’t need to learn meditation techniques or practice yoga. Something as simple as a five minute break where you sit in the sun and watch the day can offer the same opportunities to recenter as a planned meditation. This period of decompression can help to alleviate stress and promote relaxation.

Increase Your Water Intake

Water has some amazing health benefits for the body, but it also feels good. A nice, cool glass of water can be refreshing and rejuvenating; quenching your thirst and filling your body with nutrients. Even mild dehydration can lead to feelings of fatigue, loss of concentration and irritability. In fact, the primary cause of that midday loss of energy is actually dehydration. Unfortunately, spotting the signs of dehydration can be a little challenging. By the time you start to feel thirsty, you’re already dehydrated. So, it is worth making the effort to drink more water to counter the potential of being dehydrated. Most experts recommend drinking two to three litres of water each day. The optimum amount of water varies according to your age, sex, level of physical activity and overall health. So, if you start to feel that afternoon energy slump, before you reach for a candy bar or other unhealthy snack, try a tall, cool glass of water. You may find that you feel energized and more alert almost immediately.

If you would like to learn more about the health benefits of water or how you can improve the water quality of your home or business, be sure to speak to a water treatment professional.