Dr. Debra Rouse shares more advice on behaviors and habits that have a direct and measurable positive impact on our bodies and minds. Read Dr. Rouse’s first 10 ideas here.
- Practice gratitude. Those who practice gratitude experience more joy and happiness, and stronger immune systems.
- Volunteer. When you volunteer, it can enhance the feeling of gratitude and elevate your mood.
- Laugh often. Laughter is a natural “high” – it’s an energy booster and also an immune system strengthener, so ditch the drama and indulge your comedic side.
- Meditate. Science continues to demonstrate the many benefits of meditation, including increasing our resilience to stress, decreasing blood pressure, increasing immunity, improving mood and helping reduce and relieve pain.
- Drink green tea. Drinking green tea has been shown to reduce the risk for stroke, Alzheimer’s disease and certain cancers, and improve mood.
- Power walk. It’s the number one best exercise in the world – and it’s basically free (minus the cost of shoes). Helps to strengthen our bodies and minds, reduce stress and elevate mood.
- Join a spiritual community. Being part of a community with a spiritual focus and foundation can support the growth of gratitude and enhance the feeling of interconnectedness of all things.
- Take regular vacations. Studies show that women who take regular vacations live longer and experience better sleep, less stress, healthier physiques and better sex lives.
- Spend time in nature. Recent research suggests that avoiding the sun puts us at greater risk of premature death than smoking. Sunlight hitting the skin helps create and activate vitamin D in the body. Greater levels of vitamin D lead to better mood and lower risk for osteoporosis, heart disease and certain cancers.
- Hug it out. Hugging for a 10 seconds helps increase feelings of belonging and love, and increases levels of dopamine (the feel-good hormone and neurotransmitter). Hugging also increases the hormone oxytocin, aka “the love hormone,” and lowers levels of the stress hormone, cortisol.
Dr. Debra Rouse is a Licensed Naturopathic Doctor and member of the Institute for Functional Medicine. She is a dedicated mother of two daughters, a passionate outdoor enthusiast, tennis player, and advocate and activist against human trafficking. Learn more about her at drdebrarouse.com.
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