HEALTHY HABITS: 10 daily habits that changed my life (science-backed)

Good daily habits can make such a big difference to your overall health and your life. In this video, I'm going to share 10 daily habits that have changed my life. These habits have made a really big difference in different areas, such as physical health, emotional health, and brain health.

Before we dive in, I wanted to say a few things so you know the context. The first thing is that these daily habits have been the result of gradual habit formation over the last five years; it's not something that happened overnight. It is difficult to form habits, and it does take time. The second thing is that although these habits are daily habits, I don't put pressure on myself to do them every day, especially when things get too busy or overwhelming. Sometimes things slide a little, and that's okay. When you're making lifestyle changes, it's not about perfection; it's about doing what you can. Generally, I do try to do these habits at least three to five times a week, especially when I'm really stressed out, because I feel that they help me stay on track and reduce stress. Anyway, enough with the introduction; let's get into the habits.

The first daily habit is that I drink a glass of water as soon as I get up. Well, not as soon as I get up—I brush my teeth, go to the bathroom, and then I have a glass of water. I find that this has made a big difference in energy levels in the morning. When we're sleeping, we're not taking in any water, and when we wake up, we can be mildly dehydrated. When we're dehydrated, our fatigue levels go up. There is some science behind this; I'll put it in the description box. So, a good thing to do is start your morning by getting enough hydration. I drink a glass of filtered water. If I feel like it, I'll add some lemon to it. I don't always do that, and it's usually at room temperature, but if you like warm water, that can work too. It really is about personal preference, but drinking some water in the morning is a great thing to do for your energy levels.

Number two, I meditate for 10 minutes every day. I used to be very skeptical about meditation when I first started. I didn't really believe in it; I didn't think that there was science behind it, but there is actually quite a bit of science behind it. It can reduce anxiety, improve your immune function, and reduce pain. There's a lot that it can do. I have a few links in the description box, but for me, the biggest change is mental clarity, and I feel much more calm. I am not naturally a calm person. I may appear calm on YouTube, but I am not naturally a calm person. Years of meditation have gotten me to this point, and I really do think that there are a lot of benefits to trying it out. If you're a beginner, meditation can seem very daunting, and I have two tips to provide. The first one is to try to just be very open about meditation in the beginning. The first 10 to 15 sessions for me were very difficult. I didn't know what I was doing, and I felt overwhelmed and felt like I was doing it the wrong way. It wasn't until the 15th or 16th session that I really got into it and started to see the benefit. So, give it time. The second thing is, if you are starting out, try guided meditation versus meditation where you're just doing it on your own. Guided meditation can really help you stay on track and guide you through the process. I use an app called Calm, and I highly recommend it. I love it. There is also another app called Headspace, which you could try out.

Number three: I go for a brisk walk outdoors every day. Now, I have to say that I live in Canada, so a brisk walk outdoors every day does not happen year-round! It doesn't happen in the winter, but for the rest of the year, I do try to get outside because I find it's such a mood booster to get some fresh air and some sunlight and be out in the greenery. There are studies that show that exposure to greenery is good for your health. As usual, everything's in the description box. For me, the brisk walk is not just a mood booster; it's also the way I get exercise. I am not a gym person; I have never been a gym person; I just don't enjoy it. Who knows the people who enjoy the gym? I would love to do that, but I just can't; I don't like it. So, for me, getting exercise has to be something that's part of my lifestyle, and I love going for a walk, so I started to make my walks my exercise. The World Health Organization recommends that we get about 150 minutes of moderate cardiovascular activity a week or 75 minutes of vigorous cardiovascular activity. A walk can tell if your heart rate is high enough. When I'm walking, I test my heart rate using an app on my phone—Samsung Health is the app that I use—and my heart rate is usually between the moderate and vigorous zones, so my walk actually counts as a workout. It counts as moderate activity. So that's how I get my 150 minutes of exercise per week through my walks.

Number four, in addition to the walk, I exercise. The walk is great for cardiovascular activity if you're doing a brisk walk or if you're jogging or running, but a well-rounded exercise regimen should include more than just cardio. I like to include some weight training and yoga, but I specifically wanted to talk about weights. A lot of women shy away from it, especially because they think they're going to look a certain way if they train with weights. The World Health Organization recommends that the average adult do at least two sessions a week. Why is it so important? As we age, we tend to lose muscle mass; it's a normal part of aging. Another normal part of aging is the loss of bone density. It happens, but we can slow that process down with one thing, and that one thing is weight training. So, it doesn't matter what age you are; it could be in your 20s or 30s. It's never too early to start preserving your muscle mass and preserving your bone density. If you're a beginner, you should always speak to a professional to learn the proper moves. You could do body weights or free weights, but always speak to someone who knows what they're doing so you don't get injured. Then eventually, when you know what you're doing, you could always work out at home—that's what I do. I am not a gym person, as I mentioned earlier, so I don't go to the gym, but I will use free weights and bodyweight exercises at home. If you're interested in the exercise channels that I follow, I have them in the description box below.

Number five: I try to eat something green every day. It's rather embarrassing, but I will admit that even as a nutritionist, I find it hard to eat greens. I did not grow up eating greens, so it's a very foreign concept for me, but I do understand that they are very nutrient-dense and it's a good idea to get some greens on a daily basis, especially a variety of greens. You are getting a variety of vitamins and minerals. If you're interested in a nutrient density score, I have one link in the description box below. If you're a beginner, the easiest way to add greens to your diet is through smoothies. I found that was the best gateway for me to get into the habit of eating greens. If you're interested in how to make green smoothies taste better, I do have a video on it, which I will link in the description box below.

Number six: I eat at least two to three servings of brightly colored fruits and veggies every day. This is my bare minimum—two to three. I usually try to eat more. Why is it important to eat brightly colored fruits and veggies? Well, you may have heard of the term "eat the rainbow." Eating the rainbow basically suggests eating fruits and veggies from different colors because different colors mean they have different phytochemicals, which means they have different health properties. Some phytochemicals can help with cancer prevention, some can help with liver function, and some can help with metabolism. There are different reasons to have those phytochemicals and it's a good idea to get a variety. So, I do try to get at least two to three servings of fruits and veggies from those different groups. If you're interested in learning more about eating the rainbow, I have a link in the description box below.

Number seven: I listen to relaxing music every evening as a way to wind down. Music has many different health benefits. The science is still emerging, but what I found very interesting is that nature sounds and relaxing music can help reduce stress. It can help reduce the stress hormone called cortisol. If you're interested, the science is in the description box. So, I do try to listen to something that's very relaxing—flutes, maybe some nature sounds, rustling leaves, things like that. A waterfall—those are all really nice to listen to at the end of the day as a way to wind down and just relax.

Number eight: I try to read or learn something new every day, and I love to do this because it's something that I truly enjoy, but there are other benefits to it, especially when it comes to brain health. As we age, there is a natural decline in our memories; it happens, but mental stimulation can slow down that decline. For me, it's reading. I love to learn new things. For you, it could be whatever works for you. If you're a reader, read a book; fiction and nonfiction both have their benefits. If you're not into reading, learning a new language on an app such as Duolingo could work, or you could watch something every day, like short snippets on Ted Ed, to learn something new. It's all about keeping your brain engaged and stimulated.

Number nine, I try to spend quality time with loved ones every day, and I want to underline the word "quality" because a lot of us end up spending time with our loved ones, but we're on our phones and we're not properly engaged with them. We're not really talking to them; it's not good communication, and this happens to everybody. It's just the digital age that we live in. I used to scroll on my phone next to my husband and feel like I was spending time with him, but that wasn't really spending time with him. So now, no phones. I properly talked to him. I spend time with my cats, too. I find that cuddling a pet or a human can help you release oxytocin, which is known as the cuddle hormone or the love hormone, and it can help reduce stress.

Number ten: I avoid phones in the one hour before bed. I used to be on my phone right before bed and found it very difficult to fall asleep because my brain was all over the place, very mentally stimulated. Phones also emit something known as blue light, and that blue light is something that your brain thinks is daylight. So, when you're on your phone and that blue light is going to your brain, your brain thinks it's not time to sleep, so it won't produce melatonin very well, and it becomes harder to sleep. I actually have talked about this in another video on sleep, which I will link in the description box below. But what I try to do is switch my phone off an hour or an hour and a half before bed, put it on flight mode, so I don't look at any notifications, I don't look at anything, and that way I'm actually able to sleep better.

I hope you find this video useful and enjoy it. If you liked it, give it a thumbs up, and don't forget to subscribe because I create videos like this every week. Before you go, let me know in the comment box below what one habit has changed your life. Please don’t forget to share this content. Bye.