June Health Hacks: 5 Ways to Rev Up Your Health This Summer
The middle of the year is upon us! Regardless of where you are and where you want to be with your health, summer is always a great time to improve it. While it’s tempting to eat more sundaes and stay inside out of the summer heat, summer is an energetic time of the year that helps to foster new lifestyle changes.
Hack #1 - Ice Bath
Yes, submerging your entire body is a great way to get an array of health benefits in just a few minutes or less. While it can be very uncomfortable to begin with, the body quickly adapts and you’ll get used to it in no time.
What are the benefits of an ice bath? Here’s what the research says:
It can ease sore muscles and boost recovery.
In theory, it may decrease inflammation by lowering the body’s local temperature.
It trains your vagus nerve to be able to handle stressful situations much easier.
If an ice bath intimidates you, just start small. Take a cold shower where you only expose the neck for about 30 seconds. After you get comfortable, start challenging yourself to expose more of the body to cold water. After that gets fairly easy, you’re ready for an ice bath!
Hack #2 - Infrared Sauna
While jumping into a sauna may be the last thing that you want to do in the summertime, it’s worth considering on rainy days when you want to relax and detox your life. The infrared sauna is the perfect combination of modern technology and the ancient practice of the sauna.
An infrared sauna is as healthy as a regular sauna with an added benefit - infrared light. Infrared light has incredible anti-aging benefits, which include boosting collagen in the skin. Additionally, it nourishes mitochondria and boosts cellular growth.
If you’re on a budget but still want to get the benefits of a regular sauna, that’s perfectly ok. You’ll still get the incredible benefits of sweating out and getting the health equivalent of an intense cardio workout.
Hack # 3 - Improve Your Gut With Acupuncture
What’s the first thing that you can think of for improving digestive health? Yogurt? Komuncha? There’s a lesser-known, yet very effective way, to boost your gut health - acupuncture.
Acupuncture is a traditional Chinese Medicinal method that uses effective and time tested points on the body to improve various health conditions, including digestive disorders.
Acupuncture points are located across different parts of the body. Each point is linked to a certain “meridian” or energy center that is connected to a certain part of the body.
The stimulation of certain acupuncture points may help to release trapped gas inside the body and reduce painful bloating.
Here are 5 acupuncture points that are associated with the digestive system:
Zusanli - the stomach meridian.
Sanyinjiao - the spleen meridian.
Qihai - the conception vessel meridian.
Zhongwan - also a conception vessel meridian.
Weishu - The bladder meridian.
If you need personalized coaching for improving your digestive health through acupuncture, book with Dr. Hilary Patzer here to help improve your digestive health.
Are you an acupuncture newbie? Check our acupuncture guide here.
Hack # 4 - Blue Light Blocking Glasses
Blue light-blocking glasses are a stylish and easy way to reduce eyestrain and improve quality of sleep. The early 2000s sported nerdy-looking orange glasses, but now many look no different than any other pair of glasses.
Why block blue light?
The sun’s rays provide a certain amount of blue light that is beneficial for the eyes, so there is no need to wear them in the daytime! However, the abundance of artificial fluorescent light in the modern world is a chaotic stimulus for our ancient brains.
When the sun goes down, blue light waves are harmful and they’re all around us. Computers, phones, indoor lighting, and even car lights all emit blue light that keeps your brain awake and anxious.
The best thing about this hack is how inexpensive and easy it is. Just throw them on, look stylish, and you don’t have to think about it. Nowadays, you can easily find a high-quality pair for just a few bucks.
Hack # 5 - Have a Gratitude Ritual
Yes, gratitude is a lot more than just thinking positive thoughts. It’s a ritual that has been scientifically shown to improve many areas of health - both physical and psychological. Furthermore, a gratitude ritual only takes a few minutes or less each day and is an incredible way to start the day.
Here’s an easy gratitude ritual that you can do each day.
Ask yourself, preferably out loud, what you are grateful for. It can be one thing or ten things. The number doesn’t matter. Also, flex your gratitude muscle and continuously look for new things to be grateful for that you’ve never even thought of. For example, a raindrop or a coffee mug.
Alternatively, you have a gratitude journal and jot down what you’re grateful for every morning.
Over to You
Creating both small and large changes in your health doesn’t have to be a pain or take up a lot of time. The health hacks listed above are inexpensive and use up very little of your valuable time. Make this summer the brightest that it’s ever been by adding a new health hack into your life.