Health Hacks

Good health is something almost all of us would love to have, right? We all want a healthy body, mind, and environment to live in!
     Being healthy isn't just as easy as wishing for it. You have to work for it! And that is why a lot of people give up or don't even try to have a health lifestyle. It just seems too hard! I was inspired by Cotopaxi to write a blog post with some tips and tricks for a healthy lifestyle!
    With a few tips, tricks and hacks, a healthy lifestyle can become second nature and like a habit! It doesn't have to be hard or stressful to live a healthy life! Keep reading to learn how to make a healthy lifestyle attainable to every one!

Whether your coming from an unhealthy lifestyle or you are looking to upgrade your already healthy lifestyle, these hacks can be useful to everyone! Some might not apply to you and others will be exactly what you need! Pick and choose, or use them all, to help yourself create a healthier lifestyle!

#1 Start Today!
No matter what you are starting( a diet, workout plan or lifestyle change), you don't want to waste any time! Starting today, right now, as soon as possible helps you get excited and hyped up right away and helps you stick to whatever you are starting. Saying, "I'll start on Monday" "Tomorrow..."  or "Next Week" just puts it off and gives you a way out if you lose your will power. Make a decision, take a deep breath, and start today!

#2 Start Learning!
Whenever you make a change in your life, you need to read up and learn all you can about the choices you are making, why, and how they will effect your life! I love learning about nutrition, a healthy lifestyle and fitness and it helps me have a healthy lifestyle. When you learn about the health benefits of things and the dangers of other things, helps you make the right choices. It keeps you from eating that donut and choosing the fruit bowl instead!

#3 Clean Out Your Life!
A healthy lifestyle is much easier if you don't have triggers in the place you live. Cleaning out your pantry, fridge and house of all the unhealthy things ( like junk food, trigger foods, and packaged/processed foods) will help you stay on track! You won't be able to binge on cookies or chips because they won't be in your house! You'll have to make an effort ( get dressed, leave the house, go to the store......) to eat un-healthfully! A clean home is a clean mind and a clean mind is a clean life!

#4 Cook for Yourself
Making your own food is the best way to make sure that you are eating as healthy as possible. When you cook or bake your own food, you choose what goes into it and how healthy it is! Also, bringing your food with you ( to work, school, trips..) helps you stay on track when you aren't at home. Simple things like cut up veggies or fruit keeps you from eating out of the vending machine. Making extra food for meals at home leaves leftovers for meals when you are out! Also, cooking is  lots of fun!!

#5 Be Easy on Yourself
You aren't perfect and you won't always be perfectly on track with your healthy lifestyle. And that's okay! A healthy lifestyle doesn't mean eating healthy all the time. It means understanding balance in your diet. Eat as healthy as possible most of the time and allow yourself those treats every now and then! Don't stress about it, because that isn't health either!

These of course are just a few of the many hacks that will help you to have a healthy lifestyle. But these are great building blocks to start with, and I hope they are useful you! The more you learn, the more you experiment, the better you'll become at living a healthy life!

Please share this post and my blog with your friends and family to help others live a healthy lifestyle too!
You can follow the blog via email, Google, Twitter @SpinachisGood, tumblr @ justruningforfood and Instagram @ That_Vegan_Runner. Please follow me and connect for more Spinach Is Good For You content!

I post every Friday!

Stay Healthy, Happy and Laughing!
H. Banana

10 Ways to Become Healthier this Spring

    Spring has sprung and with it comes life, color and warm weather! There are many reasons to love the Spring time and so many ways to enjoy everything that Spring means! Spring is also a great time to do some Spring Cleaning in your house, diet and lifestyle!

     Spring always gets me motivated to get my healthy lifestyle back on track. Sometimes our healthy efforts fall away during those cold winter months when the last thing you want is a workout or a cold smoothie! Getting back on track in the Spring is a great way to feel and look your best for the warmer months to come!

I wrote a 3 part series of blog post last year all about Getting Ready for Spring and I hope you will check out those post after you read this one! This post is going to be easy changes you can make to your life to help get your healthy lifestyle back on track!

1. Get Moving!
We've all heard it before, but thats becasue it really is so important! Exercise is so key to having a healthy body now and in the future! It has so many benefits that you should never leave it out of your day! Get up, stretch, go for a quick walk or just walk in place for a few minutes. Even the smallest amount of exercise is enough to keep your body in tip-top shape!

2. Smoothies!
I love smoothies and smoothie bowls, but I have a hard time eating them in the winter months! I love getting back into them in the Spring and Summer! They are so good for quick meals or snacks and are a great way to get tons of nutrients into your diet! You can pack so much health into a smoothie its crazy! Try adding leafy greens, vegetables, nuts and seeds, and even herbs to your smoothies to add extra health benefits!

3. Sunshine!
During the cold months we tend to spend alot of time indoors, away from the sun. When Spring finally shows up, its important to spend time soaking up the sun's rays! We gain some much needed vitamin D from just a few minutes out in the sunshine! Just make sure to wear some sunscreen so you don't get burned!

4. Raw Foods
You might have heard about the Raw Food movement. Its getting pretty popular, and for good reasons! Raw fruits and veggies have a lot of nutrients that are lost in the cooking process. While cooked fruits and vegetables still have plently of health benefits, the raw versions have even more! In the winter its hard to find good quality fresh produce, so we tend to go for the cooked versions. Now that the weather is warming up, make sure to add lots of fresh fruits and vegetables to your diet!

5. Ditch the Packaged Foods!
This one doesn't apply just to the Spring time, but its a good way to have a healthy diet all year long! Processed and packaged foods contain alot of added things that we don't need in our diet. While some are healthier than others, its always best to stay away from anything that comes in a box or package! Not only to most of them contain added sugars, chemicals and additives, the packages fill up the land-fills! Its better for you and for the planet if we stick to homemade over packaged foods!

6. Stretch!
While exercise is imporant, stretching is also important! Its important to stretch before you exercise because you need to warm up and loosen up your muscles. This will prevent you from hurting or pulling a muscle. Stretching after a workout helps you to cool down and relax your muscles. A full workout of stretching, like Yoga, is also really good for a low-impact way to keep your body active! Next time you go for a workout, make sure you add in a few minutes of streching before and after for a healthy body over all!

7. Essential Oils
Some people don't use essential oils and some do. Those who do know the wonderful benefits of the oils. I have a blog post about essential oils that goes into more depth on how and why to use them. Adding just a few of the oils into your daily life can have a huge impact of your day to day health, mood and happiness!

8. Sleep!
Getting sleep is important all year round, and most people don't get enough of it! Sleep allows our bodies to rest, heal and cleanse and when we don't get enough sleep, our bodies don't do enough resting, healing or cleansing. Aim for at least 8 hours of sleep each night, or take a nap during the day to give your body the much needed rest it deserves!

9. Get in the Kitchen!
Its easy for those with a busy lifestlye to fall into the habit of eating packaged, processed, and pre-made foods. While this might save time, it doesn't make for a healthy diet. Like I said before, most packaged foods contain things you do not want in your body, so its imporant to stay away from them as much as possible! Meal prepping is a great way for you to have healthy meals in a flash! Also, cooking and baking your own food for you and your family is so much fun and rewarding!

10. Eat!
I know it might sound strange, but one of the best ways to keep your body healthy is to eat! Eat enough of the healthy foods like whole grains, fruits, vegetables and nuts and you will find yourself in the best state of health you have ever been in! Too many people under eat or starve themselves in the hopes of gaining the perfect body! The 'perfect body' is a body that is healthy from a diet rich in the healthy foods and has plenty of exercise!

I hope these 10 ideas are helpful to you! I suggest you pick one thing a week to work on, and after just a few short weeks you will have a super healthy lifestlye! Each one of these points are important, so don't skip or over look one because you don't think they apply to you! Everyone can have a healthy lifestyle, even you!


Sharing these tips and tricks with your family and friends will help our world become a little healthier each day! Taking care of our bodies is an important job, one that shouldn't be taken lightly!

You can follow the blog via email, Google, Twitter @ SpinachisGood, Tumblr @ justrunningforfood and on Pinterest @ Hannah Plunkett!

I post every Friday!

Stay Healthy, Happy and Laughing!

H. Banana