We all want to feel our best, right? Despite the negative effects that living in a modern world can cause, your body is constantly working to find homeostasis, or balance…
So you can live your best life!

Inflammation is probably the most common culprit in prohibiting us from feeling our best. Left untreated, inflammation can spiral into chronic disease, autoimmunity and a whole host of low grade yet troubling medical diagnoses.

How can we reduce inflammation?

By making small, consistent changes that rid your body of toxins and replenish your body & mind with rest and balanced nutrition. Your mind doesn’t want to work that hard, so it’s best to keep it simple!

Let’s talk about small #healthhacks you can incorporate into your day {everyday} to reduce inflammation and increase your vitality!

1. Eat a Fiber Rich Salad and/or Smoothie Daily!

Having a cup of leafy greens—like baby spinach, arugula, kale, or lettuce—each day is one of the most beneficial diet habits you can adopt. These leafy greens offer an anti-inflammatory double-punch, thanks to antioxidants and bioactive compounds that reduce inflammation and prevent free radicals from creating new inflammation. Try this simple, kale salad on the side of your next meal! I also love this Anti-inflammatory Detox Salad

Want extra credit? Add a 4 oz. piece of wild caught salmon to the top of your salad. Omega 3’s aid in helping your body to turn off the inflammatory response. Try adding salmon, chia seeds, pumpkin seeds, avocados and walnuts to your weekly salad and see how your health improves!

Another benefit of eating greens is the soluble fiber. Fiber helps your liver flush out toxins naturally. And one of the biggest reasons I start my day with a superfood smoothie.

Beans are also fiber rich and super effective in eliminating toxins from your body. Add a 1/4 Cup of beans onto your next salad, and read more about the Magic of Beans here!

2. Keep Your Blood Sugar Stable

How? By making sure to be consistent and intentional about your meal times. When you stabilize your blood sugar you naturally avoid cravings, hunger, and irritability. Not only is this nicer for those around you, but avoiding peaks and drops in blood sugar also prevents inflammation in the body that can lead to obesity, Type 2 diabetes, and heart disease.

Learn how to balance your plate at every meal and stabilize your blood sugar, energy level and your mood.

3. Aim For A Consistent Restful Sleep Schedule

Routinely not getting enough sleep (6 hours or less) triggers inflammation and weakens immune function; even in healthy individuals. Sleep is when your immune system creates and distributes antibodies.

Protect your bedtime routine and create a soothing ritual that optimizes your environment for a quality nights sleep! I’ve listed my favorite tips below. Read here for more.

• Try to get to bed around 10 pm, and aim for 6-8 hours of high quality, restful sleep.
• Aim to eat dinner early! Try to eat dinner 2-3 hours before laying down to bed. This way your body isn’t working on digesting a big meal at bed time.
• Aim to dim your lights and shut off your devices by 9:00p.
• Get in the habit of taking a Magnesium capsule 2 hours before bedtime. Magnesium naturally calms your muscles and your nervous system, promoting a restful sleep.
• Invest in a weighted blanket! It has the same soothing effect we give our newborns when we swaddle them. It’s been a total game changer in improving my quality of sleep.
• Take L-Theanine with your AM coffee or tea. This is an amino acid that helps promote a restful, relaxed state without diminishing daytime alertness.

4. Take A Walk & Consistently Sweat Out Toxins

Research from this study, suggest that getting just 20 minutes of movement reduces inflammatory blood markers. So, lace up your shoes and get going! I’ve gotten into a pretty good weekly walking habit. It’s almost like a moving meditation that refuels my body and my soul.

Breaking a sweat is another great way to rid your body of toxins! Plus it boosts your energy, your strength, your mood, and improves your sleep!!!

Need some inspiration to get moving? Read this post about My Favorite Ways To Sweat!

According to Healthline.com there are a number of detoxifying health benefits you gain from breaking a sweat or relaxing in an infrared sauna.

• detox of heavy metals
• elimination of chemicals like BPA
• bacterial cleansing

How do you plan to sweat this week?

5. Spice it Up!

Simply add a few spices to your dinner routine and curb inflammation naturally! Research suggests that by incorporating garlic, spices & herbs {think- turmeric, rosemary, cinnamon, cumin, and ginger} your risk for inflammatory diseases decreases. Here are my favorite ways to spice things up in our kitchen!

• Try adding fresh grated ginger to your soups and stews
• Add minced garlic, curry, turmeric or cayenne pepper to your roasted vegetables
• Make a comforting mug of Golden Milk with turmeric, ginger, steamed nut milk and cinnamon for an anti-inflammatory tea. I love this recipe!

6. Always Read Nutrition Labels!!

Additives, dyes, preservatives, and other ingredients regularly added to foods all have the potential to trigger inflammation—particularly if you have a weaker gut. Be a health detective and examine the nutrition labels currently in your pantry & fridge. Get rid of anything with an ingredient that is not categorized as “real food”. Next–get in the habit of looking at nutrition labels every time you grocery shop!! This new habit will help prevent harmful additives in your kitchen and your diet.

7. Take A Break From Booze

This doesn’t have to be long-term, but cutting out alcohol briefly (while making other anti-inflammatory diet and lifestyle changes) helps the body calm down and reduce existing inflammation. Personally I avoid alcohol Monday through Friday and enjoy a cocktail or a glass of wine (or two) on the weekends. Be sure to drink an extra glass of water for every cocktail you consume! AND replenish your body with Vitamin B12, magnesium and a probiotic the next morning.

8. Improve Your Gut Health

Protect those existing good bacteria by cutting out added sugars, trans fats, and focusing on choosing primarily whole and minimally processed foods. Get in a habit of consuming probiotic-rich foods on a daily basis—Think– yogurt, sauerkraut, kombucha, miso, or kimchi. I also rarely start my day without a probiotic supplement. ~ I love this probiotic by Sakara! It helps ensure my gut bacteria stays diverse, aids digestion and reduces bloating