By: Jacqueline Gilpin
Spring has sprung in Boston, Massachusetts! While the flowers begin to slowly bloom, the US celebrates April’s Physical Wellness Month: a campaign that promotes mental and physical harmony in the body.
Inspired by the ancient principles of Ayurvedic practice, this campaign emphasizes the importance of honoring your body’s physical needs in order to optimize your health. In honor of Physical Wellness Month, the Newbury Street Nutrition Team shares their favorite ways to support physical health to feel amazing in their bodies.
Optimize Nutrition
Not so surprisingly, eating a balanced diet full of quality proteins, fiber-rich carbohydrates, fruits and vegetables, and healthy fats is a fundamental practice to feel your best.
Our bodies rely on quality nutrition to fuel the brain, build muscle, optimize sleep, and encourage hormonal regulation (just to name a few!). When looking to optimize your nutrition…
- Look for a combination of animal and plant proteins to ensure you are taking in all 9 essential amino acids while benefiting from a wide variety of vitamins and minerals such as vitamin B complex, vitamin D, vitamin D, and iron to support energy and metabolic health.
- Choose high fiber carbohydrates such as whole wheat products, oats, quinoa and sweet potato to help reduce the risk for cardiovascular diseases and maintain a healthy weight.
- Opt for mono/polyunsaturated fats, rich in essential fatty acids to promote the production of HDL (healthy) cholesterol and reduction of LDL (unhealthy) cholesterol. Healthy fats found in foods such as walnuts, chia seeds, flaxseed/flax oil, salmon/fish oil, olive oil, almonds, and avocados, are great choices to reduce the risk of high blood pressure, atherosclerosis, and heart diseases.
Exercise
Engaging in physical activity is a great way to maintain a healthy weight, gain muscle, boost your metabolism, prevent osteoporosis, and improve your energy and sleep. Exercise has been shown to reduce fat stored in adipose tissue and reduce LDL cholesterol levels, which can prevent the risk of cardiovascular disease. Exercise also naturally releases endorphins that can improve your mood and promote greater energy throughout the day.
Hydration
Drinking an adequate amount of water is crucial for supporting overall wellness. The body is composed of 60% water, with the heart, brain, lungs, muscles, and kidneys ranging from ~70-80% water.[1] Water provides the necessary materials to maintain balance and carry out essential functions such as cardiac and skeletal muscle contraction.. So with water, “the more, the merrier”, right? Well not exactly. If too much water is consumed, there is a risk of overhydration and flushing out electrolytes, such as potassium and sodium. To find a happy medium, aim to drink around 72 oz of water daily (or as otherwise directed by your healthcare professional) to support optimal physical wellness.
To learn more about how you can optimize your physical wellbeing this April, request a session with one of our Registered Dietitians at NSN to get nutritional and lifestyle changes specifically tailored to your unique body and start finally feeling your best!
[1]The Water in You: Water and the Human Body | U.S. Geological Survey.