5 Simple Daily Habits for Better Health

What are daily habits for better health?

Nutritionist Jane McClenaghan talks us through 5 easy habits to introduce to your every day routine for daily habits for better health

When it comes to good health it’s the simple things that make all the difference.

If you are looking for inspiration to get some good habits into your daily routine, Linwoods new Healthy Habit Tracker is a great place to start to form daily habits for better health.

This one week tracker will help get you back on track and focused on some small things that’ll make a big difference to how you feel.

1. Aim for 10,000 steps a day

Move your booty and get your steps in. If you have been working from home, or have a sedentary job, it can be easy to stay stuck to your desk all day long, and before you know if you haven’t managed to move much further than the front door to meet and greet the postman.

Use your phone or a fitness tracker to work out how many steps you are hitting a day.

10,000 steps is your daily goal and works out about 5 miles, or an hour and a half walking every day.

1. Start your day with a walk around the block
2. Get out for 15-20 minutes in your lunch break
3. End your working day with a brisk walk to help you switch off from your working day
4. If you can, get the bus to work and get off a stop earlier than usual, or park further away and stride out a few extra steps. It soon adds up.
5. Use the stairs more, at home or at work as one of your daily habits for better health

2. Catch some ZZZ’s

Aim for 7-9 hours sleep every night.

Start your wind down an hour before bedtime by switching off all your devices so that you are not getting into bed feeling wired and overstimulated.

Do something that helps you relax in that hour instead. Read a book, drink some bedtime herbal teas, watch something fun on Netflix or have an Epsom salt bath. Epsom salts contain magnesium which can aid relaxation and soothe aching muscles.

3. Drink up!

Aim for 6-8 glasses of water every day. That’s around one and a half litres a day.

Here are some simple tips to help you reach that goal:

1. Start your day with a glass of water – make this the first thing you drink every morning
2. Get a water bottle that you like drinking from – it really makes a difference!
3. Keep water by your side and sip throughout the day
4. Have a little glass with water and dinner – you will soon begin to miss it if you don’t have it
5. Sip some water as you wait for the kettle to boil when you are making yourself a cuppa

4. Up your flaxseed intake

Your body will thank you for this one. Aim for 20g flaxseed every day. It is so versatile and you can use it at breakfast, lunch or dinner. Try stirring into overnight oats, popping on top of smoothies or soups, or serving as a topping on curry or bolognese.

Some of the health benefits you are likely to notice will include:

1. Digestive health and more regular bowel movements thanks to the high fibre intake
2. Feeling fuller for longer because of the additional fibre and protein
3. Healthy skin, hair and nails – moisturising your skin from the inside out with a hit of omega 3 essential fats
4. Better cholesterol balance – you might not notice this one but your body will be resetting and rebalancing things from the inside out, and one of the benefits of flaxseed in your diet is supporting cardiovascular health

Check out our recipes for the easiest ways to introduce flaxseed to your diet as part of your daily habits for better health

5. Shake up your wake up

Power your morning with a protein-based breakfast.

A little more protein in your breakfast of choice will help support better energy, reduce cravings and help to keep you going right through until lunchtime. (This is one of our favourite daily habits for better health)

Here are some ideas:

1. Try using Linwoods Milled Chia Seeds to make a delicious chia pot with natural yoghurt or kefir, some berries or chopped fruit and a touch of cinnamon or vanilla for natural sweetness.
2. Overnight oats with some grated apple and ground cinnamon. Add a handful of walnuts and a spoonful of milled flaxseed for a pop of protein
3. Natural yoghurt, served with your favorite fruit and Linwoods Crunchy Seeds Clusters for a crunchy topping
4. An omelette makes a great breakfast – perfect with spinach, tomatoes and some feta cheese

Not only has Jane helped us with a list of daily habits for better health, but she often writes articles for us. You can find out more about Jane below

Jane McClenaghan is Northern Ireland’s most recognised nutritionist with over 20 year’s experience. Her company Vital Nutrition specialises in developing and delivering group sessions for corporate and community clients both online and in-person as well as running an online membership club and offering one-to-one consultations.

Jane’s knowledge in the subject area of health and wellbeing is unrivalled as indicated by her qualifications, reputation and experience.

Jane’s sessions cover a range of health and wellbeing topics from mental health to stress, female and male health, healthy eating on a budget, heart health, sleep, family wellbeing and much more.
Jane is also the author of two books on nutrition, she writes a weekly column in the Irish News, has a monthly slot on radio U105 and is a regular contributor to the BBC, The Belfast Telegraph and many other media outlets.

Did you enjoy this list of daily habits for better health? You can find out more and get in touch with Vital Nutrition here