Archives for June 2020

June 25, 2020 by Sandra

7 Reasons Why You Should Walk in the Sunshine

There’s nothing that I enjoy more than a walk in the sunshine. The warmth feels so good on our skin, but did you know that there are a ton of health benefits you can get from a healthy dose of sunshine combined with a walk? With proper sun protection, walking is a great way to soak in the sun while getting a low-impact workout in at the same time.

Here are seven reasons why you should walk in the sunshine:

You Produce more Vitamin D. This one probably isn’t a surprise. Vitamin D is naturally produced by exposure to sunlight and has countless benefits, including fighting disease and reducing depression. Studies show it can lower your risk of multiple sclerosis, decrease your chance of developing heart disease, and even reduce your likelihood of developing the flu.

Improve your mood. It’s not just an old wives tale that sunshine makes you happy, there’s science behind it, too. Sunlight increases the levels of serotonin in the brain, which is the feel-good hormone that’s linked to mood.

Have a Healthier Body. One recent study had fascinating results — light-sensitive proteins on your fat cells can detect sunlight, and too little natural light can alter how these fat cells behave. The result? Higher sunlight exposure may suppress your appetite, helping to prevent obesity. It also helps clear skin conditions. Exposure to the sun can help clear up itchy skin conditions, including psoriasis and eczema.

Get more restful sleep. Your exposure to sunlight through the day impacts how much melatonin is produced in your brain. Melatonin is a natural chemical that regulates your circadian rhythms and helps lull you to sleep at the end of the day. So if you struggle with insomnia, maybe soak up some rays outdoors.

Lower your blood pressure. When your skin absorbs sunlight, nitric oxide is released into your blood, which can lower blood pressure and improve heart health.

Improve your cognitive function. Sunlight has been found to improve attention, inhibition, flexibility, and working memory, especially in women.

Live longer. One study of women in Sweden found that those who avoided the sun had higher mortality twice as high as those that had regular or moderate sun exposure.

Find a Walking Program

We already know that walking for exercise has a ton of health benefits, but as you can see, walking combined with sunshine is a pretty powerful combo for your body. I have recently started a new walking program that I love and I have to share it with you.

You start by downloading the app to track your walks, take fun or motivating classes, and to set your personal goals. You can even join teams and meet others with common interests working on their goals as well.
Lace-up your shoes, get out there, and go walk!! This app is carefully curated with daily inspiration and awesome features that will keep you motivated.
Crush your goals and earn some pretty arm candy to celebrate your win. Think of it as “wearable inspiration” for the month’s theme.

I have already met some pretty amazing women through my journey, and I would love for you to join me. Visit www.99walks.fit to set up your account today. Use the code SANDRA25 to get 25% off your first month.

If you have any questions, or if you would like to join my 99 Walks Team, comment below or email me at thesandrahudson@gmail.com so that I can send you the invite.

June 3, 2020 by Sandra

4 Simple Changes to Improve Your Daily Life

All of the commitments and the never-ending list of tasks that come with life can be overwhelming. If you are like me, then you feel the heavy burden of day-to-day activities. Your stress may manifest itself in different ways. That’s why I came up with the list of 4 simple changes to improve your daily life that I must share with you also.

You may feel tired all the time, or your joints may get achy. Your thoughts may be all over the place. (hello #mombrain)

Maybe you get a splitting headache when you get stressed out? Stress itself can keep you up at night and wreak havoc on your sleeping schedule. Even to the point where you seem to be a zombie for most of the working day.

If you can relate to any of the above conditions, then you can most probably relate to hundreds more. We are not going to get into all of them one-by-one because it would just make you feel further anxious or depressed.

Let’s face it. Life is hard!! If you’re like most people, then you work an average 9 to 5 job. You come home after work wishing you didn’t have to go to work the next day.

What can you do to change this dreary outlook on your daily life? Let’s take a look at 4 practical steps you can take to improve your daily life and get back on track.

1. Get Your Beauty Sleep

This may sound basic, but getting the correct amount of sleep each night can change your daily life instantly. Losing sleep can turn into a vicious cycle pretty quickly and it is hard to rebound. Tired and unproductive days make you lose sleep, therefore you wake up tired once again! Stress happens often when we are at the end of our rope. When we are so tired, we cannot continue to deal. Having a regular sleep schedule is crucial in order to deal with stress. Even taking a short nap during the day can help, although this isn’t an option for most adults. By simply adding more sleep to your daily life routine, your state of mind will get happier and healthier. You will be making a positive step to change your life. I always try to keep the same bedtime on the weekends to stay in my sleep routine.

meditate for stress relief to improve your daily life

2. Get Moving!

You have been ignoring the treadmill in your garage for months, or the gym membership that you’re still paying for every month. If you truly want to change your life, then it is time to get moving. There are so many studies that show that physical activity and exercise will literally make you happier. So, get moving, do a workout, and get physically active. There are so many great workouts to do to combat stress. Try yoga, pilates, weight lifting, or even a dance class. The most important thing is that you are on the move towards lifting that cloudy disposition in your daily life. I personally love to walk because you can do it anywhere, and I can listen to my favorite audible book or podcast while I’m doing it.

3. You Are What You Eat

If you want to truly change your life, you have to alter what you put into your body. And no, that does not mean you should switch a cappuccino for a latte. Changing your diet is one of the most important decisions you will make to improve your daily life outlook. Certain foods that we eat can directly cause us to feel depressed (sugar, highly processed foods, bread & pasta). These types of foods, especially gluten and wheat, can be inflammatory foods, additionally taking longer to digest and leave us feeling fatigued. There are tons of research out there about this if you don’t believe me. In fact, one of my favorite books that really opened my eyes to all of this is called Wheat Belly. You can even find it on Amazon here or check it out at your local library.

Anti-inflammatory foods and superfoods may actually calm your nerves on a biological level. Believe it or not, dark chocolate can help regulate your cortisol and hormone levels. Foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids may promote nerve cell protection. This will increase our energy levels and therefore decrease stress. So, think twice before you gobble down those three donuts every morning. They may be contributing to your stress and downward view of daily life. I have also been reading about and participating in intermittent fasting lately. I can’t wait to talk to you more about my experience with that in upcoming blogs.

4. Take time out to Improve Your Daily Life

As cliche as it might sound, sometimes all we need is a time out. Doing the same things every.single.day can be taxing. Going to work the same way, seeing the same shops, seeing the same people, etc. It can most definitely wear us down over the years. Especially if you don’t already incorporate semi-regular vacations or getaways into your schedule. While the average vacation to a beach destination can help to get you re-charged and back on track, it is sometimes not enough for long-lasting results. Remember to take time for yourself so that you can be the best version of YOU. Take the hot shower, read the book, go to the spa for a massage, watch Hallmark movies…….you get it!

If you are reading this article, you are already taking the right steps to change your life. You are not alone when it comes to feeling overwhelmed about the burden of daily life. However, if you make these few changes, pretty soon the rain will stop and the sunny side of life will be in the forecast.

*Disclaimer: This post may contain affiliate links. Please seek professional help if needed.