{"id":2771,"date":"2010-06-21T21:40:26","date_gmt":"2010-06-22T05:40:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.pickthebrain.com\/?p=2771"},"modified":"2013-09-30T08:28:49","modified_gmt":"2013-09-30T16:28:49","slug":"better-health-in-just-20-minutes-a-day","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.pickthebrain.com\/blog\/better-health-in-just-20-minutes-a-day\/","title":{"rendered":"Better Health in Just 20 Minutes A Day"},"content":{"rendered":"<div style=\"margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;\" class=\"sharethis-inline-share-buttons\" ><\/div><p><a href=\"http:\/\/wallpaper.najoomi.com\/wallpapers\/2391\/Beautiful-Girl-Eatting-Apple-512X384-2391.jpg\"><\/a><\/p>\n<p>You want to be healthier and have more energy. You want to take good care of yourself. The problem is, life is hectic. However nice it\u2019d be to have time for long strolls in the countryside, afternoon naps and relaxing baths \u2026 you\u2019ve got a few little matters like work, family, friends, chores and hobbies to fit into your day.<\/p>\n<p>Perhaps you\u2019ve made a few attempts at trying to live a healthier lifestyle, and they\u2019ve never worked out. You start a new diet every Monday. You try to quit caffeine, sugar and alcohol all at once. You take up exercising \u2013 and your muscles are protesting after a day.<\/p>\n<p>Sometimes, though, it\u2019s the little changes which make a big difference. <strong>You don\u2019t need to follow a huge time-consuming plan for the perfect body \u2013 you just need the energy and enthusiasm to tackle life every day.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Here are five simple steps, all of which combined will take just <em>twenty minutes<\/em> each day. (If you have a few extra minutes to spare, I\u2019ve also suggested some bonus activities.)<!--more--><\/p>\n<h2>Switch one drink to de-caff \u2013 0 minutes<\/h2>\n<p>I\u2019m not suggesting you quit caffeine full stop \u2013 just switch one of your daily coffees to a de-caffeinated version. It\u2019s a little change which takes no time at all, and which you\u2019ll hardly notice after a couple of days.<\/p>\n<p>If you\u2019re trying to cut down considerably on caffeine, do it gradually. For instance, if you currently drink six coffees per day, switch to five regular and one de-caffeinated this week, then cut down a bit more next week, and so on.<\/p>\n<p><strong><em>Bonus:<\/em><\/strong> Do the same thing with one regular soda \u2013 switch to a diet version, or flavored water. It might take your taste buds a week or two to adapt, but stick with it!<\/p>\n<h2>Grab a piece of fruit \u2013 1 minute<\/h2>\n<p>Next time you\u2019re feeling peckish, grab a piece of fruit. This takes a minute at most \u2013 probably just a few seconds. If you keep a bowl of fruit close at hand, it\u2019s a very easy snack!<\/p>\n<p>Eating more fruit will:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Ensure you get enough vitamins, vital for health<\/li>\n<li>Boost your fiber intake, improving your digestion<\/li>\n<li>Help fill you up between meals for minimum calories<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong><em>Bonus:<\/em><\/strong><em> <\/em>Keep a bottle of water on your desk so that it\u2019s within easy reach. You\u2019ll find yourself sipping more and staying hydrated during the day \u2013 reducing the urge to snack. (Many of us mistake mild thirst for hunger.)<\/p>\n<h2>Brush your teeth (properly) \u2013 4 minutes<\/h2>\n<p>Hopefully, you already brush your teeth twice a day. If you\u2019re being totally honest, though, there are probably times when you don\u2019t manage that \u2013 or when \u201cbrushing\u201d is just a quick swipe round your mouth with the tooth brush.<\/p>\n<p>Dentists recommend that you brush your teeth for two minutes. Try timing yourself next time you brush yours: chances are, you\u2019re not brushing for long enough.<\/p>\n<p><strong><em>Bonus:<\/em><\/strong><em> <\/em>Don\u2019t forget to floss daily too.<\/p>\n<h2>Meditate \u2013 5 minutes<\/h2>\n<p>In recent years, meditation has become much more mainstream. <a href=\"..\/meditation-health\/\">Proven health benefits<\/a> \u2013 like decreased stress \u2013 are pretty attractive to most of us! But because we\u2019re busy, we often don\u2019t take the time to sit and quieten our minds.<\/p>\n<p>If you\u2019re uncertain about what meditation involves, and want an easy introduction, try <a href=\"..\/6-tips-for-people-who-don{54c12dad2cc2b53ae830e39915b1a3e70288dbcbbeb8bbf8395437c5dc3c512c}E2{54c12dad2cc2b53ae830e39915b1a3e70288dbcbbeb8bbf8395437c5dc3c512c}80{54c12dad2cc2b53ae830e39915b1a3e70288dbcbbeb8bbf8395437c5dc3c512c}99t-have-time-to-meditate\/\">6 Tips for People Who Don\u2019t Have Time to Meditate.<\/a><\/p>\n<p>Meditation really isn\u2019t a \u201cwoo-woo\u201d new agey activity. It\u2019s just a way to get some space and perspective in your life through a few minutes of precious calm.<\/p>\n<p><strong><em>Bonus:<\/em><\/strong> Many people \u2013 not just those who follow a particular religion \u2013 find it helpful to read a little from a spiritual or inspirational text each day.<\/p>\n<h2>Take a brisk walk \u2013 10 minutes<\/h2>\n<p>Let\u2019s face it, most of us should do more exercise. The trouble is, just the <em>thought <\/em>of the gym can be stressful. Perhaps you don\u2019t have time after work, or you don\u2019t want to follow a vigorous routine.<\/p>\n<p>One of the best things you can do for your health is to walk. Walking won\u2019t put as much stress on your joints as other cardio activities, you can do it in your normal clothes, and you can easily go faster or slower depending on your fitness level. Just ten minutes is enough to see physical and mental benefits.<\/p>\n<p><strong><em>Bonus:<\/em><\/strong> Find ways to incorporate walking into your daily routine, so that it doesn\u2019t take up extra time. (Get off the bus a stop earlier, or walk to the local store instead of driving, for instance.)<\/p>\n<p><em>Do you have any quick wins for extra health and energy? Share them with us in the comments \u2026 and let us know how many minutes they\u2019ll take on a daily or weekly basis!<\/em><\/p>\n<p>Don&#8217;t Forget To Follow PickTheBrain on <a href=\"http:\/\/twitter.com\/pickthebrain\">Twitter<\/a>!<\/p>\n<p><em><strong>Related Articles:<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pickthebrain.com\/4-musts-to-stay-committed-to-your-diet\/\">4 Musts to Staying Committed To Your Diet<\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pickthebrain.com\/the-massive-benefits-of-a-healthy-diet-and-how-to-make-yours-stick\/\">The Massive Benefits of a Healthy Diet and How To Make Yours Stick<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>You want to be healthier, and have more energy. You want to take good care of yourself. The problem is, life is hectic.  <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pickthebrain.com\/blog\/better-health-in-just-20-minutes-a-day\/\">Continue reading <span class=\"meta-nav\">&rarr;<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":12163,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0},"categories":[24,6],"tags":[115,4648,85,537,62,538,536,4631,4629],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v19.1 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Better Health in Just 20 Minutes A Day<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Here are five simple steps, all of which combined will take just twenty minutes each day. 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