7 Easy Ways to Upgrade Your Day 

The following is a guest post by Marissa Vicario.  Her bio follows.

Most people know how to keep their physical, emotional and mental well-being in check with self care, but few rarely give it the attention it deserves. In one study, only 6 percent of adults engaged in health-related self care each day. That means 94 percent of us aren’t taking the time we know we need to make self care a habit.

That number needs to change. I suspect it’s high because self-care seems like it needs to be another check-box on the to-do list, but that’s not true at all.

Excerpted from my new book, Your Holistically Hot Transformation: Embrace a Healthy Lifestyle Free of Dieting, Confusion and Self-Judgment, here’s quick list of everyday tasks that you can transform into self-care habits.

Cooking | Play with your food:

You know that eating nutritious food is a crucial part of taking care of yourself, but take it a step further. So often when we prepare our food we plop it onto a plate or eat it directly out of the paper takeout container because we’re in a rush. Try plating your food nicely then sitting down to it at a table with a nice place setting and maybe even a candle. You’ll change your entire dining experience this way.

Showering | Brush yourself dry:

 Before you shower, why not take two minutes to use a dry brush to brighten and naturally detoxify your skin? It’s also invigorating! The rigid bristles of the brush stimulate below the surface of the skin to get blood flowing and promote healthy circulation.

Sleeping | Rest easier:

Diffuse essential oil in your bedroom while you sleep. My favorite is lavender. It calms you down so you can get a deeper, more restful sleep.

Dental Hygiene | Scrape your tongue:

 Sounds gross, but keep reading. Tongue scraping is not only cleansing, but also stimulating and it goes that extra mile toward fighting plaque and keeping your breath fresh. It supposedly enhances kissing, too!  A tongue scraper is a metal U-shaped tool you can find at a health food store or even on Amazon. It’s used to remove excess bacteria and food build-up from the surface of the tongue.

Mid-day Re-charge | Sip a Hot Beverage:

Trade the coffee for your favorite hot tea or even hot water. Sipping plain hot water is hydrating, detoxifying and gives your immune and digestive systems a little boost. More gentle than coffee, tea is both calming and can help curb those afternoon sugar cravings. Take 15- 30 minutes out of your day to re-charge and for an added bonus, stay off your phone and computer.

Nighttime Relaxation | Face or Hair Mask:

 Shut down the computer and give yourself some extra TLC with an extra-special beauty treatment like a face or hair mask. Pair it with a soak in a hot tub of Epsom salt and essential oil for maximum relaxation.

Daily Calendaring | Say Yes Less:

Most of us are over-scheduled. Make it a practice to give yourself more time by eliminating engagements that aren’t necessary or re-prioritizing them for a later date.

Marissa Vicario Bio

Marissa Vicario, AADP, is an award-winning, board-certified Integrative Health and Nutrition Coach and Best-selling Author of the best-selling book, Your Holistically Hot Transformation: Embrace a Healthy Lifestyle Free of Dieting, Confusion and Self-Judgment. As a Women’s Health & Lifestyle Expert/Blogger, she teaches women how to trust themselves to make slimming, nutritious, energizing choices without fad diets. Visit her web site at www.MWAHonline.com.

Images: Dinner avilasal Tea amazing_podgirl