8 Best Things You Can Do for Your Body by Luke Lonergan

1. Luke Lonergan
8 Best Things You Can Do for
Your Body

2. Luke Lonergan
1. Meditation
Meditationmayseemlikea passingtrend, butthe newly-popular
practice touts some serious health benefits. Om-ing is optional,
but regularly taking 10-20 minutes to unwind and focus on
yourself is one of the greatest secrets to longevity. “Meditation
is going to help with stress reduction, better sleep, lower blood
pressure, improved immunity, and improved cardiovascular
function,"says Kerry Bajaj,a certified healthcoach at the Eleven
WellnessCenterin New York City.It’s alsogoing to make you feel
much better because you’re disconnecting from all the
stimulation of life.”

3. Luke Lonergan
2. Sleep
It’s no secret that most hard-working guys are sleep deprived,
butjust because it’scommondoes notmean it’sOK. Sleepmakes
or breaks a healthy lifestyle. All that time and effort you spend
eating right and working out won’t be as effective—and your
physique will actually be harder to maintain—if you’re not
getting seven to eight hours a night. Catchingup on sleep on the
weekends won’t work either.
Research from Rochester University suggests that insufficient
sleep disrupts our brains' ability to flush toxins from the body
and as a result, can impairbrain function. So, when you show up
for work after a bad night's sleep and you're unable to focus on
anything—that’s why.

4. Luke Lonergan
3. Drink Tea
Drink more tea. Just do it. Aside from water, tea might be the
best beverage for your body. Research published in
the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition shows that regular
consumptionof green tea can improve memory and cognitionin
men. Green tea is also credited with a host of other health-
boostingbenefits, like firing up your metabolism, loweringblood
pressure, preventing bad breath, boosting immunity, and acting
as an anti-inflammatory agent.

5. Luke Lonergan
4. Floss
Flossing won’t just make your pearly whites brighter, the habit
will improve your health on a much deeper level. “If your gums
get infected, the bacteria in your mouth can enter the
bloodstream and lead to inflammation throughout the body,"
says Doctors.

6. Luke Lonergan
5. Take Probiotics
Check in with yourgut—a healthydigestive system is often seen
as the windowto youroverallhealth.One way to boost good gut
bacteria and keep things running smoothly: take a daily
probiotic supplement. “Probiotics help with digestion, and
they’re good for your immunity," says Doctors. "Fixing the
balanceofgood bacteriainthe gut caneven improveyourmood.
A lot of our serotonin is actually produced in the gut, so there’s
a big connection between what’s happeningin the gut and how
we feel.”

7. Luke Lonergan
6. Warm up before Workouts
Static stretching before a workout doesn’t do your body much
good. In fact, research from Stephen F. Austin State University
found that exercisers who did static stretching before lifting had
impairedstrength compared to those who performed a dynamic
warm-up, a muscle-warming routine that includes moves like
walking lunges and high skips. Get in the habit of performing a
dynamic warmup before any kind of workout and you'll not only
enhance your performance, but also help prevent injury.

8. Luke Lonergan
7. Avoid BPA
BPA stands for Bisphenol A, a chemical used to produce many
common household products, like water bottles and food cans.
In recent years, the compound's effects on health and human
development have generated quite a bit of controversy, and for
good reason. Research hasfoundlinksbetween exposure to BPA
and reproductive disorders, diabetes, and cardiovascular
disease. While the FDA reports evidence on both sides of the
debate, it’s better to be safe than sorry. Purchase typically-
canned items, like tomatoes, in glass containers instead, and if
you’re sticking with plastic containers, check for a recycle code
of 3 or 7 on the bottom—those may be made with BPA.

9. Luke Lonergan
8. Clean up your Skincare Regimen
Your skin is your largest organ, so you’ve got to take care of it
like you would any other part of your body. That means
applying sunscreen daily and being picky about the products
you use. “Look at your hair and skincare products, and clean
up those products so you’re not putting chemicals on your
skin," advises Bajaj. Check labels for Sodium Lauryl Sulfate or
Sodium Laureth Sulfate, and toss products that contain these
compounds. Sulfates not only strip your hair and skin of
necessary moisture and protective barriers, but they also
become toxic when combined with other ingredients
commonly found in skincare products.