Start the New Year Right: Intentional Acts for Eye & Brain Health, Energy, and Sleep

This content was written in partnership with OmniActive Health Technologies for its “Lutein for Every Age” initiative, a consumer awareness initiative with the goal of educating people on the importance of lutein for eye health throughout life. It’s January, and we’re all about that fresh start energy. There’s just something about the new year that makes us all want to do better in all areas of life, especially our wellness. This year let’s skip the over-the-top resolutions and focus on intentional acts and goals that are meaningful, doable, and at the same, downright transformative. A focus on eye and brain health, energy, and sleep—may be the trifecta to feeling your best this year—and a great place to start a new year wellness journey. Why? Achieving progress and benefits in these areas can actually be enjoyable (and tasty!) with the right recipes (and products). Let’s dig into specific health goals for each of these areas of focus, why they matter and how to crush them with ease.  Goal number 1: Prioritize Eye & Brain Health Why It Matters:Your eyes and brain are the ultimate multitaskers, whether you’re hustling through work, scrolling your feed, or sharing laughs with your favorite people. Eye health and brain health are synergistic. Think gut-brain axis. There is an eye-brain axis, and if you notice  issues with vision, it may be a sign that something is going on in the brain.  If you care about your eye and brain health, you’re not alone. A recent survey conducted by OmniActive Health Technologies (I’m a nutritional advisor to the company) found that 76% of people prioritize eye health and 80% value cognitive health.  One of the easiest ways to care for your eyes and brain this year is to incorporate the nutrients lutein and zeaxanthin; they’re your secret weapons. These nutrients act as antioxidants to not only help shield your eyes from blue light but also support memory and focus. But here’s the thing: the body cannot make macular carotenoids, so dietary intake (or supplementation) is the only way to get beneficial amounts. Think of lutein and zeaxanthin as your natural vision and brain protectors—good for everyone in the family, from the youngest to the wisest. Here are a couple of delicious ways to get your lutein and zeaxanthin in: When shopping for supplements, look for Lutemax 2020 or Lutemax Kids on the label. They’re formulated to deliver that lutein goodness for healthier vision and sharper focus. Check out  Lutein for Every Age for more expert insights on eye and brain health and how lutein and zeaxanthin work to support eye health and cognition. Goal number 2: Boost Your Energy Why It Matters:Let’s face it: consistent energy is key to tackling everything from your morning workout to after-school carpool—and still having the mojo for a little “me time.” In the same OmniActive survey  81% of people said that they value steady energy, and 69% say it impacts their mood. Makes sense to us. How much better is everything when you feel more alive?  There’s no better reason to fuel your body smarter than to beat the afternoon energy crashes. Nutrition is a game-changer here, helping you stay energized and focused throughout the day. To get you started, aim to do these few things: 1) Start the day with a breakfast of whole real foods to lay a good foundation for the entire day, 2) continue to eat whole real foods consistently throughout the day that provide fiber, protein and healthy fats, 3) stay adequately hydrated and 4) minimize highly packaged processed foods and sugar. This is a great way to ensure proper blood sugar control and steady energy.  Here are some delicious ways to keep your energy up: If you’re still in need of a little boost or mental energy, look for supplements or ready-to-made drinks featuring enXtra. enXtra is a caffeine-free ingredient that can help you power through your day without the crash often experienced when consuming caffeine. It has been shown to increase alertness, focus and attention.  Goal number 3: Improve Your Sleep Why It Matters:Sleep is a pillar of a Nutritious Life for good reason. Sleep is critical to brain function, immune health, and heart health. And, there is a direct link between inadequate hours of sleep and being overweight and obese. Seventy-eight percent of people prioritize better sleep, yet it’s still something many of us struggle with achieving.  Research shows that sleeping only 4 hours per night for 2 nights causes leptin, the satisfaction hormone that tells your body to stop eating, to drop 18%. And levels of ghrelin, the hunger hormone that says “eat more,” to jump 28%. There’s a reason you can’t stop chowing after pulling an all-nighter.  Stress, screens, and busy schedules can all wreak havoc on our sleep cycles. This year, give yourself a real bedtime and stick to it, ditch the screens at least 30 minutes prior to going to bed and focus on nighttime eating and drinking habits that support your sleep.  Nighttime foods and drinks to help you sleep better: View this post on Instagram A post shared by Nutritious Life | Founded by Keri Glassman (@nutritiouslifeofficial) If you still need help, botanical ingredients such as Sleeproot can help. This low-dose valerian extract can be a game-changer for better sleep hygiene. Recent research suggests that those who took Sleeproot significantly increased actual sleep time and fell asleep faster.  This year, let’s focus on these intentional shifts that make us feel sharp, focused and energized. Prioritizing eye and brain health, maintaining steady energy, and improving sleep are key. With simple lifestyle shifts and a little support from the right products, these goals are absolutely within reach. Check out Lutein for Every Age for more expert advice, recipes, and inspiration. Cheers to your healthiest, most energized year yet! (Image: Unsplash)  

3 Reasons You Should Set Goals, Not Resolutions

By Mara Santilli If you can’t remember the resolution you set last year, you’re not alone. Just 8 percent of people achieve their resolutions, according to University of Scranton research. (See also: Why New Year’s Resolutions Fail) That’s a problem considering more than half of resolutions are related to healthy lifestyle changes (go to the gym more, eat cleaner, lose weight), according to a Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin study. So how can you set better resolutions in the name of your health? For starters, they should be fun. “Enjoyment is an important factor in staying on track,” says Jane Hanisch, RYT, NLC, an ACSM-certified exercise physiologist. “In other words, if results are immediate—like joy!—then the new habit stays.” RELATED: 5 Ways to Cultivate Optimism for More Happiness Resolutions tend to do the opposite, focusing on what you should eat less of and do more of—over the course of an entire year, no less—often making exercise and eating well sound like chores or mindless to-dos. Goals, on the other hand, inspire you and reflect a larger lifestyle you want to lead: running a marathon, learning how to salsa, or trying a new healthy recipe every week. They’re tangible, not vague. Exciting, not daunting. More reasons to turn your resolutions into goals this year: You can switch up your goals from season to season. One problem with resolutions? You set them at the beginning of the year, then never revisit or readjust them again. “Resolutions are more finite, while goals last in perpetuity and reflect a larger lifestyle,” says Keri Glassman, RD, founder of Nutritious Life. “You can revisit goals, but you can’t revisit resolutions if you make them once a year.” So, switch up your goals seasonally or every month or two to keep yourself engaged and focused on something in particular: a recipe book that’s exciting you, a race that’s coming up, and so on. RELATED: The Nutritious Life Guide to Cleansing eBook It can help to attach those goals to a certain event or time period. “Maybe you have a vacation planned in the spring or a wedding in the summer,” Hanisch says. “These can be great motivators to feel your best and can help you stay inspired for the few weeks or months ahead.” Goals can be small and realistic rather than life-altering. Resolutions tend to be aspirational and not all that specific in nature. “If you’re trying to cut out all sugar or go from never exercising to working out five to six days a week, you’re setting yourself up for failure before you even begin,” Hanisch says. To be fair, it’s easy to be overly ambitious when you’re jotting down your list of resolutions in your shiny new health and fitness planner, but think about the realities of achieving them. “Most of us take on too much too fast, or don’t give ourselves the proper amount of time to reach our goals,” Hanisch says. Try making a daily health choice or goal for yourself each day, instead of packing all your resolutions into January, Hanisch suggests. At the end of each day, reflect on what you’ve accomplished toward your larger health goals. It could be as tiny as drinking more water or getting the suggested seven to eight hours of sleep a night. The more days you commit to small healthy habits along the way, the closer you are to a healthier lifestyle. “Making a lifestyle change with both large and small goals is much smarter than making year-long resolutions,” Hanisch says. “A lifestyle change allows time to reap the benefits but having small manageable goals along the way give you immediate satisfaction.” Goals are more measurable.  Setting New Year’s resolutions allow for the word “should” to creep in (“I really should be working out more”). “This implies that whatever you’re planning is a possibility, and it can invite you to place shame on yourself,” Hanisch says. Goals should be measurable and specific and should start with “I will,” she adds, to make them more definitive. Think: “I will do a yoga flow every evening.” When you don’t hit your “I wills” for the day, remember that it’s all about the process—it takes time to make healthy lifestyle changes, and you shouldn’t beat yourself up over slip-ups. “Keep in mind that reaching any goal will require commitment, time management (when will you work out or cook?), and the right mindset in order to avoid temptations and obstacles,” Hanisch says. But with each small step, you’ll be on your way to making positive changes that stick, no matter what you decide to call them. Sign up for our newsletter for more tips and tricks to help you stay on track all year! (Photo: Shutterstock)