We’ve all seen the commercials for new health products touting massive weight loss results or beautiful, smooth skin. You know as much as I do that those products are not reliable and generally a scam. Let’s be real, anything that promises more than 1-2 pounds of weight loss a week is not healthy OR realistic. But, what if I told you there are ways you can support your body’s natural functioning? That’s why I’m writing this article on five health hacks for 2022.
If you’re done being duped by conventional medicine and outrageous marketing, read on!
Start With Mindset
Before I share my five health hacks for 2022, I want to spend a little time on mindset. Friend, don’t burden yourself by trying to do it all this year. It’s so easy to fall into toxic mindsets about productivity. Maybe you’re a mamma trying to take care of kiddos, or maybe you’re juggling work and a new relationship. You’re looking after everyone else’s needs and trying to do it ALL.
Whatever situation of life you’re in, make sure you are prioritizing your own health as well! If you ignore your symptoms and push your body to exhaustion, your body will push back. Take time to set the mindset that you will prioritize YOUR health this year, too.
If you’re ready to optimize your health, look and feel great, and support your body naturally then read these five health hacks!
Your mental health is important because it affects how you feel, think and act. If you don’t have the right mindset, you may fall into a trap of toxic mindset, negating your efforts for a healthy lifestyle.
Five Health Hacks for 2022
Health Hack 1: Castor Oil Packs
A castor oil pack is a piece of cloth, usually organic cotton or wool, soaked in castor oil with straps so that it can be applied as a compress to different parts of your body. The application of a castor oil pack is more beneficial than simply rubbing the oil on your body because it allows for a great amount of castor oil to deeply permeate your skin’s tissues.
This soft contact between the pack and your skin creates a neurological shift into the parasympathetic state that releases hormones like oxytocin and dopamine.
Castor oil is special because unlike other oils it has the ability to penetrate through the upper layer of skin to the dermis where blood vessels and lymph connections live. The pack ensures castor oil has the chance to be absorbed through all four layers of the epidermis.
Castor oil packs are amazing for digestion and liver detox. They can help support bowel movements and help to normalize liver enzymes.
Check out my full article on The Benefits of Castor Oil Packs here!
Health Hack 2: Red Light Therapy
Red light therapy is when low-power red light wavelengths are emitted directly through the skin. While that sounds like it might be painful, you don’t actually feel anything because the process doesn’t produce heat!
Red light is absorbed into the skin to a depth of about 8 to 10 millimeters. It has positive effects on cellular energy and multiple nervous system and metabolic processes. You’ve probably heard of it being paired with a sauna, which is a common application of red light therapy.
If you’re feeling any type of discomfort from pain, swelling, wounds, or a high toxic load, red light therapy could be a great health hack for you.
Here are a few of the many benefits of red light therapy:
- Increases energy levels
- Activates the lymphatic system helping you detox
- Increases blood flow and circulation
- Improves the natural production of collagen
- Repairs damaged soft connective tissue
- Lowers inflammation or swelling
- Supports your gut microbiome!
Health Hack 3: Food as Medicine
This health hack is a trend that I’ve seen in the last year and, in my opinion, it’s about time we realized how important food is to our health!
With the push to improve our natural immunity over the course of the pandemic, people turned to vitamin-C-rich foods. That trend and a greater awareness of the importance of our gut health has led to food being viewed as medicine.
Eating a healthy diet is central to supporting overall physical and mental well-being. While no single food can magically fend off illness, regular consumption of nutrient-dense foods can help shore up your body’s natural immune defenses.
Here are some of the best natural immune-boosting foods:
- Omega-3 fatty acids – salmon, tuna, mackerel, nuts, and flaxseed oil
- Zinc-rich foods – oysters, shellfish (crab, shrimp, and mussels), lean meats and poultry, legumes (lentils and chickpeas)
- Selenium-rich foods – tuna, halibut, sardines, turkey, chicken, or cottage cheese
- Vitamin C-rich foods – bell peppers, kiwifruit, strawberries, papaya, broccoli, cauliflower, Brussel sprouts, kale, mango, and citrus fruits
- Vitamin E-rich foods – almonds, hazelnuts, and sunflower seeds
Eating a healthy diet is central to supporting overall physical and mental well-being. While no single food can magically fend off illness, regular consumption of nutrient-dense foods can help shore up your body’s natural immune defenses.
Health Hack 4: NAD+
NAD+ is a helper molecule, also known as a coenzyme, that is found in all living cells and plays a critical role in cellular functions that keep you alive. NAD stands for nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide. It is involved in converting the food you eat into cellular energy, repairing DNA, and fortifying your cellular defense system.
Why should you care about this little molecule?
Research shows that boosting NAD+ results in the following:
- Decreases inflammation
- Defends your cells against oxidative stress
- Increases longevity
- Protects brain cells
- Promotes a healthy sleep-wake cycle
- Decreases the risk of heart disease
- Decreases skin aging through maintaining elasticity, structure, and moisture
The good news is that with today’s technology we can boost NAD+ with a supplement, a topical cream, or through an IV infusion. This is one health hack I can definitely get behind!
Health Hack 5: Biofeedback
Biofeedback is a mind-body technique where you learn how to control physical responses such as breathing, muscle tension, heart rate, and blood pressure. These physical responses that are not normally controlled voluntarily become controllable through careful recognition of your biofeedback.
How do you record biofeedback? Through smart technology! Think Fitbit, Garmin, or Apple Watch or femtech products like the Ava fertility bracelet.
Check out this article on biofeedback to learn more about the types of biofeedback, what biofeedback can help with, and how biofeedback can optimize your health!
RELATED: HOW BIOFEEDBACK CAN OPTIMIZE HEALTH
Work With A Holistic Health Coach
If you are interested in implementing any of these five health hacks for 2022 but you want a little more direction feel free to reach out to me! As a Certified Holistic Health Coach I make it my priority to create a specific care plan for each of my clients. We will work together to help you achieve YOUR vision of optimal health!
If you’re interested in learning more or working with a Certified Holistic Health Coach reach out to me via my contact page!
Mandy Patterson
