Win the Day: Daily Health Tips

This simple phrase proved to be my mantra for change. My life wasn’t necessarily out of control, but I definitely needed to put up some new guardrails. I was eating too much, drinking too many adult beverages, and not working out. Compounded with other stressors—demanding job, poor sleep habits, the world at-large—I wasn’t feeling my best.  

I knew I had things to work out in my life, and I couldn’t fix everything at once—hence the Roman mindset. So, I focused on detoxing both my mind and body. I figured if I could help my liver out, it might spur some other healthier choices.

The Challenge to Change

More than likely, the only person holding you back from reaching your goals is you. We’re so quick to beat ourselves up by being super judgey. Log on to social media, and you’re instantly bombarded with what you’re supposed to be—Facebook and Instagram set expectations nobody can reach.

We know where we want to go, the challenge is getting there. Remember how hard it was to ask so-and-so out in high school? Extrapolate that anxiety to other stages of life. How to be healthier? How to succeed at work? Ways to be a better parent, friend, spouse? The pressure to grow can take a toll on your physical, mental, and spiritual health. 

But transformation isn’t impossible. I’m a big proponent of small changes for big results. You’re not going to look like a 20-year-old version of yourself overnight, but you may feel a little better about yourself by making slight, consistent changes. It can be something as simple as drinking the right amount of water each day, spending 10 more minutes on the treadmill, or taking time to do a proper cooldown after a workout.

Charting a New Path

As a professional writer, I’m assigned stories and given time to research, write, and submit. I’ve learned the hard way that blown deadlines means no future assignments or, even worse, no pay. That’s a lot of pressure.

My breaking point came the day I got tired of being tired. I took a moment to try and figure out why I was the way I was. After much self-reflection, I was determined to change and decided taking a different approach wouldn’t be nearly as bad as I thought. 

Journaling came to my rescue. I write down what I eat—the good and the bad (gotta stay accountable). I track steps with my smartwatch and scribble a simple graph in my journal. Finally, I write my mood throughout the day. If something irritates me, I make a note and try to figure out why it got under my skin and how to be better tomorrow.

The second step was getting my heart rate up. Something as simple as a walk around the block can really clear your head. Because I was getting tired of looking at the same houses in the neighborhood slowly, I started to jog and jogging eventually led to running. In the moment, it sucks having your lungs burn and your legs feeling like jelly…but it feels so good when you’re done.

Eventually, I’ve come to celebrate my small victories. Things don’t seem so hard anymore. And to encourage myself to keep going, I brew a cup of Detox Tea Mix to enjoy as I write about my day.

Enjoy the Aroma

I’m a morning coffee drinker, but I really welcome my cup of detox tea at night. And don’t let the name throw you—while it’s called “detox,” it has a soothing peppermint taste. Simply taking time to boil water and let the tea mix dissolve is part of my nightly routine.

The real benefit of detox tea is it helps with my gut. While I’m trying to eat better, my tum-tum can still turn on me in a New York minute. Drinking tea daily helps to relieve bloating and gas and calm occasional digestive discomfort.*

Caring for my gut is also important for digestion. Thanks to local farmer’s markets, I’m eating more whole foods, and sipping my tea each night does the trick to help balance my microbiome to support absorption of the nutrients my body needs.* 

For me, happiness comes from being kinder to myself, monitoring my health, and taking an active interest in living a healthier lifestyle. Keeping in mind Rome was built one brick, one building, one street at a time has changed my perspective. I’ve learned to accept and reward myself for small wins. Now’s the time to discover your mantra to anchor your day and change your life.

Ben Raskin is a writer and football enthusiast. He recently visited South Dakota. Follow him on Instagram @USANABen.

*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.