If anyone deserves to look and feel fantastic, it’s you. So, to help you naturally feel great from within, I’m going to share with you my top 5 natural health tips. Allow them to become habits in your life, as they are in mine.

These tips are easy-to-use making them perfect for you if you want to feel better and experience visible results fast, without unnecessary fuss. They helped me heal my body and lose over 60 pounds.

Tip #1:  Drink one glass of water immediately upon waking

The first thing to be done in the morning is to drink a glass of fresh water. Water is an easy way to hydrate and refresh your body.

Drinking water cleans and detoxifies you from the inside out making you look fabulous and healthy!  I notice that the more water I drink, the better I feel and the more my skin glows in appreciation.

Another benefit of drinking fresh water early in the morning is that you may feel experience feeling emotionally calmer and stronger throughout your day. Drinking water is a great way to soothe your mind and cleanse your body.

Tip #2:  Do a few minutes of early morning movement

Upon waking (and after drinking your water), use the morning, as an ideal time to begin gently moving and stretching your body.

What type of movement you choose to do is entirely up to you. Make it fun and enjoyable. This could be a few minutes of gentle yoga in bed (my personal favorite), skipping or slow stretching in your bedroom. If you prefer a more active movement to kick start your day experiment with skipping, walking or even jumping on a rebounder (mini-trampoline).

Here are 3 quick and easy stretches I do every day…

• Lie on your back and pull your knees to your chest, one at a time and hold for 30 seconds – a minute, then change legs. And then both legs to your chest together and hold for 1 minute.
• Roll on your left side and try a full body twist by bending your right leg and placing it over your straight left leg. Gently look to the ceiling or over to the right. Breathe deeply and swap sides.
• Sit up gently, on the edge of the bed, with your feet flat on the floor and drop your head between your legs and hands on the ground. Stretch through the lower back for a minute and stretching your spine straight and hands all the way up, eyes looking at the ceiling. Repeat as many times as you desire.

Tip #3:  Green up your plate

Eating an abundance of green foods is a great way to naturally feel good from within. One way to ensure you get enough greens is to drink a green smoothie for breakfast.

Introducing green smoothies into your life is a game-changer to your waistline and your energy levels. By making this one move. You start your day on the right foot with a nutrient packed, energy-rich, kick-start!

As well as being healthy, green smoothies are easy to make. Simply blend together water, and your choice of fruit and vegetables. Generally, the more fruit, the sweeter the smoothie. The more green vegetables, the more alkalizing your smoothie will be.

Personally, I like to blend together a generous handful or two of freshly washed organic baby spinach with two cups of water, a banana and a pear or kiwifruit. Super foods, such as berries, fresh herbs (mint, basil) or chia seeds make great additions to your smoothies.

Tip # 4:  Get your weekly food organized ahead

Organizing your weekly food requirements in advance is the key here. By ensuring that you have plenty of real food and snacks on hand when those busy, stressful days hit, you will be prepared!

When I was first beginning to make big changes in my diet and lifestyle, I noticed that when I organized myself in advance to have a healthy week, I found it much easier to have one.

Prepare food the night before, especially if you find yourself running short of time in the morning. Take the time to lovingly prepare your food; you will be more inclined to want to eat it!

If I have a busy morning, before I go to bed, I like to make a big bowl of Bircher muesli, (it can even be made vegan or gluten-free). Leave it in the fridge overnight. This will make 2 or 3 breakfasts. It will have you feeling much more fabulous at 3pm in the afternoon, than a Starbucks coffee and chocolate muffin picked up on your way to work.

Have plenty of fresh fruit, soaked nuts, energy foods available as snack foods. Put them in an easy to access place at work, home and in your car. Pack yourself some morning and afternoon snacks, for your day. Some ideas for healthy snacks include home-made flapjacks, raw chocolate, carrot or celery sticks, sliced avocado, hummus, pesto, chopped tomato, boiled egg, left over fish, vegetables, salad, rice cakes, Nairn oat cakes, Ryvita biscuits, or miso soup.

Organizing your food in advance is a healthy habit that is well worth cultivating. You will eat more real food and less fake food. This will help you feel healthier and happier!

Tip #5: Say yes to you

Take the time to make space in your life for you to say yes to your hearts desire. Listen to your own needs. Notice what would you love to do? Do you need time out?  Would you like to start a creative project?  Would you like to go on a course? Do you need a holiday? How about a yoga holiday in Italy?

When you make time for yourself, you are in effect re-energizing yourself. You are giving yourself the gift of relaxation and healing. This is the perfect antidote to stress.

This ‘you-time’ is precious time; consider it sacred. Know that as you nurture and nourish yourself you are giving yourself back your life force energy. In the long run, this will enable you to be able to give much more freely to those that you really care about.

Use these ideas to enjoy looking and feeling great from within. You deserve to feel strong, confident and more joyful than ever before. Do leave me a comment below sharing which of these 5 tips you will be using to help you feel fabulous so that you can live the life you truly deserve.

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Edited by Hayley Samuelson