Use these simple tips to keep you healthy even with a hectic schedule.

By Natasha Turner, ND

If you’re like me, your day starts early, with a workout, breakfast and prep for the day well behind me by the time I’m at my desk by 9 am. Many meetings, calls, emails and presentations later, I arrive home at 7:30 or 8 pm, eat dinner and read the latest research papers before going to sleep. Now in my 30s, I am at a point in my life where I live to work rather than work to live, but I am not alone. Often, this hectic lifestyle cannot be avoided if you are focused on success. The sad irony is that as a specialist in natural health care, I sometimes feel I don’t have time to practice what I preach. Here are just a few of the ways I keep healthy while coping with a busy schedule.

1. Keep yourself organized. For example, schedule your workouts for the week as you would a meeting. Schedule some time for relaxation too; then you can completely relax and enjoy it without worrying that you should be doing something else. If you need help unwinding, try Truestar Mind Travel Meditation.

2. Keep healthy snacks at your desk and in your car. Great quick and easy snacks are walnuts, pecans, apples, pears, plain yogurt with protein powder or protein bars without aspartame that have a hormonal balance of 40:30:30 or 40:40:20. Choose bars that taste great and are not too high in calories. Aim to never go longer than three hours without eating. Eating regularly will avoid blood sugar highs and lows that can affect your ability to concentrate. Missing meals is stressful on your body, causing an increase in stress hormones which can actually cause weight gain rather than loss because of the decrease in metabolism associated with caloric restriction. Weight gain from stress is particularly problematic as well since it tends to result in weight gain around the abdomen which is a risk factor for heart disease. Refer to the Truestar Nutrition Plans for healthy on-the-go meals and snacks. 

3. Always take your vitamins. Try taking them with breakfast and before bed if that is the only time you are home. Try keeping the bottles in the bathroom if the kitchen is not working for you. Try storing them in a storage container on the counter that is easily accessible and looks better than crowds of loose bottles. Snack-sized plastic bags are great for carrying supplements to have at lunch or in the afternoon. Finally, consider taking your vitamins to the office. Getting them in five days per week is better than not at all. The Truestar Vitamins and Supplements Plans can help you determine which vitamins can optimize your health.

4. If your energy drops or you “crash” in the afternoon, keep a box of green tea at your desk. Try flavored green teas if you don’t like the taste of green tea. I also keep a bottle of liquid vitamin B at my desk for the days I feel a bit sluggish. A powdered green food like Greens+ is also fantastic for an energy boost. Try it in a bit of orange juice if you are not keen on the taste.

5. Get a 1.5 or 2 liter water bottle to keep on your desk or in the car and aim to drink it by the end of the day. A larger bottle means fewer trips to the water cooler for refills. Add drops of chlorophyll to your water—it is cleansing, detoxifying and has a nice, minty taste.

6. Go outside. Even if it’s only for 10 minutes, stepping outside changes your stimulus and perspective and lets you get some fresh air. Taking regular breaks may actually help you work more productively. 

7. Don’t drink coffee after 1 pm and never toward the end of the day. Your commute to and from work should be your down time. Work is over and having more coffee will make you more anxious. 

8. At night before you go to sleep, get your stuff together for the next day and put it by the door. It only takes a few minutes, but it will make your morning less rushed. 

9. Make avoiding sugar a habit. It’s a great way to keep your weight down, your energy levels high and your immune system functioning properly. If you need yet another reason to help you stay clear of it, sugar may contribute to wrinkles! This means no more candies, pop, muffins, pastries, cookies and cakes. If you have an undeniable craving, have a bit of dark pure chocolate or a chewable vitamin C tablet. Having protein with your snacks and meals will also help decrease your cravings.