Many people today hear the term “self-care” and begin to cringe, forming that face one makes after sucking on a lemon. But self-care at its core is absolutely essential. And, contrary to popular belief, it involves many daily habits that are a huge part of healthy living.

Though self-care has become trendy in recent years, this doesn’t mean that it can’t become a part of your life. And if you look closely at your daily habits, you probably already perform some type of self-care routine already.

Health is vital for living life to its fullest. And if you don’t make time to develop or nurture healthy habits, you can end up suffering later in life. As such, developing a self-care routine that includes healthy habits is vital for “living your best life” in today’s world.

If you’re ready to make beneficial changes in your life, the following will explore 3 of the most fundamental self-care routines you can incorporate.

 

Oral Hygiene and Proper Eating

One of the most fundamental self-care routines includes the development of proper oral hygiene habits. But this doesn’t simply include bruising your teeth. In fact, it may all begin with your diet.

Scientific studies have shown the link between a healthy diet and a healthy lifestyle. And when it comes to oral hygiene, your diet is the first step for developing the right habits.

Certain foods promote tooth decay and gum disease. So to begin with, it’s best to avoid the following foods:

• Acidic juices and fruits (in large quantities)
• Coffee
• Tea
• Alcohol
• Popcorn
• Foods high in starch
• Candy
• Sticky foods
• Soda
• Energy drinks

The main problem with maintaining oral hygiene is that once tooth decay and gum disease develop, they’re very hard to correct. And you may have to opt for dental surgery if your problems become too severe.

You should also note that if you have advanced gum disease or tooth decay and you want to maintain a smile, there are options to consider such as realistic veneers to cover your teeth until you can have implants put in, or other dental work completed.

 

Relaxation Techniques

In today’s high-energy, fast-paced world, anxiety is at an all-time high. And many of us rarely take time to relax and decompress when we should. But life isn’t all about work. You have to take a breather to relax and enjoy life from time to time as well.

The good news is that relaxing doesn’t take an act of congress. In fact, there is a multitude of ways to relax at the end of the day, or whenever you can make the time. And a few of these methods are as follows:

• Taking a hot bath
• Meditation
• Yoga
• Tai Chi
• Get a Massage
• Listen to your favorite music
• Go fishing
• Take a drive

 

Our ability to unwind and relax into our lives is a huge part of self-care. And even amid all the busyness of life, you can still make the time, even if it’s 15 minutes, to try and relax. In fact, just 15 minutes of relaxation techniques each day can work wonders for the body and for the mind.

 

Spiritual Self-Care

Just like relaxation, oral hygiene, and physical activity are integral for developing a self-care routine, so is taking care of yourself at the spiritual level. This is what Eastern philosophies refer to as svadhyaya. And even if you’re a life-long atheist, you don’t need to believe in God to reap the benefits of spiritual practices.

Additionally, spiritual self-care doesn’t have to include anything “spiritual” at all. In fact, many modern meditation rituals stand independent from religious practices entirely.

For example, perhaps you have a lot of swirling thoughts about existence, or life in general. In this scenario, one of the best methods for exploring, categorizing, or releasing these thoughts is through journaling, or through meditative breathing exercises that promote clearing the mind.

Further, visualization exercises have been known to help ease anxiety and to promote peace of mind. And these exercises can be especially helpful when dealing with difficult situations when faced with life-changing events that can cause stress to arise, or for making future plans and setting goals that you want to achieve.

 

Overall, self-care is integral to a healthy lifestyle. And you don’t have to be some sensitive “new age” person to introduce self-care practices into your life. In fact, even altering your routine incrementally each day to include self-care routines can foster greater balance in your life. And by practicing the tips listed here, you’ll have a starting point for a sound self-care journey.

 

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