How healthy are you … really?

You may be an ideal weight.

Your last check-up may have resulted in a clean bill of health.

You take daily vitamins, move your body, and get decent sleep .. but are you SURE you are giving your body what it needs to function at 100-percent?

How about your gut? Is it in perfect balance? And your mental health… how is it holding up these days?

The truth is, most of us know that we aren’t doing everything we should do to take care of ourselves. We rationalize and reassure with wishful thinking rather than actual truth.

Now more than ever, it is essential to take a step back and take a long (very honest) look at how healthy you REALLY are and seek ways to be healthier.

There isn’t a better time to self-reflect on this… than WORLD HEALTH DAY!

Every year the World Health Organization (WHO) deems April 7th as World Health Day.
A global health awareness day focused on promoting healthy living habits that promote human health and well-being.

When it comes to health … your number one goal should be taking steps to be PROactive instead of REactive.

Hand washing, coughing into your elbow, limiting potential exposure to germs, and other common-sense practices are indeed important… but there are other things you must do to ensure you are healthy and provide support to help keep your immune system strong!

Our team here at V Shred and Sculpt Nation brainstormed to expand on the “health tips” you are hearing day in and day out.

We hope that the additional information we are providing within each of these tips will help you out during a time where proactive health measures are more important than ever!

5 PROACTIVE WAYS TO STAY HEALTHY

(1) Get Enough Quality Sleep

We know sleep is important, yet it’s often the first thing we sacrifice to fit everything into our hectic schedules.

Sleep is essential if you want your brain and body to work at full capacity. Not getting enough shut-eye trickles down into every other part of your life.

In terms of immune health, studies show sleep deprivation can impact your immune system, leaving your defenses down and slowing recovery from workouts..

Being exhausted can also affect your ability to lose weight, especially stubborn fat. This is primarily because not getting enough shut-eye has a significant impact on your hormones.

Your stress hormone cortisol goes into overdrive when you don’t get enough sleep. Excess production of cortisol can lead to some unpleasant effects, including weight gain, inefficient immune system function, and digestive issues.

Your “hunger hormones” (leptin and ghrelin) are also thrown off. Leptin decreases hunger and ghrelin stimulates your appetite. If you aren’t getting enough sleep, ghrelin spikes, and leptin plummets. This leaves you hungry (even if you aren’t) and more prone to make unhealthy choices.

You want to INCREASE your leptin levels. The way to do that is… deep sleep.

Sleep quality matters just as much as how long you are sleeping!
Restless sleep is not fat-burning & immune-supporting sleep!!

Your best defense is a supplement that will not only help you fall asleep but get you into that restful deep sleep your body needs to balance these hormones.

Sculpt Nation BURN PM does just that!

It gets you into your REM cycle (fat-burning state) quicker and then keeps you there longer. The perfect way to battle occasional sleeplessness. This will support an increase in your leptin levels, lower your cortisol, and put you into a virtually 24/7 fat-burning state.

BURN PM contains 6 hand-selected super powered nighttime fat burners that attack fat from every angle… supporting an increase in how much your body burns while you do nothing .. but sleep!

Many of our routines are thrown off right now. This makes sticking to our usual sleep schedule difficult. It is important that you keep a regular bedtime and wake time to stabilize your sleep.

Our bodies crave consistency… BURN PM will help you wind down so that you can get to bed at your usual time.

Everyone’s sleep requirements are different. The general suggestion is to get between 7-9 hours of sleep every night.

(2) Exercise Regularly

Something else that will help you sleep better and feel better .. is exercise!

For decades, researchers have investigated how exercise affects the immune system.
Most agree that a little bit of activity every day will help maintain a healthy immune system.

You don’t need to live in the gym 24/7 to reap the endless health benefits of exercise.
Simply going for a daily walk or jog can be a great first step.

However, to see the most health benefits, it’s important to get in 30 minutes of some sort of physical activity every day. A few days a week, incorporate longer exercise sessions that incorporate strength training.

These strength training sessions do not need to be at a gym.

Training at home is the only option for many people. And right now, home workouts are something we are all having to adapt to.

It only takes a few small purchases, or even just a little creativity using items lying around your house, and you can build your own home gym!

It can be overwhelming trying to figure out how to make the most of your home workouts, especially if you are used to having access to fancy gym equipment.

We’ve got you covered!

Over on our YouTube channel, we have a FREE At Home Playlist. It includes over 60 WORKOUTS that you can do from home! You do not even need equipment for these sweat sessions!

This HOME WORKOUT PLAYLIST is in addition to the thousands of workout tips, videos, and full follow-along workouts we already have on the channel. Again .. ALL FOR FREE!

For those of you looking for something more specific, that includes a diet and at-home training plan catered to your specific fitness goals, can take our free quiz and we’ll match you with the best at-home training and diet plan for you. Find your perfect plan here by clicking here.

(3) Follow A Sustainable Nutrient-Rich Diet

Most people see the word diet and picture a plate full of nothing but bland lean protein and green vegetables and believe that is what it takes to be healthy.

You do not need to starve yourself, and you do not need to restrict food groups. Doing these things is the opposite of “healthy” and will almost always backfire!

In terms of fat loss, in most cases, you will need to eat in a caloric deficit to lose body fat.
If you aren’t sure where to start, try using our free macro calculator tool that will tell you exactly how many proteins, carbs and calories you should consume a day to reach your fitness goals. Use our free macro calculator tool here.

Just know that reaching your goals does not mean you need to fall victim to a fad diet. These types of eating plans are usually the opposite of healthy.

You can still eat foods you enjoy as long as you prioritize nutrient-rich foods that are not overly processed. Focus on eating a variety of fruits and vegetables, lean proteins, whole grains, and healthy fats.

The biggest hole we see in most people’s attempts to “eat healthy” is lack of diversity.

Even if you manage to consume enough quality fruits and vegetables, you probably stick to the same 3 or 4 that you enjoy the most.

Sculpt Nation Greens provides a diverse profile of veggies and nutrients all at once. In addition to those micronutrients your body needs, our GREENS are packed with collagen, alkalizing greens, adaptogenic herbs, and antioxidants

One scoop a day will provide the nutrients that are needed to prime your body and brain to burn fat, build muscle, increase performance, and support immune health!

If you are trying to keep your immune system strong and create a healthy body from the inside out, start incorporating Sculpt Nation GREENS into your diet!

(4) Focus On Mental Health

The World Health Organization defines health as… “a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being.”

Take a moment today to ask yourself how you are feeling MENTALLY!

A healthy body is not going to do you much good if you do not have control of your mental health.

In fact, it may be impossible.

Mental health and physical health are very connected. If you aren’t in a good headspace, you will be less likely to start (and then stick) with healthy behaviors.

On the flip side, when you aren’t physically healthy or have negative body-image issues… this can have a serious impact on your mental health.

Don’t wait until you are in “crisis mode” to make mental health a priority. Start forming healthy mental habits today that will help you cope better with stress that pops up in the future.

Here are a few things that may help you out….

• Talk To Someone
  Seeking help is a sign of strength, not weakness. Whether it is a professional or a trusted friend, do not keep your emotions locked up inside.
• Be Positive
  Negative thoughts will quickly put you in a bitter mood. Researchers found that long term pessimists had an almost 20 percent higher risk of dying than those who were optimistic! No matter how bleak things appear, there is ALWAYS a silver lining. Seek the positive and try your best to focus on that!
• Find Things To Be Grateful For
  It’s no surprise that researchers found that people who focused on gratitude (even as little as once a week) were happier and had fewer physical complaints! One study even found that expressing gratitude may have LONG lasting effects on the brain. Speak things you are grateful for, write a gratitude letter, or keep a gratitude journal!
• Help Others
  We are hardwired to love! Doing something kind for someone else will leave you with “feel good” emotions that will positively impact your own self-esteem!
• Improve Your Life Outlook
  Try meditating, mindfulness, positive affirmations, and/or prayer. These practices can provide instant stress relief. Over time, they can help make positive thinking more automatic.

(5) Prioritize Gut Health

If your gut health isn’t optimal, your immune system can’t be either. 70-80% of the cells that make up your immune system reside in your gut wall!

Immune support is only one reason you need to place a high emphasis on gut health.

Did you know your gut is the only organ that has it’s very own nervous system?! It has more neurotransmitters than your brain! A healthy gut is crucial for optimal mental health and brain function.

Your gut also houses a second set of genes (that many call the second genome) that you probably didn’t even realize you have! These are not the same genetics passed down from your parents. You have the ability to change these genes. But like the genes you can’t change, your second genome can impact the way your body looks, feels, and functions.

Inside your gut is over three pounds of bacteria… known as your gut microbiome.
Many things can cause unhealthy bacteria to populate and take over.

• Age
• Stress
• A Poor Diet
• Not Enough Digestive Enzymes
• Environmental Toxins
• + More

Too much harmful gut bacteria and not enough good bacteria can result in serious trouble for your health and waistline!

The good news is that you are in complete control and can change your gut flora!
You simply need to feed it… GOOD bacteria!

The easiest and best way to achieve this is by taking a QUALITY PROBIOTIC.

We didn’t cut any corners when developing our formula for Sculpt Nation Probiotics. We spent years looking at scientific studies on gut health.

We wanted to make sure we included the right strains in the right amounts.
It had to be THE BEST on the market.

The result is a blend that contains 7 different live probiotics, as well as a prebiotic. This is an important combo because probiotics can’t do their job unless they are fed. The prebiotic in our blend is a special kind of fiber that acts as a fertilizer. It feeds the probiotics what they need… to work!

A healthy gut is essential for overall GI health, energy balance, emotional support, optimal brain health, and immune support.

Take one capsule of Sculpt Nation Probiotics a day to get your gut back in balance! The result will be better digestion, promoting a more robust immune system, and support for an easier time losing weight!

Prevention can’t be preached enough!

The most important relationship you will ever be in is the one you have with your own body!
Take a look at the stay healthy checklist above and be brutally honest with yourself about the areas where you know you need to improve.

Vow that you will begin to consistently incorporate these ”5 Stay Healthy Tips” and encourage those around you to do the same!

Having people hold you accountable, offer advice, and give you ideas to stay happy and healthy… is a great way to remain positive and stick with your wellness goals.

We have an amazing community of people that come from all walks of life here at V Shred.
If you aren’t already part of our virtual “family” … join us!

Check out our Instagram, Facebook groups, and our YouTube Channel.
You will find endless support, motivation, and further ideas to help you get fit and healthy!

We are all in this together…
Encouraging each other to be PROACTIVE when it comes to our health is, no doubt, the best approach we can take!

We hope you allow WORLD HEALTH DAY to serve as a reminder of just how vital a PROACTIVE approach to your health is… EVERY DAY!