Say Hello to a Healthier You in 2017

It’s a new year, so why shouldn’t you pick up a few new and healthier habits? Jump into 2017 with a new perspective and make this year your healthiest yet! We believe that health is completely interconnected – from your skin to your body to your mind.

To create healthier habits and welcome a healthier you in 2017, we suggest addressing every aspect of your being including your skin, body, physical and emotional wellness, and nutrition. Read on to find out how you can say hello to a healthier you this year.

Skin & Body Care

Taking care of your skin and body is so important. Just as we pay attention to what foods we put into our body, it's a good idea to be mindful of what we use on our bodies and skin as well.

At Source Vitál Apothecary, we want you to live a healthier life, and we’re committed to helping you achieve it. Here are a few ways to care for your skin and body in 2017 and beyond.

Create a personalized skin care regimen

One of the best things you can do to create a healthier you in 2017 is to create a skin care regimen. There’s no one size fits all because everyone’s skin is different, and reacts differently to weather and climate changes. Lucky for you, we’ve put together this handy skin care primer so you can start customizing your regimen and developing a daily routine that you can stick to.

Exfoliate

Add exfoliation into your body care routine, especially if you have dry skin. We recommend exfoliating once or twice per week to remove dead skin so you can properly moisturize and hydrate your skin.

• Dry Brush: Before bathing, gently exfoliate dry skin with our Bath & Body Brush using short quick strokes. Start at the feet and brush upwards toward the heart. Then exfoliate the arms, chest and abdomen area using the same process, always brushing toward the heart.
• Silt Body Scrub: Use this natural body scrub to hydrate and exfoliate your skin at least once a week. For best results, use this product while showering.

Moisturize

Moisturizing is a vital part of your facial skin care routine, but don’t forget about your body! It’s sometimes easy to focus more on your face, but your body is covered with skin, too.

From light moisture to super-hydration, we have a moisturizer for every skin type and age. After all, hydrated skin is healthy, youthful-looking skin! Find a moisturizer that works best for your skin type, then keep it right next to your bath or shower so you remember to lather it on when you come out.

Expert Tip: If you have extra dry skin, moisturize when your body is still slightly damp from bathing!

Switch to natural

Deodorants and antiperspirants that you find on the shelf at the drugstore contain chemicals and aluminum. Go natural this year with our top selling Deozein Natural Deodorant Sprays. Our odor fighting deodorants help protect skin from the causes of body odor, instead of just covering it up. Try our original formula or mix it up with the Deozein Zest.

Physical & Emotional Wellness

We’re not shocking anyone when we say that physical exercise is good for you. The tough part is getting started. Here at Source Vitál Apothecary, we’re big advocates of yoga. Why? The practice of yoga is more than just wearing cute leggings and doing downward facing dog. Yoga is a complete practice that provides benefits to the body and mind.

Under the ashtanga methodology, yoga is broken down into eight limbs or sections, but for the purpose of living your healthiest 2017, we’ll just focus on three of the eight limbs: Asana (physical poses), Pranayama (breath) and Dhyana (meditation).

Asana (physical poses)

Hit your mat and get active. The physical poses of yoga are the perfect way to jumpstart your fitness. Yoga increases mobility, flexibility and strength while preventing injury! If you can’t make it to a class, here are a few poses to add to your daily routine for 2017.

• Downward Facing Dog: Stretch out your legs and shoulders while building core and arm strength in this foundational pose.
• Low Lunge: Stretch your hammies and glutes with this simple posture.
• Chair Pose: Strengthen your legs and spine in chair pose. Hold for at least five full breaths for the full benefit.
• Child’s Pose: Use this resting pose to begin your practice or to take a rest whenever you need it. In addition to calming the breath, child’s pose also stretches the hips, thighs and ankles.
• Bound Angle Pose: Gently stretch your inner thighs and hips with this restorative pose. Bound Angle Pose also works well for a reclined meditation.

Pranayama (breath)

Pranayama is the yogic practice of breath. Sure we breathe everyday, but when you bring awareness to your breath and use it as a tool to help you, it’s even more powerful!

Aromatherapy can also assist in helping you breathe deeper and fuller, especially in the winter when colds and flus are abundant. We recommend practicing pranayama while diffusing our Respiratory Essential Oil Blend, featuring eucalyptus, peppermint, basil and lavender with tree oils.

Dhyana (meditation)

This year, commit to creating a regular meditation practice. Meditation helps clear the mind and allows you to focus and be more mindful as you move through your day. It can be as basic as sitting still for five minutes a day with your eyes closed. If you’re having trouble getting started, try an app like Headspace for a guided meditation.

Meditating on your chakras (seven energy centers within your body) can aid in restoring balance as well. Explore our chakra oils by clicking here.

Nutrition

2017 wouldn’t be your healthiest year yet if you didn’t make any tweaks to your diet. Nutrition impacts so many things in your life from your skin to your performance during workouts. Try these tips on as you embark on a healthier year.

Hydrate

Drinking more water is one of the best adjustments you can make to your nutrition. Swigging more H20 can improve your skin, athletic performance, and even help you lose some weight. Sometimes when you think you’re hungry, you’re actually thirsty! We recommend bringing a reusable water bottle with you when you’re on the go so you never have an excuse not to drink.

Swap coffee for tea

Similar to our tip above, drinking coffee is one of the easiest ways to dehydrate you. If you find yourself getting headaches when you don’t have your daily cup of joe, it might be time to cut back. Try swapping coffee for tea in the mornings instead. Bonus points if you drink green tea--the antioxidant properties can bring a more youthful glow to your skin.

Skip fried foods

This one shouldn’t come as a surprise, fried foods (especially fast foods) aren’t good for you! Foods that are fried have way more calories than unfried foods, which can mean possible weight gain and a risk of high cholesterol. Do yourself a favor and avoid the drive through completely. Find healthier substitutes that still curb your cravings. For example, if french fries are your thing, opt to bake slices of sweet potatoes instead!

Eat more citrus

Eating healthier isn’t always about elimination, you also get to add in yummy treats like more citrus fruits! Oranges, grapefruits and lemons are chock full of antioxidants and vitamins like Vitamin C. Squeeze lemon juice into a glass of water or eat oranges or grapefruit as part of your breakfast meal!

Skip the booze

It’s all about moderation on this one. A glass of wine with dinner won’t do you much harm, but binge drinking can impact your health in a big way. Heavy drinking takes a toll on your liver, not to mention the hangover that comes afterwards.

What does 2017 look like for you? If healthier is your goal, take these tips to heart! And, if you have any other tips to share, we’d love to hear them. Leave us a comment below or find us on social media.