Health Tips for Teachers

As a teacher, you are exposed to numerous stresses that can be sporadic in nature. These stresses can accumulate and take a toll on your health. Here are some excellent tips to decrease stress and to improve health to keep you well all year long!

Take time to meditate. Meditation is an excellent form of stress relief and a moment to connect with oneself. Meditations can be guided or self-guided and can be in silence or with peaceful music. It is best to meditate for 15 minutes, allowing the body time to focus inwardly each day. With all the stresses of life, you owe yourself 15 minutes.

Become a "Smooth" Operator. For a fast, fun, easy, and delicious way to include more important and needed nutrients into the diet, try "Green Smoothies". They are literal super foods - building immunity, boosting energy, and improving health. They are tasty and can be easily made in a quality blender and then brought to class in a Nalgene container or other type of water bottle.

Avoid processed / modified foods. Processed and modified foods are prevalent in today's society - especially at the school cafeteria and the hallway vending machines. Processed foods are laced with unneeded chemicals that serve as artificial coloring, preservatives, and flavor enhancers. Remember that modified and processed foods are designed with the food manufacturer in mind - increased shelf-life, enhanced flavor for more sales, and enhanced colors for more sales. The best foods for the body grew right out of the ground. Snack on carrots, celery, apples, oranges, bananas... or green smoothies.

Avoid soft drinks. Soft drinks are terrible for the body and for overall health. One 12 oz. can of soda supplies 7 teaspoons of sugar - a diet soda supplies excessive amounts of toxins from the artificial sweeteners. In addition to the toxic load of aspartame, splenda, or high doses of sugar, soft drinks contain phosphoric acid and carbonic acid which leach the body of calcium. Calcium is needed in the bones for hardness, in cells as a co-factor in biochemical reactions, and for activation of immunity. According to the Department of Agriculture, the average American consumes 424 pounds of carbonated beverages each year! Ridding the body from the consumption of soft drinks is almost just as beneficial as taking out a new health insurance policy.

Utilize homeopathy. Homeopathics are a powerful and natural method to keeping up one's immunity. There are a plethora of homeopathics to choose from at a very affordable price. Homeopathics can assist with decreasing allergies, treating bee stings, defend against the common cold and flu, decrease headaches, and much more! All the health benefits with no side effects is worth its weight in gold.

Exercise regularly. When it comes to "crunch time" in grading papers and exams, it is sometimes easy to put off the exercise for later when more time is available. Yet, exercise is excellent at decreasing stress; the physical outlet allows the body to not only utilize excess calories, burn fat, and build muscle, but it actually soothes the mind and allows for improved focus. Be sure to not make exercise a chore - make it a fun lifestyle habit.

Get adequate sunlight. The sun is our friend - just in the proper dosage and distance. Nothing on earth would exist without the sun. Even those of us that live and work indoors need direct sunlight exposure. Time and weather permitting, take a break and walk around the school - enjoy nature and the healing light of the sun on your skin and eyes. For your information, all that is needed to fulfill an individual's vitamin D requirements for the day is sunlight exposure to the back of both hands for 15 minutes.

Drink adequate water. Water is the liquid and elixir of life. The human body is 75-80% water. Most biochemical reactions within the body need water in order to function. Most individuals are dehydrated from not consuming enough water. Drink pure water - no substitutes. Coffee has water but is a diuretic. Juice has water but is filled with simple sugars. Soft drinks actually dehydrate. Drink water in its pure form and a minimum of 64 oz. (1/2 gallon) per day minimum. An easy way to get adequate amounts of water is to keep a water bottle right at your desk. As a rule, when you feel thirsty, you are already dehydrated.

Get adequate rest. Most individuals require 6-8 hours of sleep each night. Proper sleep ensures that you will have a functioning cerebrum the following day. Set a schedule and be sure to acquire all of the sleep that is necessary for you to not just function, but to thrive! Prepare for bed long before bedtime. The body picks up on environmental cues to perform properly - dim the lights in the house or use lamps as the sun sets; this will prepare the body for falling asleep at the appropriate time.

Utilize computer ergonomics. In modern times with the prevalence of computers, it is vital to know how to properly use a computer in order to stay pain-free. First, type on a keyboard like a piano player plays the piano - wrists should be up with the fingers lightly pressing on the keys. Second, sit with the monitor straight ahead and tilted to a comfortable height to ensure proper neck and back posture. Third, allow the eyes to relax and glance away from the monitor from time to time.