20 Healthy Habits You Can Develop That Have Nothing To Do With Diet or Exercise!

I have incorporated these 20 habits into my life. None of them have anything to do with diet or exercise, but they have changed my life!

If you hate dieting & exercise, but want to live a healthier lifestyle, you may want to think about adding some of these healthy habits into your life as well. They are very easy and some are even free!

I’ve added links to websites that explain the health benefits of these habits. Knowing why we do something can be helpful and inspire us to keep them up.

So lets get started:

Essential Oils:

I use doTerra essential oils for so many things. I use them for cleaning, diffusing, in my homemade beauty products, on my pets and even in some of my recipes. They are such a part of my life, I don’t know what I would do without them. I use doTerra because they use the strict CPTG Certified Pure Therapeutic Grade quality protocol. If you have any questions and want more information, just shoot me an email to sustainableorganicworld@gmail.com. I plan to blog a lot about essential oils so keep coming back to get the latest info!
Meditation:

Okay, I know what you’re thinking. I can’t do meditation! I’ve tried it, but I just can’t get my mind to shut up or I fall asleep. Believe me I had the same problems when I first got started. The secret is, DON’T GIVE UP! If you stick with it you will eventually be able to do it, no problem. The other important thing is to stop trying so hard to not think about stuff. When you find your mind wandering off, just guide it back to the present moment and concentrate on your breathing. Yes, your mind will keep wandering and you will keep bringing it back, it’s okay, you will have to do it less and less often until one day you will no longer have the problem. For free meditation training visit a LifeSpa tutorial.
Sun Gazing:

Sun gazing is an ancient tradition that goes back thousands of years. By practicing sun gazing you will reap a ton of benefits. Just sitting in the sun for 15 minutes a day helps your body produce vitamin D. Actually gazing at the sun takes some practice and there are specific guidelines you MUST follow. You can find out more about the practice by going to In5D . I’ve been doing it off and on for about a year and even though I’m not an expert at it, I have seen some drastic changes in my life because of it. It’s free for goodness sake!! Just do it and find out how it works for you, then let me know. Why? Because I’m nosy that way.
Gardening:

This is one of my passions in life! I’ve been gardening for many years, I garden mostly to grow my own food. The health benefits from growing your own food and being out in nature are too many to name. Visit Heirloom Organics and choose from their MANY different kinds seed packs! Although, you don’t have to grow your own food to get the same benefits. Being around plants, bushes, trees and digging in the dirt, gives you more energy, produces endorphins, produces oxytocin and by inhaling beneficial bacteria in the soil, releases seratonine. Visit Therapeutic Landscapes Network to find out more.
Dry Brushing:

Dry brushing is an a excellent way to flush out your lymphatic system, loosen dead skin cells, creating softer, smoother skin and stimulate blood circulation. It is also said to help with varicose veins and cellulite. To read more on the importance of a healthy lymphatic system, read Dr. John Douillard’s article The Domino Effect of Neglecting your Lymphatic System. If you would like to purchase a Skin Brush visit TransformYourHealth.com click on Body & Skincare Products, then click on Body Care – Tools & Nutritional Products. The brush will run you about $10-$12 dollars.
Oil Pulling:

I have been oil pulling for over a year. I’m not very religious about it, sometimes I forget, but I still reap the benefits even without being consistent. Oil pulling is also an ancient practice that has been used through the ages for optimum oral health. There is so much information on the practice it would be hard to pick just one for this article. You can visit this LifeSpa page and get just about all the information you need to know about it. The method is very simple: take one tablespoon of organic coconut oil (that’s what I use) or sesame seed oil and swoosh it around in your mouth for as long as you can stand it. If you are a beginner it probably won’t be that long, but you can work up to about 20 minutes. Don’t do it longer than that. Voila!! Your done!! See, nothin’ to it!
Tongue Scrapping:

Dr. Douillard mentions in an article about oil pulling to do it after tongue scraping. If you have never done this, wow, are you missing out on an important oral health practice! I have been tongue scraping for years. All I have is a plastic tongue scraper and it has worked just fine, but apparently the results are so much better with a copper one. I guess it’s time to change mine out anyway, so copper, here I come!! You can read this article to explain The Science of Tongue Scraping
Grounding:

There is a practice that is called “Earthing” or “Grounding” and it means just that, connecting to or “grounding” to the earth. The earth is constantly emitting negative ions. We, who are, metaphorically swimming in a sea of positive ions, due to all the wireless technology, need a bit of grounding to balance out our electrical system. We are made of energy and when we become unbalanced we get dis-eased. Our system starts turning on itself, causing inflammation. Inflammation is the root cause of most, if not, all, of our diseases. I love grounding and do it often. It doesn’t cost a thing and it is so easy, why wouldn’t you do it? Just walk around outside barefoot! It works especially well if you walk on wet grass or sand for about 45 minutes, but it’s not essential. I never wear shoes so I’m constantly walking around outside without my shoes on. You can also get the benefits by digging in the earth. Did someone say, “It’s time to garden”?
Breathe:

Now, I know what you might be thinking. Breathe? Yes, breathe! But not just the shallow little breaths you take without thinking. No, the kind of breathing I’m suggesting is mindful breathing. Usually when we breathe, we take shallow breaths that don’t get to the very bottom of our lungs. These shallow breaths give us enough oxygen to stay alive, but they don’t filter out our lungs. When we breath mindfully, we breath deep, way down into the bottom of our lungs, cleaning out toxic waste. When I am having a hard time getting to sleep, I do mindful breathing. Make sure to breath through your nose. When you inhale push your stomach out. When you exhale push your stomach in. When you start, exhale all the air out of your lungs. Now that all the air is out, hold your breath to the count of 7, then, breath in for a count of 4 and breath out for a count of 8, then hold your breath for a count of 7 and breath in for a count of 4. Keep going until it’s uncomfortable or until you fall asleep. It usually puts me right out. Check out Dr. Douillard website, he has a ton of information about nose breathing.
Chanting:

Chanting is something I do when I’m feeling really down. It relaxes my throat area, my shoulders and upper back. I did not do any research to find out about whether or not chanting would help me, I just did it. I had gone to a gathering at an Ashram near my house, afterwards, I was asked if I wanted to go to the temple for a Satsang Meditation. I didn’t know what that was, but I decided I was willing to find out. That’s where I found that chanting felt really good! So, the next day I looked on YouTube for some chants and found a couple I liked and started chanting away. The more I chanted the better I felt and now I’m hooked. I love chanting, it’s free, it’s easy and it makes me feel so relaxed. It’s a great way to start meditation. If you would like to know more about the Ashram I went to you can visit in person: Kashi Ashram Sebastian, Florida 32958 or visit their website www.kashi.org.
Journaling:

I have learned through the years that sometimes I just needed to get some stuff out of my head. For the longest time I used to stress about stuff, thinking about certain things over and over, it used to drive me crazy. Then I decided I would take up journaling. I had heard a lot of good things about it and one of the things I heard was that it help calm the mind to get things out on paper. At first it wasn’t a great success. I seemed to have so much trouble getting what was in my mind out onto the paper. Because it was such a hassle I stop trying, then, about a month would go by and I’d go back to it. I did that for quite some time until it got easier and easier for me to get my thoughts out. I’m not sure when it happened, but before I knew it I was journaling daily. WOW! Did it help! Again, the results didn’t happen right away, it took some time, but it did change my life. Gradually, over time I noticed I was more mindful, I was achieving goals I couldn’t achieve before, my emotions calmed down, my memory improved, I felt more creative and self-confident. It was like there was more room in my brain, kinda like cleaning out my closet. I don’t journal as much as I used to, but I have started keeping something called a Bullet Journal (I’ll explain what that is in another post) which helps me keep my thoughts and life organized.
Hugging:

Have you ever hugged someone and felt all the stress in you just melt away. Research shows that hugging (and also laughter) is extremely effective at healing sickness, disease, loneliness, depression, anxiety and stress. A proper hug is a deep hug, where the hearts are pressing together. This kind of hug can benefit you in so many healthy ways. I am so thankful I have a husband who loves to hug me and melt all my cares away.
Reading:

So right now as you’re reading this you are giving muscle to your memory. If you had a workout today you are giving it more staying power. Reading keeps your brain young, melts away stress, boosts your vocabulary, improves empathy, can encourage life goals and helps you feel more connected. It is one of my all time favorite things to do! My mom read to me a lot when I was little, I’m sure that’s why I love reading so much. Make sure to read to your children. It’s hard to imagine that something so simple can be such a gift.
Cleaning:

Cleaning by definition is good for your health, but, sometimes what we use to clean with is very toxic. I make all my own cleaning products. I don’t like wasting my money on toxic fumes that leaves me feeling ill after I’ve used them. I use simple ingredients that are non-toxic and good for, not only me and my family, but also the environment.
Have Fun:

Having fun and laughing are so essential to optimum health. I love being around kids, playing and laughing with them. I am just a big kid at heart. Kids, puppies, kittens all just love and enjoy life, no worries, no stress, just fun! Having fun keeps you young, keeps you creative, opens up your imagination and allows you to share in the joys of life. When I go to the park with kids, I slide down the slide, swing on the swings and climb on the monkey bars. I make no apologies, I’m having too much fun!!
Take A Bath:

The next time you get in the tub, make it a detox bath. By adding Epsom salts, Lavender essential oil and little bit of baking soda you can easily turn your bathing into a detox session. There is magnesium in the Epsom salts, which most of us are deficient in, that get absorbed through the skin. The baking soda draws out toxins and the Lavender essential oil relaxes you and helps you get a good nights sleep. I love taking a hot bath on a cool night and just letting the cares of the world melt away. You may also want to try: Daily Detox Bath Soak
Help Others:

Volunteering your time, money, or energy to help others doesn’t just make the world better—it also makes you better. Studies indicate that the very act of giving back to the community or even helping your loved ones boosts your happiness, health, and sense of well-being.
Salt Inhaler:

The use of Himalayan salt crystals with a salt inhalation therapy product and a Neti pot, can work wonders for people suffering from breathing, respiratory ailments or chronic fatigue. Used for centuries to heal and restore the human body, Himalayan salt crystals are rich in 84 essential nutrients that are important for the body’s overall functioning and immune system. Popular in spas and used in salt caves around the world, salt therapy has been known to reap tremendous benefits ranging from detoxifying the body to increasing lung capacity to take in more oxygenated air. Get yourself an inhaler and give Salt Therapy a try, my mom uses hers when she has a flare-up from chronic bronchitis.
Salt Lamp:

I wrote a whole article on Salt Lamps here. There benefits are amazing!
Self-Massage:

I’m going to be honest, as of the time of this post I have not tried this. It is on my to-do list though. Once I have practiced it for a while I’ll write a blog post about it and let you know how it works. But, in the mean time, the health benefit sound awesome! The purpose of Ayurvedic daily oil massage – also called abhyanga – as part of the daily routine is to balance the nervous system, prevent physiological imbalances and to lubricate and promote flexibility of the muscles, tissues, and joints. You can read much more about Self Massage on the LifeSpa website.