A wholesome diet and regular exercise are the cornerstones of a healthy life. To take your vitality to a higher level, keep these tips in mind: Get outside, cultivate community, be a lifelong learner, calm down, honor your promises, plug your energy leaks, don’t skimp on sleep, take good care of your brain and spinal cord.

1. Get outside. The high-vitality elders that Dan Buettner studies in Okinawa, Costa Rica, and other pockets of longevity enjoy an active life surrounded by nature. To learn how time spent outside can help sustain and energize you, read this article.
2. Cultivate community. A lack of close relationships has been shown to weaken our immune systems and sap our vitality. Maintaining strong social ties with others improves many aspects of both health and wellness. So does volunteering. For more on the benefits of being part of a strong community, see "Community Matters."
3. Be a lifelong learner. More education leads to longer, healthier lives. A 2003 study published in the journal Neurology found an inverse relationship between how many years of formal education Alzheimer’s patients have and how quickly they succumb to the disease.
4. Calm down. Chronic stress releases hormones that can damage cells, tissues, and organ systems, all of which can shorten your life expectancy. Learn more in "Putting Stress in Its Place."
5. Honor your promises. Each time you break a promise, whether it’s to a loved one or to yourself, you lose a sense of connection with your own values. Keep your promises and you gain integrity and self-respect, two main ingredients for vitality.
6. Plug your "energy leaks." Notice where you are losing energy. Reevaluate lifeless jobs, negative relationships, poor eating habits, sedentary patterns, and other parts of your life that drain your energy. Eliminate these energy drainers as much as possible, and replace them with health and wellness practices.
7. Don’t skimp on sleep. Chronic sleep deprivation increases your odds of suffering from both heart disease and diabetes. It also reduces your immunity and your ability to cope productively with everyday challenges. Get to bed by 10 PM so you can be sure to get plenty of sleep and wake up feeling alive and well in the morning!
8. Take good care of your brain & spinal cord. Your brain and spinal cord (central nervous system - CNS) control your ability to do everything. When your CNS is functioning at its optimal capacity, you feel alive, full of energy, and vitality. However, daily wear and tear, the stress of jobs and relationships, have a direct impact on the health of your CNS, causing muscle tension, joint pain, and different types of headaches that lead to subluxations (misalignments) in the spine and other joints of the body. Regular chiropractic adjustments restore the function of these joints and free the CNS to return to its optimal function. When was the last time you were checked by a chiropractor to make sure your brain and spinal cord are free from interference?

At Brio Wellness Center, we THRIVE on helping you live the life you desire and deserve. Restoring your body to its maximum capacity to perform at Peak Performance is our #1 Priority. We accomplish this through regular, gentle, light-touch chiropractic adjustments, soft tissue therapies, and diet & lifestyle modifications. If you are looking for a place that will help you address the root cause and not just put a band-aid on your symptoms, give us a call. We would be happy to discuss how we can serve you!

Disclaimer: The content of this article, such as graphics, images, text and all other materials, is provided for reference and educational purposes only. The content is not meant to be complete or exhaustive or to apply to any specific individual's medical condition. This article is not an attempt to practice medicine or provide specific medical advice, and it should not be used to make a diagnosis or to replace or overrule a qualified healthcare provider's judgment. The reader should not rely on this content for emergency medical treatment. The content in this article is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Always consult with a qualified and licensed physician or other healthcare provider for guidance.