Paleo is more than just a diet and a list of foods to eat or avoid. It involves making simple lifestyle changes to improve your sleep, lower stress, decrease your toxic load, and more.
Below are key ways a Paleo lifestyle can improve your health and well-being in all aspects of life.
Fix Your Sleep for Good
It’s impossible to be healthy if you aren’t getting enough high-quality sleep. Still, sleep can be elusive for many, whether they’re exhausted new parents, battling insomnia, struggling with thyroid problems, or facing other stressors (like a demanding job or physical problems).
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At the heart of sleep issues can lie several different factors: habits, hormone imbalances, stress, anxiety, and more. When it comes to achieving a healthy sleep routine, there’s no one-size-fits-all answer.
As many as 70 million Americans have a sleep disorder. (1) While many rely on over-the-counter sleep aids or prescription medications, these are only bandaid solutions to a problem. If the root cause(s) of the problem isn’t addressed, poor sleep can lead to further health problems.
Whether it’s establishing a sleep sanctuary or changing the food you eat, there are countless natural ways to address sleep issues with a Paleo lifestyle.
For more information on how to get to the root of your sleep issues, check out the following posts:
- The Thyroid-Sleep Connection
- The Best and Worst Sleeping Positions
- 5 Little Known Factors Ruining Your Sleep
- 5 Ways to Transform Your Bedroom into a Sleep Sanctuary
Fuel Your Athletic Performance
Paleo can be an amazing food plan for athletes because it eliminates processed foods and automatically reduces junk food intake. Elite athletes often turn to a Paleo lifestyle because the high amounts of quality fats and proteins offer more benefits in the way of muscle building and reduced chances of excess fat.
Paleo carbs come from vegetables, fruits, nuts, and seeds, and are more nutritionally rich than empty carbs. Because Paleo is sometimes low carb, it has a reputation for only being low carb. In reality, Paleo can be as high in carbs as needed. Athletes find that when they need to boost carb intake, the Paleo diet is able to meet their dietary needs.
Paleo sources of carbs are richer in vitamins and minerals than refined carbs, and because they’re fruits and vegetables, they don’t need to be fortified with artificial nutrients. These natural foods will also boost performance, immunity, and stamina in multiple ways.
Discover how to make the Paleo diet work for your athletic performance:
- 5 Paleo Foods to Boost Athletic Performance
- Carb Backloading: How to Torch Fat and Gain Muscle by Eating Carbohydrates
- Paleo for Athletes
- The 11 Best Pre-Workout Snacks
- 5 Fitness Hacks That Will Make Your Results Soar
Naturally Boost Your Libido and Sex Drive
Sex is an important part of life, but when the drive or desire isn’t there, it can be one of the most frustrating issues.
Libido is determined by a number of factors, and age isn’t the primary one. Hormone levels, diet, health conditions, and physical fitness can all play a major role in one’s ability to desire sex or enjoy it. In fact, at the center of health is the gut, which also plays a dominant role in regulating sexual desire. (2) [tweet_quote]Libido is determined by a number of factors, and age isn’t the primary one. [/tweet_quote]
Rejuvenating sexual intimacy and boosting a waning love life can come down to dietary changes (no one is in the mood when they’re bloated or constipated), hormone balancing, or getting a little more creative.
While most won’t think about diet first when their sex drive is low, there are certain foods that can make it difficult to be sexually inspired.
Learn more about how to naturally boost your sex life with these Paleo lifestyle ideas:
- The Best and Worst Foods for Sex
- 5 Habits Killing Your Sex Drive
- How Gut Health Affects Your Libido
- 9 Science-Backed Reasons to Have More Sex
- 7 Paleo Foods That Increase Your Sex Drive
Conquer Stress with Mindfulness
In the chaotic world that we live in, stress has almost become an accepted way of life. But chronic stress does more than just cause tension in our minds—it can lead to health problems, sleep issues, and poor libido.
The antithesis of stress is meditation and mindfulness, but making it part of your Paleo lifestyle can feel harder than just living with the stress. Still, working to establish a mindfulness habit goes well beyond peace of mind, including reduced blood pressure, improved digestion, and overall better health. (3)
Discover how to make meditation a part of your life:
- 5 Ways Mindful Eating Can Help You Lose Weight
- How to Reduce Stress with Mindfulness Meditation
- How Stress Affects Your Health and 5 Tips to Handle It
- 9 Ways to Beat Chronic Stress
- How to Meditate (and Stick with It) in 5 Simple Steps
Self-Love and Positivity
Toxic thinking can invade our brains and take over if we aren’t careful to cultivate an atmosphere of self-love, respect, and worth.
While some people believe they are either naturally optimistic, pessimistic, or realistic, positivity is a skill that can be learned. [tweet_quote]Positivity is a learned skill. Try it — happy people live longer![/tweet_quote]
Positive thinking and self-love contribute to psychological and physical wellbeing. (4) While some may think it’s just a placebo, the physical benefits of positivity prove otherwise. Happier people are healthier, live longer, and have fewer chronic conditions. (5)
Even though feeling pessimistic or negative can feel easier at times, working to preserve a happy outlook will not only improve your mood, it’ll work wonders for your physical health and relationships with those around you.
Start your journey to a powerful and more positive mind here:
- 5 Scientifically Proven Ways You Can Be Happier
- How to Be Happy: 7 Simple Steps
- The Perfect Morning Routine
- 25 Reasons to Be More Positive
Naturally Protect Your Skin
Our skin is the first thing people tend to notice about us, so it’s understandable that so many pour tons of time and money into keeping it young, healthy, and vibrant. But skincare is an area where we can invite a significant toxic burden into our lives. All of those anti-aging creams and cleansers come with a price: chemical overload.
So how can you protect your skin without jeopardizing the rest of your health? Amazingly, you have everything you need to keep your skin clear and clean without adding chemicals, toxins, and fragrances. In this case, the simplest Paleo lifestyle really is the best.
Paleo skincare is highly effective and avoids hormone disruption and other toxic side effects. Whether you want to wash your face, cleanse your skin, protect your skin from the sun, or keep those fine lines and wrinkles away, there’s a natural answer for you. The best part about it is that you don’t have to sacrifice quality or function.
Find natural solutions to skincare below:
- 10 Ways to Slow Aging Naturally
- A How-To Guide to The Oil Cleansing Method
- 6 Paleo-Friendly Skincare Tips
- What Happens to Your Skin When You Use Coconut Oil Everyday
- Oil Cleansing for Perfect Skin
- 4 Easy, Natural Homemade Face Mask Recipes
- Homemade Water-Resistant Sunscreen
- Homemade Citrus Burst Facial Toner
- Natural Lotion Bars, 7 Ways
- DIY Organic Powder Foundation Recipe + Beetroot Blush Recipe
- Coffee Coconut Oil Scrub Bars
Create a Non-Toxic Home
Our homes are our havens of rest and respite. When we overload them with toxins from conventional cleaning supplies and clutter, they stop providing that natural place of care we need.
Clearing our homes of toxins is a two-step process:
First, we need to eliminate harsh cleaners that are actually chemical cocktails. When we get exposed to these toxins, they stay in our bodies, adding an extra burden to the liver and other detox organs. While we don’t want nasty germs sticking around, it’s entirely possible to deep clean without harsh cleaners like bleach or other chemical agents. Simpler really is better when it comes to wiping down messes. [tweet_quote]You get still get rid of nasty germs without using any “chemical cocktails.”[/tweet_quote]
Beyond just surface cleaning, clutter can be a major emotional buzzkill, even when we think it isn’t bothering us. Adopting a more minimalist approach to the stuff that we own can have freeing effects on our minds and our bodies.
While it can involve an entirely new way of thinking to clear our home of these sorts of toxins, the results are more than worth it.
Get these how-to guides to transform your home into a toxin-free zone:
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