Here's Laurann O'Reilly's eleven healthy habits for a healthy mind and body...

It’s never too late to develop good habits. Whether you’re trying to improve your diet, get more exercise, or just be more organized, making small changes in your daily routine can have a big impact. The key is to start small and be patient (John Lewis).

Here, nutritionist Laurann O’Reilly and owner of Nutrition by Laurann, brings us through her top healthy habits for a healthy mind and body.

1. Sleep: I always say sleep is your battery and food is your fuel. We can often underestimate the importance of sleep and often during our busy times it can be the one thing that we sacrifice. I have a full in-depth piece on sleep coming up soon so stay tuned.
Recommendation: Most people need between 5 to 9 hours sleep a night. The ideal amount is 8 hours, but everyone's different (HSE).

2. Clean Eating: Imagine your body as a car, if we put the wrong fuel into our car, it won’t work properly. Similarly, if we put the wrong fuel into our body in the form of food our body won’t perform at its best, we may feel sluggish and unwell.
Tip: The goal should be to avoid foods which are processed, high in sugar and high in saturated fats. Instead, we should aim to consume as much ‘clean’ food as possible such as fresh fruit, vegetables, lean meats, chicken, turkey, fish, nuts and seeds.

3. Social Connection: Whilst Covid had us isolating into our little bubbles and some quite enjoy time alone to recharge the batteries, it’s important not to underestimate the importance of social connection. They say surround yourself with people who are positive and motivate you. Another factor affecting our human connection is technology with many depending on phones, social media, computer games and artificial intelligence (AI) for stimulation.
Tip: Why not aim to reduce your technology such as phone usage and to spend more time interacting with your friends and family in person (where possible), you can’t beat real human touch.

4. Meditation: Now this may not be everyone’s cup of green tea but the benefits of meditation have been found to be huge. It helps us to unwind, grounds us and brings us back to life in the present moment (rather than worrying about the past or future).
Tip: Whether it’s meditation (silent or guided), a walk or hike in nature or yoga, aim to do something to cultivate mindfulness and which brings you back to the present moment.
Suggested Guided Meditation: It can be sometimes hard to silence the mind so guided meditations can be extremely effective. There are many apps out there such as ‘insight Timer’ which are helpful, but YouTube can have some great (and free) ones too!
Mediation/Relaxation Classes: Sukha Wellness Centre Cahir provides a range of classes which can help to ease tension from the body and relax the mind.

5. Workout: We all know at this stage that exercise is not only great for weight maintenance and body strength, but also provides us with mood boosting endorphins. If you work in an office or behind a desk you can find creative ways to get mini activities or movements into your day such as a quick stretch, standing desks, a walk around the office or why not try walking or cycling (if you don’t live too far from your workplace and weather permits of course)
Tip: Try to squeeze in a minimum of 20-30 minutes of exercise each day whether it’s a brisk walk, a run, a swim, an exercise class or whatever you can manage.
Suggested Exercise Classes: (1) Zumba classes are available from the Talbot Hotel Clonmel Gym and integrate the fun of dancing with getting fit too. (2) World Jumping Clonmel does the most amazing trampoline fitness classes, which are so much fun, I’m totally hooked! and (3) Sukha Wellness Centre Cahir provides a variety of classes such as yoga and pilates.

6. Laughter: They say laughter is the best medicine. Even on the hardest and most stressful days laughter can lift us up.
Tip: Why not try do something every day that makes you laugh whether it’s a comedy TV show, movie, funny social media clips, memes, phoning a friend or even watching a goofy pet. This is one of the healthiest things you can do.

7. Music: We mustn’t underestimate the power of music, music can help to affect emotions, moods and often behaviours too. The Evidence: (1) Research carried out by the Bournemouth University Dementia Institute found that music can release dopamine (a reward chemical) in two main places in the brain and when you are having a pleasurable experience, such as listening to your favourite song, these areas of the brain light up. (2) Music and the beat of a song can even affect our heart rate and can synchronize our breathing too. The Atlanta Institute of Music & Media state that “these happen because musical patterns affect our auditory cortex, which is part of the neural reward system and other areas involved in memory and emotion”. (3) Music has even been suggested as a therapy, with the American Music Therapy Association stating that music therapy programs can be constructed to manage mental stress, boost memory, and even eliminate pain!

8. Reading: You really can’t beat getting lost in a good book. Whilst we all have our own types of books that we like, reading can help to ground us. Whether it’s a kindle or a paperback, you choose yours.
Tip: Why not make use of your local library, which is completely free of charge. You need only complete an application form, either online or in person at the library, provide photographic ID and a proof of current address (librariesireland.ie), so easy!

9. Podcasts: There are some incredible podcasts available whether you’re looking for a giggle or to learn something new. They’re great whether you’re going for a walk or driving too!
Suggested Podcasts: For a giggle and a little banter check out our guys from Tipperary ‘The Two Johnnies’ here: https://link. nutritionbylaurann.ie/thetwo johnnies and for something uplifting and motivating check out Gerry and Miriam Hussey, collectively ‘Soulspace’ here: https://soulspace.ie/video-audio- resources

10. Goal Setting: The healthiest people on earth have a vivid vision that drives them to success. They have goals and aspirations that they are excited about and that are moving them forward.
Tip: These may be fitness goals, career goals, life goals but even self-care goals

11. Learn New Things: Whether it’s something on your bucket list or something you’ve been meaning to learn. Learning or trying new things which are out of the ordinary can help to stimulate the brain and create neural connections
Tip: This could be trying a new activity, taking up a new hobby, learning a new language or trying a new recipe (check out my recipe below).