The American Chiropractic Association recently released an article about the importance of leading a healthy lifestyle by making smart nutrition choices and regularly exercising. Making small lifestyle changes to improve your health will reduce your risks of health problems in the future. Start by analyzing your lifestyle, notice your current eating and exercising habits then create monthly goals that are attainable. Creating short-term goals are good because they are achievable, and it takes three to four weeks to have an action turn into a habit.

Here are some lifestyle changes:

• Exercise at least 30 minutes a day three or four days a week. Get creative with your exercise, try different activities to keep it fresh and exciting.
• Keep eating out to a minimum, restaurant meals are often large proportions and high in salt and sugar content. Try preparing your own meals, even if that means packing a lunch.
• Limit your alcohol intake and quit smoking, those activities limit your body’s ability to absorb nutrients from your food.

Here are some dietary lifestyle changes:

• Eat more raw foods, they have more nutrients and are fresh.
• When able to choose organic foods, they have lower amount of toxic elements.
• Consume 25 to 30 grams of fiber a day. High-fiber diets can help prevent digestive disorders, heart disease, and colon cancer.
• Drink eight to ten 8-ounce glasses of water a day. Remember that coffee, tea, soft drinks, and alcohol aren’t substitutes for water- they are dehydrators.