When August arrives, it’s cue for back-to-school which means new notebooks, packing lunchboxes, and getting back into a normal routine. Maybe you’re going to college the first time, going back to college, have kids in school, or are in middle or high school. No matter your situation, Lifeway’s here to help you stay on track and stay healthy this year with the power of probiotics and protein found in Lifeway Kefir.
To help you get started, we’ve got five great tips to keep in mind that are always useful when starting a new routine or jumping back into one again. With these health tips in your back pocket, you’ll be breezing through the school year like a probiotic pro!
1. Prioritize a Healthy Sleep Schedule
Everyone’s sleep needs in terms of hours are different, but most people need at least 7-9 hours of sleep to feel their best. Children and early teens may need anywhere from 8-10 because they’re still growing and require more sleep than adults do. Sleep is vital for muscle repair, restoring brain function, allowing all our organs to reset, and helping our guts get some down time which supports a healthy nervous system the next day. If sleep’s a real struggle for you, here’s a few tips we like.
Set your alarm to turn off the lights 30 minutes before bed just like you set your alarm in the morning. Cue it with a fun song you like that makes you laugh and want to get into bed more easily. Excessive light, especially blue light from devices, can trigger our brains to “wake up” and disrupt melatonin production. Melatonin is the natural hormone our bodies produce when it’s time to go to bed. If that gets disrupted, it can cause us to stay awake longer. Another great tip? Take a hot bath or shower before bed with Epsom salt or sea salt which is rich in minerals that support relaxation. As your body cools down, that also helps make you sleepy. One more thing we love? A weighted eye mask. These help your brain feel more relaxed and can block out excess light.
2. Eat Your Vitamin C—Or Drink It—From Real Whole Foods
Vitamin C’s your BFF in the nutrient department when it comes to beefing up your immune system. While vitamin C pills only get you so far, eating foods right in vitamin C does two things: first, it ensures you’re ingesting plenty of plants since this vitamin is only found in fruits and veggies. Second, it also means you’re eating more fiber from plants which supports your gut with real, whole foods that act as fuel for your microbiome and fuel the probiotics in Lifeway Kefir so they can work their magic.
Vitamin C also helps your body feel less stressed. Good sources include peppers, oranges and other citrus fruits, leafy greens, berries, pineapple, mango, zucchini, carrots, and broccoli. Try our latest Icy Orange Smoothie as a quick and healthy vitamin-C-rich smoothie for breakfast! It offers probiotics, protein, and more, thanks to us pairing citrus fruits with Lifeway Kefir.
3. Have Healthy Snacks on Hand Throughout the Day
Having healthy snacks on hand throughout the day helps you have more energy, supports your mood, and keeps your bodies (and guts!) healthy all day long. Foods that are more close to nature and don’t have a laundry list of ingredients are a great place to start choosing healthier options over those offered in school vending machines, for the most part. Instead of processed chips, crackers, cookies, and sugary sodas, try some of the following choices we love.
1. Keep an apple, banana, or orange in your backpack since these pack well and don’t require refrigeration.
2. While you’re at it, consider packing one of our convenient probiotic Lifeway Kefir 8-ounce bottles with you; these travel well and are great for lunchboxes instead of sugary yogurt drinks. They also come in a variety of different flavors and support your gut health with 12 different probiotic cultures in every single bottle! Lifeway ProBugs are the perfect option for kids because they also contain our one-of-a-kind culture blend rich in probiotics with protein, B vitamins, calcium, and vitamin D. They’re are low in sugar and come in delicious kid-friendly flavors with natural ingredients everyone will love. Even many adults love our ProBugs!
3. Nosh on nuts and seeds; mini packs of raw almonds or cashews and pumpkin seeds and sunflower seeds are all good sources of fiber, plant protein, and minerals that help keep you feeling energized and chill to stabilize blood sugar levels without weighing you down.
4. Eat Enough Protein Spread Out Throughout the Day
We all know we need protein, but it’s important to remember to spread out your protein choices throughout the day. Don’t try to eat one protein-heavy meal a day and consider this done like most people do at dinner time. Start early with a protein-packed breakfast smoothie, move onto a protein-rich lunch, and then eat your protein at dinner like you normally would. Protein stabilizes blood sugar levels when eaten with fiber, and it supports muscle growth, brain function, a healthy mood, a strong immune system, and much more.
5. Take a Daily Walk, If You Can
Finally, the last tip is an easy one if you make time for it. Taking a walk each day does wonders to reduce stress levels. It also exposes you to nature and helps you appreciate the changing seasons away from your phone and social media. Just 30 minutes can relax your nervous system, help you sleep better, and help you feel more happier in general. Take some time for yourself to get out and relax. Even if you have to walk indoors, turn your phone off for half an hour and treat yourself to a mental move session.
Need recipe ideas? We’ve got plenty here. You can also find us on Instagram to see what we’re up to next. Happy back-to-school season!