By: Albert Huang, DC

It's a new year and its time to kick the bad habits and replace them with some new fancy ones! Always strive to be better then you were yesterday. Find your groove and get in a healthy routine with these 5 game changing attitudes.

1) Wake up early - The most productive people are early risers. Getting out of bed in the early hours of the day provides you more time to get things done. Use the first 30-60 minutes of your day for self time. Stimulate your mind and body with a routine of grooming, breakfast, daily news, reading or writing, and self-reflection. Avoid using the computer and cell phone, you have the rest of your day for that. Wake up on the right foot and conquer your day by planning out your objectives and daily goals!

2) Regular Exercise - Staying active is a vital component to a healthy lifestyle and a happy mind. Try exercising daily to stimulate brain activity, blood circulation, muscle growth, and nervous system development. If you can't work out daily strive for 4-5 times a week. Staying physically active has many health benefits such as, improved mood, weight control, stress relief, increased energy, heightened libido, better sleep, and reduced risk of illness and disease.

3) Positive Thinking - The grass is always green! Thoughts are subjective which means they can be controlled by your mind. Negative thoughts lead to negative outcomes which induce a stress response in your body. Eliminate limiting thoughts and replace them with positive thinking. There are always three sides to a story, the negative interpretation, the positive interpretation, and the best interpretation. French philosopher Rene Descartes said it best, "I think therefore I am." Start filling your mind with wishful thinking and the universe will respond with positive vibes.

4) Separate Work and Play - There comes a time when the best thing to do is to take a vacation or some time off of work. Working 5, 6, 7 days a week over an extended period will eventually lead to a burn out. You can't drive a car 24/7, 365 days a year without it breaking down, so how can you expect your body to do the same? Your body needs down time to recover. If you only focus on work your whole life, you lose your true purpose of being. Find the right balance between work and leisure. Travelling or self-exploration can revitalize your mind, spark creativity, and boost work productivity in the long run!

5) Quiet Time - We are constantly bombarded with never ending stimulus! Limit your tech time; reduce the amount of time in front of your television, laptop, and cell phone. The radiation and bright lights from these tech devices place undue strain on your eyes and brain activity. Slow down for even 5-10 minutes a day in a quiet place where you can focus on your breathing and self-awareness. Find stress relief and inner peace with meditation, yoga, tai chi, or proactive napping. Unwind with a book before bed to calm the mind and nourish your soul.

By: Dr. Albert Huang, DC

At the beginning of the year, you might have set a few goals or new years resolutions to make this year the best one yet. Have you been sticking to your plans? Are you doing the things you said you were going to be doing? 

Well, the guilty matter is that most of us forget to challenge ourselves on a daily basis to achieve the goals we set forth. It's always a good idea to re-visit some of our thoughts and motives to keep the inspiration alive. 

Spend 5-10 minutes today and write out your personal, business, health, and fitness goals. Check them daily and go for it!

Repetition makes habits and habits shape the person you are. Instead of saying, 'I wish' or 'I want', start with I WILL.

If we all spent a little less time focusing on the negatives and more time on the positives, life would become much brighter for everyone. A smile is contagious so share one with someone today. Caution- smiles may turn into laughs! 
On the subject of happiness, exercise has been proven to boost the body's own natural "happy hormones" (dopamine, seratonin, endorphins). If happiness is not a good  enough reason to get you exercising daily, some other benefits of exercise include greater independence, weight loss/ management, stress relief, increased libido, improved sleep, and a decreased risk of cardiovascular diseases and cancers.
Disease and illness are unpleasant occurrences in life and can be further offset with a healthy, well-balanced diet. Eat more natural occurring foods such as fruits, vegetables, seeds, nuts, and organic meats. Eating healthy can help improve energy levels and increase the antioxidants in your body to fight off free radicals and toxins. They say, 'you are what you eat'.
Nothing in life comes easy and hard work does pays off. Commit to goals and projects and never settle for anything less than success and attainment. Hard work goes a long way and needs to be an ongoing action because there will always be challenges along the way. Work hard & play hard; find the balance between the two, otherwise you can find yourself burnt-out.
Nobody ever got anywhere worrying about things. Far too often stress accumulates in people's lives and results in anxiety and excessive worrying. Just remember the cup is always half full and the grass is always greener on the other side. There is always tomorrow and everything will be alright, so keep calm and carry on.  Go dance it off, find your passions, chase them, and live life to its fullest with love, happiness, and no regrets!


- Albert Huang, DC