12. Pack an orange, tangerine, tangelo or mandarin in your bag for a late-afternoon snack/pick-me-up. Savour every bite!
13. Everyone has a show they watch regularly yet aren't even all that crazy about anymore. Ditch it and, for the sake of a healthier, better looking you, fill that time-slot with a weekly swim at your local community centre or YMCA.
14. Brush your teeth after a meal. Or chew sugarless gum if brushing must wait.
15. Rent an "OMG, I think I just laughed so hard I peed" comedy à la There's Something About Mary. Laughter boosts your immune system.
16. Pat a furry pet (yours or someone else's). Within 15 minutes, you'll experience beneficial upticks in your endorphin, dopamine and oxytocin levels so you feel all warm and fuzzy.
17. Start learning a new language and give your brain a daily workout by flexing your memorization, speech and interpretive "muscles." Besides helping to protect your long-term mental fitness, it will help you to drown out.
18. We all go through autopilot for a great deal of the day. Take a breather and exercise your brain with a crossword, sudoku or word-puzzle, or a couple fast rounds of online scrabble.
19. Give $5 to a homeless person. (Or drop non-perishables off at a food bank.) Acts of giving boost the giver's happiness as well as the recipient's.
20. Have a glass of milk. While sipping, use Osteoporosis Canada's online Calcium Calculator (osteoporosis.ca) to see if you're getting enough calcium in your diet.
21. Floss every night. Studies have found a link between gum disease (gingivitis) and heart disease. Good oral health may promote heart health, too.
22. Say a prayer for someone (other than yourself, silly!).
23. Not religious? Take up meditation or practice another deep relaxation technique.
24. Have sex. Regular weekly sex increases the antibody immunoglobin A, boosting your immune system. It also burns around 85 calories per half hour, increases your estrogen levels (which will help your hair and skin look younger) and makes you feel great, too!
25. Smiling releases feel-good endorphins, so make it a point to smile more often.
Page 2 of 2 -- 10 instant lifestyle changes that can make you happier and healthier on page 1.
