The Exact Health Routine You Should Be Following in Your 30s

Whether you're approaching the big 3-0 or you're already there, entering another decade shouldn't call for drastic changes. But as we move through different stages of life, it pays to make subtle shifts and develop simple routines along the way that will help us lead longer fuller, and healthier lives. Besides, that new jam-packed schedule you've developed in your 30s demands way more brain food to power you through the workday. 

While the most crucial time to adopt a healthy routine is in your 20s, it's time to get serious about them in your 30s. This is where you turn those healthier choices into daily habits. Not only will these habits enrich your life, but they will also empower you to succeed and just make you feel really good too. To find out which of the many healthy habits we should adopt in our 30s, we asked nutritionists to weigh in on the ones that actually work. 

Make Self-Care a Daily Habit

While our partying days certainly aren't behind us, there's definitely less of them as our days are prioritized around work, family, and relationships. But jam-packed schedules and full calendars can quickly increase stress levels and put our health on the back burner."It's one of the most worthwhile habits you can form in your 30s to preserve your health,""Working and living at a frantic pace that requires constant multi-tasking puts your body in chronic fight-or-flight mode, which can lead to adrenal fatigue and exhaustion." 

If you're unsure what adrenals are, they're small glands that sit on top of your kidneys and are responsible for regulating your stress response, metabolism, and immune system function. "When those glands get overtaxed (i.e., start pumping out too much cortisol), they can become sluggish and leave you feeling tired, irritable, and sick,"

Keep Your Lymph Healthy

When was the last time you thought about your lymphatic system? If you're pulling a quizzical look right now reading this, don't stress, we hadn't thought about it either, but according to Amy Shapiro, MS, RD, CDN, and founder of Real Nutrition NYC, our lymphatic system is really important yet often overlooked. "Keeping it healthy can have huge benefits to one's overall health,""Our lymphatic system helps our body remove toxins and thus promotes our immune health."

So how do we improve our lymphatic health? Through one of the oldest and time-measured beauty routines: dry brushing. "This ancient practice is becoming hip again,""It involves simply brushing your skin in a particular pattern with a dry brush before your shower or bath. The lymphatic system runs just below the skin, and it is said that the act of dry brushing can stimulate the lymph flow in the body and as a result enhance one's immune system."dry brushing can also help exfoliate our skin, clean our pores, aid in circulation, break down fat deposits, and can even give us a boost of energy.

Another way to keep it in prime health is via foam rolling. Just five minutes of this simple exercise at home or at the gym (most have foam rollers that clients can use) is all it takes. "Foam rolling can relieve muscle soreness, relax muscles, lengthen muscles, and improve our overall range of motion and performance," "What you may not know is that foam rolling can also boost our immune system like dry rubbing by stimulating our lymph movement."

HALF BAKED HARVEST

Eat With Purpose and Intention

When it comes to health in your 30s, mindfulness is priority number one, especially around eating. "Healthy eating doesn't happen by chance," "It requires you to put time and energy toward meal planning, food prep, cooking, and mindful eating.

 As for mindful eating, I encourage clients to treat eating like it's a sacred event. Avoid multitasking, sit, breathe, savor, and enjoy." 

Start Taking Vitamin D

If you're feeling sluggish, experiencing mood swings, and generally feeling irritable or depressed, then it might be time to have your vitamin D levels checked.sufficient vitamin D levels are important as they are essential to calcium absorption and bone health as well as immune function.

"Vitamin D deficiency is common and has been linked to many health problems including increased risk of heart disease, depression, cancer, autoimmunity, the seasonal flu, and more," "If your levels are low, consider increased (sensible) direct sun exposure or supplementation, and use a product containing vitamin D3, preferable in drop form." 

Find an Activity You Enjoy

While we all know about the importance of exercise, that doesn't mean it happens. The aim is two to three times a week, but if a meeting runs over or our child gets sick, that can quickly turn into one or none. But the important thing to remember here is stressing about it defeats the purpose. You just need to find something you love to do and then it won't feel like another thing on your to-do list.

Introduce Adaptogens Into Your Diet

If you're feeling stressed, then say hello to your new superfood friend: adaptogens. It's one of the buzziest health and wellness trends that's gaining new followers, but there's so much more to this Ayurvedic herb than hype.adaptogens are a class of herbs that are known to decrease stress-activating enzymes and an essential herb as we enter this new era of our lives.

"Your 30s are an exciting decade; your career is ramping up, you may be recently married and ready to start a family, and you're finally feeling confident in your own skin, but it can also be a stressful decade,""Balancing work, life, and the many changes that are thrown your way is challenging. Adaptogens can naturally help your body adapt to stress because they regulate our stress response by balancing our adrenal system and overcoming adrenal fatigue."

You can buy it as a supplement or add it as an ingredient for your meals. "There are many different types of adaptogens—Asian ginseng, licorice root, astragalus—and most of which can be taken as supplements, but luckily our food industry is starting to take notice of these herbs and incorporating them into easily found products,"

Set Intentions

Even on a good day, our minds can wander into negative territory. And while being positive all the time seems like an impossible task,setting some simple intentions will help make powerful changes in your life. "Intentions help you make your dreams come true," "It's like plugging a destination into Google Maps. You need to know where you're going in order to get there.

Upgrade Your Vitamins

While the classic Flinstone vitamins served you well as a child.  "Switch to high-quality vitamins and supplements to boost your health,""As we get older, we need supplements that will help give us more support where we need it. It's hard to get essential nutrients like vitamin D solely from food.e Ritual vitamins for women . They're vegan, pure, and you only have to take two gel capsules a day, which includes everything you need." 

Create Your Own Routine

By now you've most likely read a ton of articles about other successful women's routines from the morning to the evening—and even what they never do—but now that you're in your 30s it's time to create one of your own. "We are what we repeatedly do and by this age, we've pretty much figured out that quick fixes aren't sustainable, and nothing happens overnight," "We can't just go to the gym once and have a six-pack. It requires a little bit of dedication consistently, over time to make a difference."