Healthier in 10 Minutes or Less!

Each one of us could stand to change something just a tad bit that could keep us a little healthier. In the spirit of that thought, here are few things you can do to give your health a little boost for the better 1.  A 60-second chuckle is all it takes to release stress-busting endorphins and relax the muscles. And if you make laughing a regular practice, you can look forward to more stable blood sugar, healthier blood flow and even a longer life. 2.  It doesn't take long to say those two little words, but they can make a big difference. Not only will giving thanks make the person on the receiving end feel good, a little gratitude can boost your health, too. Appreciation can protect the heart, according to a 1995 study, not to mention bolster the immune system and even lead to better sleep. 3.  Eggs get a bad rap for being high in dietary cholesterol. But these easy-to-prepare eats actually have a number of properties that improve health. They're loaded with choline, a B vitamin essential to brain function, and may stave off heart problems. An egg-centric breakfast has also been shown to aid weight loss and, as part of a high-protein breakfast, could help you stay away from the less nutritious snacks later on in the day. 4. You don't have to be a seasoned yogi or master of meditation to reap the calming benefits of a deep breath. Wherever you are, you can take a few minutes to breathe in through the nose to a count of three, pause briefly, then exhale to a count of three or longer, writes stress management consultant and HuffPost blogger Judy Martin. Try thinking to yourself while you breathe: "Breathing in, I am peace, breathing out, I am peace," she writes. 5.  It won't make up for a 45-minute Spinning class or a long walk in the woods, but even just a five-minute workout is enough to rev your metabolism. Try this five-minute circuit from Ben Greenfield, fitness and triathlon expert, Get-Fit Guy podcast host:

• 25 jumping jacks
• 20 crunches
• 15 slow, controlled squats
• 10 slow, controlled pushups
• 10 burpees (squat-thrust-jumps)

6.  Do you really need to get up to the office right now? With a few minutes to spare, take the stairs instead. Adding even just a little movement to your day can help fight the adverse effects sitting too much. And adding three to five sets of stairs a day instead of zooming up in that elevator can burn enough calories to negate the average adult's yearly one to two-pound weight gain, according to Prevention. 7.  Turns out, even the health-minded among us claim we read nutrition labels more than we actually do. Take a little time to peruse not just calories, but fat content, trans fat, sugar, serving size and maybe even fiber for everything you put in your cart. 8.   Yes, you're busy. But even if you factor in a few extra minutes to be on hold or to pass along your new insurance information, making the call won't take that long. And should you find yourself facing a true health problem, won't you feel silly saying, "I was just too busy to call the doctor!" 9.  If you wait to think about lunch until you're ravenous between meetings, you'll be tempted to grab something packaged or processed to quell your midday hunger. With a little foresight, you can squash those lunch cravings the morning (or night) before with a nutritious, homemade meal. Not only will you have control over things like sodium and fat content, you'll likely save some money, too. 10.  Feeling sleepy? There's no shame in squeezing in a little shut-eye during the day, especially when you consider the benefits. Not only will you feel more awake and alert after a short nap, research suggests a siesta can improve memory, creativity and productivity. The best part of all? Just 10 minutes will do the trick. Too much more than that and you might just feel more sluggish when you wake up. More info and tips HERE Are there any healthy tidbits you do throughout the day, the week, the month? Let me know at nikki@kvne.com -- would love to share!