By Lidia Byhower

Me in St. Lucia Loving Life

Here are my top 10 tricks for good living. They are easy ways to brighten up your life :]

1. Brush your teeth right after eating. Its good for your teeth and helps you resist late-night snacking. Brushing your teeth right after a meal with dramatically improve your breath & decrease your chances for developing gum/tooth disease like gingivitis!

2. Drink tons of water. Drink a huge glass of water before eat more. It will help you feel full quicker so you eat less. It will also help your body digest your food more efficiently. Often when we have a craving that we cannot seem to kick, it is because we are just dehydrated! Having weird cravings? Try drinking a big glass of ice water and see if it goes away :]

3. Eat a cucumber or pickle for a snack. Cucumbers and pickles have so few calories that they are considered negative calorie snacks. Your body uses more calories to burn these foods off than they have- and they taste great! Plus, they are loaded with vitamin C, water for hydration, & fiber (make sure you leave the skins on!). They also help ease swelling & aching from working out.

4. Dump the milk. No other animal in the world drinks milk past infantry. Milk is use to fatten up babies, what do you think it will do to you? Worried about calcium? Artichokes, brocolli, boy choy, collards, soybeans, and kale are all loaded with calcium for healthy bones!

5. Hug someone. The power of touch has been proven to help relieve stress, increase happiness, ease pain, and even motivate people. In fact, when premature babies are born, they often use touch therapy to help the babies develop properly, feel loved, and gain the strength to fight to live. Simple pats on the backs for your family and loved ones and has also proven to improve communication and childrens’ openness to parents.

6. Stay inspired. Try a new recipe, go to the beach, paint a picture, take up photography, plan a potluck, learn a new recipe every Thursday night. Whatever it is, stay inspired. Life is too short to not try something new and soak up all the beauty around you.

7. Get a fortune cookie once a week. Something so simple as a fortune cookie can sure have a huge impact on your life. Although I never eat the fortune cookie because it has over 100 calories & is not vegan :[ , I definitely recommend getting one at least once a week. The words of wisdom (although not always helpful or meaningful) will certainly offer some guidance and positive energy.

8. Wear sunscreen. The sun is a great natural resource, but it can also be quite damaging. I recently got a third degree burn from the sun and I still have scars on my hands. Your skin is actually your largest organ, so you definitely need to take care of it. Your skin is your bodies most primary form of protection. Skin cancer, wrinkles, sun burn, and scarring are all side effects of the sun- so make sure you wear a strong enough SPF to protect yourself. Everyone needs sunscreen- no matter what your skin color! Just because you cannot get a sunburn does not mean you will not feel the negative effects of UV rays from the sun.

9. Visit an animal sanctuary- or even volunteer at one! Here in New York, we have the Catskill Animal Sanctuary just a couple hours Upstate. They even offer a bus on weekends and for special occasions! In fact, most states have one within a reasonable distance. Meeting these animals, learning about them, and hearing their stories will truly make you appreciate them, their strength, and their beauty. It is a great way to dramatically reduce your meat consumption.

10. Do a random good deed every day. See a lady trying to carry a stroller and 10 shopping bags up the stairs? Offer her a helping hand! You never know when you will be the one needing some extra help. You could even just tell the girl sitting next to you on the train that her bracelet is beautiful. Or tell the receptionist at your office that you are grateful for her reliability. It is so simple to brighten someone elses day and it will certainly come back to you times 10.