IF you’re looking to adopt healthy habits in the new year, consider adding these wellness practices to your list of 2021 goals. 1. Immune-boosting foods and behaviors Trying to fend off contracting a potentially fatal virus has more individuals seeking immune-boosting foods. Foods to add include vitamin C-rich choices like citrus — oranges, grapefruit and 100 percent orange juice — which have been flying off shelves since the onset of the pandemic. And there’s a good reason to drink or snack on these juicy foods: Citrus fruits contain the polyphenol hesperidin, a type of plant pigment that has been shown to provide anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, and vitamin C has long been shown to have immune health benefits. Other vital nutrients that can supercharge your immune system include probiotics — found in nonfat plain Greek yogurt, kefir and fermented foods and have been shown to improve gut health — and vitamin D. The best food sources of vitamin D include egg yolks, fatty fish and some mushrooms, as well as vitamin-D enriched foods and beverages, like milk, some breakfast cereals and orange juice. 2. At-home fitness apps and gear It’s not surprising that home fitness is one of the hottest trends in 2020 that will likely continue into 2021. Health-conscious individuals have been using Apple Fitness Plus, Keep and other streaming fitness apps. As far as the trending home exercise equipment, indoor rowers, dumb bells, resistance bands and weighted jump ropes have been popular. Now here’s the good news: The technology that’s bringing world-class coaches and the gym experience to your home appears to be helping to motivate more people to work out and crush their health and fitness goals. 3. Kitchen confidence As the pandemic put the kibosh on dining out, more people started making their own meals — and many of them plan on continuing to do so once the pandemic is over. Consumers say their kitchen confidence has soared over the last nine months. There are multiple perks of enjoying more home-cooked meals. Generally speaking, these dishes tend to be lower in total calories, saturated fat and added sugars compared to meals prepared outside of the home, along with being less expensive. 4. Sleep enhancers Without any reason to be out into the late hours, many people have started putting a higher priority on optimizing their sleep and bedtime rituals. Research has shown that improving sleep quality can help boost your body’s immune system. Furthermore, one timely study found that flu shots were more effective among individuals who got a solid night of shut-eye on a regular basis. (SD-Agencies) | 