7 Ways to Turn Health Intentions into Daily Health Habits

You’ve made a decision to benefit your health. Good for you! The next step is to turn that desired health-related behavior into a health habit that you just do, routinely, and don’t even have to think about any more.

Whether you’re determined to drink a glass of water with each meal, apply sunscreen every morning, or take Cystex® Urinary Health Maintenance daily, transforming your intention into reality can be easier if you follow these habit-forming tips.

1. Be specific and focused. Don’t make your goal too big or too vague. Aim for something tangible and realistic, like “Every day, I will add Cystex Urinary Health Maintenance to my breakfast routine,” or “I will walk for 15 minutes after lunch Monday to Friday.”
2. Go public. Tell others what you’re up to. When you speak openly about your goals, you are more likely to achieve them. Talking about your ambitions makes them feel real and also makes you accountable; not only to yourself, but also to your friends and family, who are rooting for you.
3. Find ways to make it automatic. How can your new health habit conveniently fit into your life? Can you trigger the behavior whenever you’re in a certain room? Would storing a bottle of Cystex® Urinary Health Maintenance at your desk remind you to take it? If you stash workout clothes in your car, will you squeeze in more exercise sessions?
4. Measure your success. Keep track of the days that you’ve achieved your goal by marking them off on a calendar. Visual reminders can encourage you to stick with it so you don’t break your streak.
5. Reward yourself when you’ve reached a milestone. Did you remember to take Cystex® Urinary Health Maintenance all week? Pat yourself on the back and do something nice for yourself like taking a relaxing yoga class or watching a favorite movie – it’s your treat, so you name it!
6. Give yourself lots of time. According to research published in the European Journal of Social Psychology¹ it takes between 18 and 254 days to convert a new behavior into a habit. Be patient and accept the process.
7. Go easy on yourself. Scientists¹ have found that just because people miss a day or two while trying to form a new habit, it doesn’t mean they’re destined to fail. Forgot your Cystex® Urinary Health Maintenance today? Just get back on the wagon tomorrow. Wellness is a lifelong journey — not an all-or-nothing proposition.

Whether your challenge is recurrent urinary tract infections or something else, we commend you for taking steps to incorporate new health habits – like Cystex® Urinary Health Maintenance– into your day.

Just one tablespoon of Cystex® Urinary Health Maintenance provides key ingredients for urinary wellness including potent cranberry and:

1. Antioxidants – to help protect the body’s cells from damage and to benefit the immune system
2. Antalkalines – to help maintain healthy urine and reduce inflammation
3. Anti-adherents – to help keep bad bacteria from hanging around
4. Prebiotics – to help promote healthy bacteria.

Cystex® Urinary Health Maintenance is lactose-, gluten- and sugar-free, and is just one calorie per tablespoon.

Think you may have a urinary tract infection (UTI)? Learn about
UTI symptoms and talk to a healthcare professional right away. The only cure for a urinary tract infection is a prescription antibiotic.

Reference:

1. Lally, P., van Jaarsveld, C. H. M., Potts, H. W. W. and Wardle, J. (2010), How are habits formed: Modeling habit formation in the real world. Eur. J. Soc. Psychol., 40: 998–1009. doi:10.1002/ejsp.674 http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/ejsp.674/full