Dr. Oz's 5-Day Plan To Feeling Great

Merry Christmas Eve, everyone! Will and I got to Greensboro last night and are here to celebrate Christmas early with my family! We've had a BLAST so far celebrating and I can't wait for the next few days as we head to Raleigh to spend the rest of the holiday with both sides of Will's family. Although there are never enough hours that we get to spend with all of our family, any time we can get is something we are both very thankful for.

Another thing I am thankful for is Christmas! Christmas is one of my favorite holidays because of all the yummy foods, the time spent with loved ones and celebrating Jesus.I haven't really given much any thought to all of the calories that I will be consuming over the course of the week. And even though I will probably sleep like a baby most nights throughout my vacation, I'm sure I will feel the need to go on a much need jog (or four) around the block when we get back to Charlotte.

Thankfully Dr. Oz has created a simple plan that's geared towards improving 5 key areas of your health: metabolism, immunity, brainpower, sleep habits and how you age. Take a few minutes to read over the plan and who knows, maybe you will learn something new like I did!

Day 1: BOOST BRIAN POWER

EAT
Celery. It contains luteolin, a nutrient that has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties and may help prevent the plaque buildup in the brain that can lead to Alzheimer's.

DRINK
White tea. It contains theanine, which has been shown to increase the  brain wave activity associated with improved attention.

DO
Cook with coconut oil. It has a type of fat that's immediately shuttled to your blood for your brain to use as fuel.

Day 2: REV YOU METABOLISM

EAT
Chili peppers. Capsaicin, the compound that makes peppers hot, can boost your metabolism by more than 20%. Eating lean protein like chicken and turkey can use seven times more energy to digest than consuming fat or carbohydrates.

DRINK
A glass of water. When your body doesn't have enough water, your metabolism slows down.

DO
Strength-train. Doing so builds muscle, which helps you burn more calories. Do resistance training at least twice a week for 15 to 20 minutes.

Day 3: STRENGTHEN YOUR IMMUNITY

EAT
Garlic. It boosts your immune system by increasing the production of disease-fighting white blood cells.

DRINK
Anything with Vitamin C. Try orange, grapefruit or papaya juice. Vitamin C is crucial to helping your immune system function well. People with Vitamin C rich diets have shorter colds with milder symptoms.

DO
Schedule a 30-minute walk. Make an appointment to work out. Research shows that people who exercise regularly have fewer colds than those who don't (or hardly ever) break a sweat.

Day 4: SLEEP LIKE A BABY

EAT
Wheat germ. These small flakes are high in vitamin B6, which can help alleviate stress and anxiety. Try having 1 tsp. on yogurt or cereal about an hour before bed.

DRINK
Cherry juice. Tart cherry juice is rich in melatonin, a hormone that helps regulate your internal clock. Drink an 8 oz. glass (try it with seltzer) two hours before going to bed.

DO
Wear an eye mask. It's important to block out extra light. Even the smallest sliver of light can stimulate your nervous system and disrupt your beauty sleep.

Day 5: SLOW DOWN AGING

EAT

Walnuts. They contain biotin, which helps strengthens nails and may help thinning hair. They also have omega-3s, which may help reduce wrinkles.

DRINK

Drink Oz's "green drink". It's packed with anti-aging antioxidants. Mix 2 cups of spinach, 2 cups of cucumber, 1 head of celery, 1/2 tsp. of ginger-root, 1 bunch of parsley, 2 apples, the juice of 1 lime and the juice of 1 lemon in a blender. Makes 3 to 4 cups. 

DO

Check your vitamin D level. A new study shows, women with high levels of vitamin D will have about five extra years of cell division. When your cells can't divide, the effects of aging become more noticeable.

If you repeat the daily tips, by the end of three weeks, they will more then likely become habits!

The plan above by Dr. Oz was featured in Woman's Day Magazine.