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This New Year, Make Small and Simple Changes to Create Dramatic Health Results and Achieve Better Life Balance

Wellness Tips from the Experts in Balanced Living

SAN MATEO, Calif. (December 14, 2006) —Want to increase your chances of keeping those New Year’s resolutions? Think in terms of making simple wellness changes over the course of time instead of tackling big transitions, according to the balanced living experts at The Balance Company™ (www.thebalancecompany.com).

The Balance Company recommends that individuals who want to make changes in the New Year abandon the idea of making a long list of desired transformations, which can quickly feel overwhelming, and instead focus on creating a foundation for change that sets the stage for longterm success. Dr. James Rouse, Chief Balance Coach for The Balance Company and a nationally recognized wellness expert, says "at the start of a New Year, most people are far too focused on what they need to remove from their lives to make them better. We see it differently at The Balance Company – it's about slowly adding the good stuff. Eventually there will be less room for the bad habits and temptations. This is what creates abundant lives."

Dr. Rouse offers these ideas in the areas of nutrition, mindset, fitness, and renewal, in alignment with the company's philosophy that making subtle shifts in these four areas is what can bring about a more balanced life:

For Better Nutrition:

Think less about removing foods from your diet, or what shouldn't be eaten – and think more about what can be added to your diet to make it more healthy.

• If the thought of giving up your sugary breakfast cereal is too much, try adding some fruit to it (antioxidant-rich blueberries are a good choice) to increase the good-for-you factor. Who knows, you might find you eventually want to switch over to a healthier cereal too!
• Despite what you may have heard, snacking can be good for you and a way to keep overeating at bay. Try adding a couple of healthy snacks to your diet each day – low-fat or non-fat yogurt, nuts or string cheese are good choices. Nuts may actually help you lose weight; researchers at Loma Linda University found that adding two 1-ounce servings of almonds daily to study participants' diets helped them achieve a better intake of nutrients while lowering trans fats, sugars and cholesterol.
• There's a big time gap between dinner and breakfast, so to keep your blood sugar stabilized and your body metabolically active during the night, try eating a small bowl of high-fiber cereal right before bed.

For a More Positive Mindset:

It's easy to obsess over what you can improve or change in your life, so instead, try adding gratitude to each day. Research suggests that those who keep a daily "gratitude journal" are more likely to stay with their health and self-care goals than those who don't. Start off each entry with "Today, I am thankful for…." and create your own ending!

For a Fitness Boost: Again, think about what you can add to your life (it doesn't have to be about making big trips to the gym!) Create "wellness windows" throughout the day that allow you to move more and generate energy for your body:

• On your commute to work, practice "deep breathing" while taking breaths from your belly, not your chest. This is scientifically proven to improve mood and reduce stress.
• In the living room, do some deep lunges or push-ups during TV commercial breaks.
• In the bathroom, do calf raises while brushing your teeth.

Don't be surprised if making these small changes leaves your craving even more movement!

For Better Rest and Renewal:

Add the following to your sleep environment to make it conducive to getting rest: window coverings that make it dark enough that you can't see your hand; bedding with natural fibers to enable better breathing (polyester can bother your nasal passages); and a stash of lavender or other aromatherapy scents to promote sleep. Finally, treat your bedroom as a sacred space dedicated to sleep only: never watch TV, balance your checkbook, or have an upsetting conversation in bed. And finally, we love those pets, but they are loving sleep disturbers – don't have them in your room overnight!

Experience Abundant Living in the New Year with The Balance Company

The Balance Company offers a toolset of products, tips, and ideas that take the guesswork out of figuring out how to achieve better health and balance for both body and mind. This consists of 'firstof- their-kind' products: BalanceOne™ - a super-concentrated functional beverage that delivers 35 different nutritional ingredients in each one-ounce daily serving, BalanceDrops™ - superconcentrated lozenges for energy and relaxation, and the BalanceGuide™ System - which provides inspirational tips and ideas that can help anyone achieve a healthier diet, a more focused mindset, greater fitness, and better rest and relaxation.

"Our mission is to help people achieve the energy, stress-resiliency, and sense of purpose necessary to live each day to the fullest," said Jon Slavet, Founder and CEO. "Everything we do supports living in balance - it's our passion and purpose."

about the balance company™

The Balance Company™ creates innovative products and inspirational ideas that help people lead healthier and more balanced lives. The company's innovative BalanceBox™ product and BalanceGuide™ philosophy deliver simple and effective solutions to increase energy, improve stress-resiliency, and increase sense of purpose in everyday life. The Balance Company is backed by some of the most successful founders and entrepreneurs in the health and wellness world, including Founders, CEOs and Board Members from 24 Hour Fitness, Odwalla, and Whole Foods. The company is based in San Mateo, Calif.