Disinfect your home after an illness, try Jalen Hurts's motivational trick and eat yogurt — plus 8 more tips for having a great week

Hello Yahoo Life readers! My name is Kaitlin, and I’m here to share this week’s best health and wellness tips.

We get it: Mornings are dark these days, and your bed is ultra-cozy. One way to encourage yourself to greet the day is to create a morning routine that you’ll actually look forward to. Yahoo Life editor Erin Donnelly rounded up the habits that readers swear by to make their mornings special, from exercising in the wee hours to finding a gratitude practice. (Journaling, anyone?)

And speaking of exercising in the morning — why not go for a long walk? While there are perks to getting your steps in throughout the day, going for a walk that’s more than 30 minutes can increase your fat burn — not to mention put you in a better place mentally thanks to its meditative qualities.

Want to see what this week looks like, weather-wise? Check out your local forecast to find out. Looking to the stars for guidance? Read your horoscope next. Then, dive into these wellness tips below for small steps you can take to make this week the best it can be.

?? Disinfect your house

If you’re one of the millions of people around the country impacted by the spike in illnesses such as norovirus, flu, COVID and RSV, then you may think you’re in the clear once everyone in your household heals. Unfortunately, there’s more to do. It’s important to disinfect your house post-illness, as germs can linger on surfaces and potentially spread to others. Wash laundry items like clothes, blankets and towels in hot water, and clean high-touch areas like sinks, doorknobs, counters and tables with soap and water before disinfecting with wipes and sprays. (Make sure to wipe down your phone and laptop too!)

Another tip? Open your windows and blinds: Doing so allows fresh air to circulate and help reduce the germs lingering in your house, and ultraviolet light from the sun helps to kill pathogens.

?? Sample a different kind of canned fish

Worried about the recent canned tuna recall? While only certain brands are impacted due to botulism concerns, now is a great time to test out other types of canned fish. If you’re used to making a tuna salad sandwich, go for canned salmon instead, which is packed with brain-healthy omega-3s, plus all-important protein and calcium. Or get creative with different varieties of trendy tinned fish: Toss sardines into a salad or make a smoked trout dip to have alongside crackers and crudités.

?? Try this motivational trick from Jalen Hurts

Jalen Hurts just took home a Super Bowl ring for the Eagles, defeating the Kansas City Chiefs — a rematch of the 2023 big game. Something that the quarterback did in the two years between his team’s defeat and their stunning win was keep a reminder of his Super Bowl loss as a screensaver on his phone. This can be described as a “digital nudge,” which health psychologist Simon Williams previously wrote in an article for Insider saying it can help you stay motivated. In this case, the photo of Hurts walking off the field post-defeat inspired him to work hard … and fortunately for the Eagles, it paid off.

?? Check out this grocery shopping tip

Want to reduce your plastic use but hate how paper grocery bags rip easily under the weight of your weekly haul? An Aldi shopper on Reddit has a great hack: Go for a canvas bag with a cardboard box inside. This combo prevents items from shifting, which makes carrying heavy loads easier — plus, it simplifies loading and unloading groceries. With an easier-to-carry bag, you may even be tempted to skip your car and walk to and from the grocery store, which can help you sneak in some extra steps.

?? Consider a cold plunge

A recent review published in PLOS One found that cold-water immersion, like cold plunges, may temporarily reduce stress, improve sleep and even lower sick days. While more research is needed to confirm the long-term benefits of cold plunging, it may be worth trying yourself — if you can tolerate the icy temperatures, that is. You don’t need to sink into a full ice bath either: Dr. Darshan Shah, founder of Next Health, tells Yahoo Life that simply standing under a cold shower can activate similar physiological effects, such as improved energy. Try it for 30 seconds to start and work your way up to three minutes.

?? Sip a modern soda

You may have seen Poppi’s influencer-filled commercial during the big game and wondered if you should be swapping out your Coke for one of these so-called modern sodas. Brands like Poppi, Olipop and Zevia have significantly less sugar than traditional varieties and none of the artificial sweeteners found in drinks like Diet Coke. Just be wary of drinking too much: Some of these modern sodas, such as Poppi, contain fiber, and when consumed in excess, that can lead to uncomfortable bloating. Stick to one can per day.

?? Eat for brain health

Heather Sandison, a naturopathic doctor who just released her new book Reversing Alzheimer’s, has some advice for people who want to improve their cognitive health. In an adapted excerpt from her book published on CNBC, Sandison advises focusing on a diet that stabilizes blood sugar, as frequent spikes can lead to insulin resistance, increasing the risk of cognitive decline and diseases like Alzheimer’s. Rather than eliminating carbs entirely — since they provide essential energy for our bodies — she suggests opting for lower-carb alternatives, like a veggie-rich salad with meat instead of a sandwich, and prioritizing protein and healthy fats first to help slow sugar spikes.

One easy way to do this is with breakfast: Instead of reaching for a carb-heavy option like cereal or a bagel, try swapping it for a high-protein cottage cheese bowl or an omelet. Or if you do want something rich in carbs, make sure you eat protein and healthy fats first, such as snacking on a handful of nuts or two hard-boiled eggs before biting into that pastry.

?? Pick a cozy Zoom background

If you’re seeking to foster better relationships at work, pick a Zoom background that evokes cozy vibes. University of Texas at Austin professor Andrew Brodsky, who studies digital communication, told the Guardian that these types of backgrounds (as opposed to, say, something more sterile, like the inside of a spaceship) give the impression of warmth, which is important for creating a connection with your co-workers during a virtual meeting. Bookshelves and plants seem to be particularly popular, Brodsky noted from research — so maybe take your meeting from a virtual library?

?? Make veggies taste great

The company Row 7 just launched a line of veggies at Whole Foods that have been optimized for taste. The company’s mission is to get people to eat the good-for-you foods by making them delicious, but purchasing this specific produce line isn’t the only way to make vegetables more palatable. Try grilling your vegetables, which can give them a deeper flavor. Or jazz them up with fun sauces, adding hot honey to carrots, smoked paprika to cauliflower or even melted cheese over broccoli. Prefer to eat your veggies without seeing them? Blend them into tomato sauce, mashed potatoes or even a milkshake-like smoothie — no judgments here!

?? Eat yogurt

A study from Mass General Brigham found that eating yogurt regularly — at least twice a week — may lower the risk of a certain type of colon cancer. The possible reason? Yogurt contains Bifidobacterium, a type of good bacteria that may play a role in protecting the gut. That’s not the only reason to dig into a cup of yogurt, though: Yogurt also contains protein, calcium and probiotics that support digestion. Get the most out of your yogurt by creating a healthy bowl: Add some antioxidant-rich berries, fiber-filled seeds like chia or flax and a handful of nuts for some healthy fats.

?? Try cherries for dessert

If ice cream is your go-to dessert after a long day, consider topping it with cherries. Not only are they a classic sundae addition, but they’ve also been found to help promote better sleep quality, as Yahoo Life reported this week. Tart cherries in particular contain natural compounds, including melatonin, which helps regulate your body’s sleep schedule, so having it as a late-night snack may actually help you snooze. (Bonus points if you swap out the ice cream for Greek yogurt, which can also help you sleep more soundly thanks to magnesium.)