Six Principals for
Optimal Health
Everyone is different,
but there are six steps that everyone can use to stay in the best
shape possible. We all need to keep our body running as well as
possible, so do as many of these steps as you can to keep yourself
in tip-top shape.
Drink Eight 8-ounce Glasses of
Water Daily
Most Americans fail to
provide their body with this necessary, but often overlooked
nutrient. The human body can survive quite a while without food,
but try going without water and see how long you last.
Drinking water will
improve your skin, reduce constipation, help control weight, and
sometimes, curb hunger pains. Water can even reduce your
cholesterol level. And, studies have shown that 99% of kidney
stones result from not drinking enough water.
Refined foods lead to
a less healthy body. The overall health of Americans began to
decline with the introduction of refined and processed foods.
Heart
disease and
diabetes
increased as the intake of fresh foods declined and nutrient intake
also declined.
Canned, packaged and
frozen foods do not have the
nutrients
found in
whole foods. Fresh foods have enzymes, vitamins, minerals,
amino acids, fiber and other nutritional nutrients to make you
healthy.
Exercise
You must move to
attain optimal health. Try a brisk walk five times a week for 30
minutes and see how much better you feel. Government guidelines
actually show that you need an hour of exercise daily. But, 30
minutes is definitely better than none.
If you have a weight
problem, 30 minutes will not make a dent unless you cut down on
processed foods and eat smaller portions than your local restaurant
brings you. Please, check with your doctor to be sure that you are
physically capable of exercising to the extent you need.
Keep a Healthy Weight
If you begin to have a
healthier lifestyle and add some exercise to your daily regimen, you
will start seeing results. The weight may come off slowly, but it
is then more likely to stay off than if you lose it quickly. Make
your goal a sensible goal that is possible to attain. Don't start
off thinking that you are going to be a size 2 next week!
Try cutting down on
your fat intake. Use extra virgin olive oil instead of butter or
canola oil instead of unsaturated vegetable oils. Eat more complex
carbs such as brown rice and beans. They are metabolized more
slowly than refined carbohydrates. Eat less sugar. All sugars are
turned into fat if they aren't used by the body quickly. If you
have to eat something sweet,
fruit is better for you than cakes
or cookies.
Fruit has vitamins and minerals
that you may be lacking.
Try Natural Remedies
Synthetic drugs are
not a magic cure for what ails you. While they do often save lives,
they can and do often have terrible side effects. Everyone should
learn to treat common ailments naturally. Indigestion and allergies
can often be treated with a dose of common sense and natural
alternatives. Ask your doctor before you stop taking a
prescription, but there are healthy alternatives to many
prescription drugs.
Nutritional supplements
insure that your body stays in top physical health. A healthy body
must have all the required nutrients to be in peak condition. Even
if you switch to
whole
foods, our soils have become depleted from overuse. Everyone
has heard that you are supposed to let the land rest every seven
years, but do you see this anymore? The soil does not have time to
replenish the
minerals
that it gives up in our foods. And, grocery store
vegetables
are not as fresh as they would be if you picked them from your own
garden. They lose many of the
necessary
nutrients during travel time. And, unless you eat a completely
balanced diet, you are not getting all the
nutrients you need. |
