Optimal health is something I think you will agree we would all like to feel even if we don’t actively work for it. We hear some of the same recommendations over and over again. For some, it may seem like it all sounds too easy. So why are we not getting the desired results in terms of youthfulness and feeling great?
First, even though it ‘all sounds easy’ – are we doing it? Second, are we doing it consistently?
Here are 5 Basics for feeling younger, high energy, and overall wellness.
1- DIET
Limit (LIMIT – you can cheat sometimes) the following foods: saturated fats, food additives, fried foods, smoked meats, high cholesterol foods, white sugar, white flour, alcohol, fast food, convenience food, skin of meats and chicken, organ meats.
Eat more (MORE): fruits, vegetables, gains, beans, seeds, nuts, lean proteins (soy is excellent) including fish, chicken and meat (make them smaller portions than your healthier side dishes. There are many choices within these groups (rice, noodles and pasta are ok in limited quantities).
You will not only have more energy from a diet like this, but you will lose weight and be fighting off certain diseases that could be life-long challenges.
2- DRINK
This is a category by itself because today more than ever we are drinking a lot of junk. It is so easy to consume many ounces of high calorie, low nutrition drinks that are making us both fat and sick – and providing us unbalanced energy like when we have spikes and then big drops in blood sugar levels.
Drink mostly pure, clean water. Sure you want more variety and it’s ok to add a glass or two of other liquids such as coffee, tea, natural juices (without a lot of added sugar) every day. However, overall, water is the healthiest choice. Sodas and other high sugar drinks have little or no nutrition and A LOT of hidden calories.
5 to 8 glasses of water each day is a great amount to target. Hydrate throughout the day so that you feel energized and aren’t tempted to reach for the soda or extra cup of coffee.
3- Exercise
Being active can not be underestimated in terms of health benefits, such as stress relief, better heart health including better cholesterol levels, bone health, and immune system – and reducing risks of diabetes, memory loss, depression, high blood pressure, and certain forms of cancer.
Plus, even people who resist exercising regularly because they can’t find time, or have some reason why they don’t exercise ‘enough’ will say that they FEEL BETTER when they do work out. It is a fact. There are chemical and hormonal reactions in our bodies that help us feel good when we exercise. SCHEDULE it into your day and your body will reap the benefits.
Include aerobic (cardio) and resistance – weights or some other form such as with bands or sit-ups, push-ups (I find that using a workout ball for sit-ups and push-ups is much easier on my back and I do it more often if it doesn’t hurt!!).
4- MIND
Did you know that what we THINK has a tremendous effect on our health? The positive or negative thoughts that are in our heads go hand in hand with how we feel each day.
Many scientists believe that virtually all of the diseases that we get can be linked to a defeat of our immune systems. In addition, the strength of our immune systems is related to how we manage our thoughts and feelings.
From depression to anxiety to stress or even sleeplessness, how we feel in terms of happiness can have an effect on all of these. Some effort in the area of positive thinking, relaxation, and everyday good self-talk can produce dramatic results in terms of how we feel and how healthy we are.
5- Natural Nutrition
Even though we eat an optimal diet, or try to, there is a very good chance that we don’t get all of the vitamins and all of the minerals and other nutrients that our bodies need everyday to build healthy cells.
Being healthy at the cellular level means that we can fight disease, both common and serious, and feel younger and healthier. There are now long-term (20+ year) clinical studies that have proved the fact that natural nutrition supplements produce better health overall than not taking any vitamins at all.
What goes in our mouths can determine our overall good health. Having that extra insurance of nutrition can help us fight current challenges and also target better health for the future.
We get energy from nutritious foods that we eat, from daily exercise, and from feeling good about ourselves. We have control over all of these things. Each of us has the power to decide what we eat, if we will work out today, and the thoughts that are going through our heads right now. That is power! Don’t you think so?
Very good advice.
I think we need to bear in mind that these days our soils are often depleted in minerals so we are not getting as much nutrition from fresh food as people did in the past.
Consequently it is probably wise to supplement our diet with good quality products.