Posts Tagged ‘Good Health’
Without good health it will be difficult to make your dreams come true. Vitality and energy are by products of good health and are needed to achieve career success, excellent relationships, and many other goals.
There are no guarantees, but here are some ideas for increasing your odds of having a long and healthy life.
1. Drink plenty of water.
Much of our body and brain are made up of water. You need water to stay hydrated, to flush out toxins, to assimilate nutrients from food, and for your brain to function properly. Drinking plenty of water also keeps your skin from becoming dry and prematurely wrinkled from dehydration.
How much water do you need a day? Rule of thumb is to drink one half of your weight in ounces each day. For example, if you weighed 130 pounds, you would need 65 ounces or approximately two quarts of water a day. If you do strenuous exercise or work, you will need even more water.
Coffee, tea, and soda are not substitutes for water. They actually are dehydrating and if you drink them you will need more water. Even fruit juice is not a substitute for water because it comes from a food source and is not a true solvent.
Drinking tap water is better than not getting enough but it is best to drink water which has been purified naturally or through reverse osmosis or distillation. Only some of the bottled water meets these criteria.
I have a habit of carrying a bottle of water wherever I go and I drink at least one half of my weight in ounces every day.
2. You need a little sunshine.
It is true that you can get too much sun but we need some sunshine. Ten to twenty minutes of daily early morning or late evening sun is beneficial.
Sunshine gives you vitamin D which you need so your bones can absorb calcium. Without enough vitamin D our bones can become brittle and break. It is unnatural to spend all of our time indoors. We need fresh air and a little sunshine to maintain excellent health.
Several years ago I worked in a high rise and I was getting very little sunshine. I had a blood test and learned that I was low in Vitamin D and I was starting to experience some bone loss. Since that time I have been taking a vitamin D supplement and I try to get a minimum of 10-15 minutes of early morning or late evening sunshine several days a week. I have checked my level of vitamin D periodically and it has been normal.
3. Exercise is important.
Our bodies need movement and physical activity. Proper exercise slows down our physical deterioration.
We need three types of exercise: Flexibility, aerobic, and strength training.
A. Flexibility exercise.
As we age our bodies become stiffer. Yoga, swimming, tai chi, or just doing stretching helps us to maintain flexibility.
B. Aerobic or cardiovascular exercise.
Walking, biking, jogging, dancing, and sports which help you to stay in your working heart rate for 20-30 minutes are beneficial to your heart. Charts are available to determine the working heart rate for your age bracket.
C. Strength training exercise.
This exercise keeps your muscles firm and strong. It also keeps your bones strong when combined with proper nutrition. This type of exercise includes weight lifting (it can be light weights), calisthenics, and machines which provide resistance.
Unless we are an athlete or compete in sports we do not need to spend a large amount of exercising. Like anything else it can be overdone and then the returns diminish. Moderation has its benefit.
My personal exercise program does not require a lot of time. I spend twenty minutes a day taking a fast walk for aerobic benefit plus five minutes jumping on a small trampoline (rebounder). I do five minutes of yoga a day plus five to ten minutes on an inverter table for stretching & flexibility. I exercise for ten to fifteen minutes twice a week with light weights for strength training.
If your diet is good, a mild to moderate exercise program is sufficient to stay fit.
4. Eat well.
Fresh fruits and vegetables are among the most important foods you can eat. The greater the variety of colors, the better because they contain different types of antioxidants. Antioxidants strengthen your immune system and slow the aging process. Fresh produce is best, frozen is second best, and the least nutritious are canned fruits and vegetables.
It is beneficial to eat some raw foods such as vegetables, fruits, nuts, and seeds. They contain enzymes which are frequently destroyed when the food is cooked. Enzymes help with digestion and increase our energy. Eating a salad with one or two meals a day is a great habit.
When you eat raw food, know your sources to avoid bacteria contamination. Whole grains, legumes, seeds, and nuts are beneficial. Raw nuts, seeds, fruit, and vegetables contain energy in addition to vitamins and minerals.
Fast foods, food high in sodium, saturated fat, transfats and sugar are best avoided or reduced.
I have been a lacto-vegetarian (includes diary but no eggs, fish, chicken, or meat) since I was in my thirties (over 30 years). For the past two years I have been vegan (includes seeds, nuts, fruits, vegetables, grains, and legumes but no meat or diary).
Following some of these simple and common sense health tips can increase your chances of living a healthy and enjoyable life.
Copyright 2007. Raymond Gerson
One important thing to look at when you’re shopping for term life insurance is whether or not it has a conversion credit. This basically means the policy can be converted to a whole life policy if you choose to do so. While you may not plan to convert your policy, it’s a good idea to have the option open to you in case your life changes direction in the future and you need to convert it.
The reason you want to find a policy that’s convertible is because it provides you the ability to convert it to term life insurance without proof that you’re in good health. This means if you develop cancer in the last few months before your term is up, then you may be able to convert it to a whole policy for a very attractive premium. Without the convertible option on your term life insurance policy, you’ll have a much more difficult time getting whole insurance because the premium will be very high.
Don’t be fooled by low-premium policies which do not offer the convertible option. It’s very common for insurance companies to reel in customers with the offer of a low premium without mentioning that the term life insurance policy cannot be converted to whole insurance. Just make sure whenever you shop for insurance that you compare two policies that are alike. Don’t try to compare one policy which has a convertible option to another policy that doesn’t.
The comparison can’t be made effectively because you simply don’t know what life’s going to throw you.
Always put your family first when you’re making a decision about life insurance. It’s better to have insurance you can adjust to fill their needs if something catastrophic happens to you. And don’t forget that if you beat that bout of cancer, you’ve still got your whole policy, which keeps gaining value through the years.
There are so many health tips one can go over today. From diets to disease prevention, there is something to learn about how to stay healthy. The problem for most people is applying these to their life. It is easy enough to hear how to live better, stay healthy, and feel good, but to actually do it is a whole other issue. There are some easy things anyone can do to better their life that will help them to live longer. While there is still some effort needed to change your lifestyle to accommodate them, they will not cost you a dime. Simple tips to reduce the amount of stress in your life and stay healthy both emotionally and physically are all you really need to keep your body in good health over all.
Reducing Stress
A key factor in staying healthy is to reduce stress. When it comes to health tips, this is one of the top dogs. Stress has so many negative side effects on ones health. It can cause so many types of issues; it is probably one of the worst antagonists to getting sick. When the body is in that fight or flight mode too long it causes your immune system to fail. This is when you begin to get every virus and infection you can think of. You can also end up raising your blood pressure to dangerous levels or getting ulcers. Reducing stress can really save your body from some crazy wear and tear. Not only will you feel better, your body will not give out on you.
Walking For Life
High on the health tips menu for good living is walking. It keeps you physically fit as well as mentally sharp. Whether you take a fast walk for exercise or a gentle stroll for clearing your head, you are doing the body good. Walking is one of the best ways to stay in shape. It is the type exercise that almost all people can do. It works the muscles and cardiovascular system, but does not make arthritis worse. It can sooth you when you are angry or sad. Walking just is the magic work out that is good for you no matter how much or little you do it. Just getting gin a few walks per week can make a huge difference in your over all well-being.
The Secret Of Rest And Relaxation
Health tips are not only about exercise and diet. They can also be about how to rest and relax as well. Part of staying healthy is knowing when to stay down and get your rest. The mind and body need to relax and heal each day. If you do not get enough rest you can cause yourself to get sick. Resting and relaxing offers the body some time to just be there watching. No need to be asleep, just non-active and taking in the world. This type of natural therapy keeps the body in balance and allows you to think clearly.
So you want to drop a few pounds. Join the crowd.
Weight Loss is usually what comes to most people’s mind
when the word ‘diet’ is mentioned. Although diet and
weight loss are closely related, at least cousins, they
should be thought of separately.
Of course, with the proper diet you can lose or gain weight.
But diet is so important to good health. By starving
yourself you definitely will lose weight but if you survive,
your health may be a wreck.
For a moment forget the weight loss puddings, shakes,
powders, pills, patches, candy bars and who knows what else.
Let’s concentrate on a few healthy diet tips that should help
you reach your weight loss goals and retain your health.
Tip #1: Old advice but the best: Drink a lot of pure water.
It’s the best drink on the planet. Next best are fruit and
veggie juice. Be careful with the fruit juice it has a high
sugar content, even though it is ‘good’ sugar.
You must stay hydrated (not drowned). The body needs to
flush out what shouldn’t be there (toxins, etc.). Another
benefit is that the body will feel full so less hunger
pangs, less calories, less weight.
Water helps the skin (your biggest organ) stay supple and
retains its elasticity. No one wants skin that is hanging
loosely. Water keeps the skin beautiful and radiant.
Tip #2: Set Realistic & Achievable Goals
Go back to tip #1 – Water Goal- Drink at least 6-8 8 ounce
glasses of pure, clean water every day.
Goals are very, very important. If you don’t know where
you’re going and where you have been you’ll definitely
end up somewhere – lost and frustrated.
Keep track of your progress and your slips, slides and
successes. Be honest: The scales, at least good ones,
don’t lie, only people fool themselves.
Tip #3: Be Accountable to Someone – Not You
This tip can make or break your goals. Find someone who has
the same or close to the same goals that you do. Report
your progress to that person and do the same for them.
Criticize, complement and comment on each other’s goals.
Yes, be tough but be kind. Make sure you really reveal
each others successes and set backs. Keep good records and
keep moving ahead. Speaking of moving. See the next tip.
Tip #4: Move it, move ALL of it.
Get out of the chair, off the couch and out of the house.
O.K. the weathers bad stay in the house but do some
exercise. Walk, jump rope, dance (even with yourself, put on
some ‘moving music’; no one is watching). O.K. the sun is
back out. Play golf, play volleyball, kick the ball (not
the dog), play tennis, or just play something besides a
video game.
Secret: Learn to have fun (called exercise) while burning
calories. I know cleaning the house isn’t exactly like
going to Disney World but you can make it fun. Put on some
music and dance your way through the house. The mop and
broom make excellent dance partners. Hot music burns
calories.
Tip #5: Go look in the mirror – Smile
“Attitude is Everything” Your attitude will motivate or
destroy everything; every goal you set.
See the positive side of your dieting. Your self control
and ‘stick-to-it-ness’ will raise your self esteem to new
levels. Look at your ‘failures’ as learning experiences
that you won’t repeat. In the world of sales it takes a
lot of “no” to find one “yes” but that one yes makes all
the negativity go away.
Find your “yes”. The pounds will go away also.
Maintaining a healthy diet is essential in every man’s daily living. If you are dieting to lose weight, or you just want to stay healthy and free from illnesses and diseases, maintaining a healthy diet is one good way in living a healthy and happy life.
With the busy lifestyle we have today and with our demanding jobs, we tend to go for foods that are instantly prepared or something that we can munch or chew while on the go. We also tend to take in a lot of processed foods because we find them convenient and easy. And of course, the price we pay for convenience and ‘fast’ food is depriving our bodies with the proper nutrition it needs.
In this busy world, we ought to pause for a while and check on our diet. We may have realized about that many times, but like losing weight, we keep putting it off or we could not really find a motivation in maintaining a healthy diet.
What is Healthy
A healthy diet is one which helps you maintain good health and keeps your body away from diseases. It is a balanced diet that will help you get active in your daily life and that is something that will help your body perform at its best. Although different people may require different levels of what is a good diet for them, maintaining a healthy diet and a balanced one would mean eating a wide variety of foods that will give you the right combination of nutrients. It would mean lots of fruits and vegetables in your diet and lesser saturated fats.
Aside from giving your body the nutrients required to make it work and function well, good taste of course is also a factor. You do not have to sacrifice to a bland diet to make it healthy. In fact, fruits and vegetables have their own distinct and delicious taste. We just have to give time to prepare such natural sources of vitamins and minerals needed by our body, but in this busy world today, we seem to forget about it and switch to the most convenient and easy to prepare food.
How to maintain a healthy and good diet
Maintaining a healthy diet may indeed be a little difficult especially if we are constantly in a rush. One way of making a healthy and balanced diet is to choose healthier foods and do away with those fancy and fast foods. It is not hard to find a piece of apple for a snack or a have some vegetables for dinner. You just have to choose healthy foods while shopping or you can store them frozen.
Because certain foods give particular nutrients and benefits to the body, it is important that you maintain a healthy and balanced diet by taking in a variety of nutritious food. This way, you will be able to get a lot of different nutrients for your body. You may also change your diet depending on your existing health conditions.
Also think about just the right amount of food that your body needs. Obesity is a very common problem, and do not feed yourself more than what your body can take in. If you are obese, help take care of yourself by shedding those extra fats that your body does not need. When you trim down to your ideal weight, stay healthy by having a healthy and balanced diet.
I guess we all want to know that magic formula to help us lose weight whenever we want. We would all love to discover that simple solution that would help us to live longer and much healthier lives. But unfortunately we all know that there just aren’t any shortcuts to having good personal health.
If you really want to live longer then you must have a healthy diet and some exercise at least. It will not happen with trick diets or magic pills – that’s for sure.
To be honest it is really not very surprising that we want to find quick shortcuts to good health and a better lifestyle. By eating a healthier diet and following a regular, but not strict, exercise routine can seem like hard work. And of course they both take time and effort to succeed. In today’s society of quick fixes it seems that diet and exercise just do not do it quickly enough for most of us. So most personal health plans just fail.
However if you can manage to eat a good healthy diet and stick to your exercise program you will actually lose weight, improve your health and as a consequence you will feel better physically and mentally too. Really there is no great secret to having a healthier lifestyle. You just need to burn up more calories than you do now and eat less too. Basically it is a fairly simple formula to follow.
Your first step to living a longer life from diet and exercise is when you begin eating in a healthy way. For starters you must avoid all fast food restaurants however much you crave them. It is better to only eat out only occasionally as a very special treat. Try and cut out deserts as they usually mean you over eat. But instead focus on eating plenty of vegetables, fruit and aim for leaner meats.
Please understand though that dieting does not mean starving yourself. That is a recipe for trouble and potentially bad health!. Also it doesn’t mean cutting out your favorite foods. If you’re in love with pizza you do not have to forbid yourself from ever eating a slice of your favorite pizza ever again. Just be sensible and make sure you only eat pizza occasionally from now on.
Also do not be tempted to try one of the trendy diet plans that get advertised. If you are lucky you could lose weight using a plan like this, but what will happen after you leave that diet plan? The weight you lost inevitably comes back, often sooner rather than later. Be warned also that it is actually impossible to follow most of these diet plans for a very long time. So thick bout what you are doing and just try eating healthy as the first step as this is something you will then be able to do for the rest of your life.
But just eating a healthy diet on its own is not going to be enough to get you there. Don’t kid yourself, because to really live a long and healthy life you must also exercise. Sorry, but this is the hard truth we hate to hear. Any type of physical activity will burn calories and most will strengthens muscles, improve your balance and help make your heart stronger. And if you are healthier then the stresses of daily life will start to disappear too.
Plan before you act! So, before defining your own personal health plan and exercise regime, first take a closer look at your own personal lifestyle. If you have not actually worked out regularly for a few years then make sure you start to exercise slowly. Don’t do too much at first. A good personal health plan in this situation should be started by taking a long walk every evening to see how you get on. Or if you feel fitter then this you may cold start going for regular bicycle rides, every day or so.
As your stamina begins to build up and your endurance improves you will be able to increase the frequency and the intensity of your exercise workout sessions. You could try jogging instead of just walking. You could join a local gym and do circuits on their specialist machines. You could also buy some weights for use at home and incorporate them into your personal exercise program.
However this whole process of getting fitter and healthier does take time. But the good news is that if you can stick with it then you will build up your stamina and then you will start to see the results that you wanted so much. The same commitment will be rewarded if you make the effort to eat a healthy diet too. So before too long you should be seeing a much healthier person when you look in the mirror every day. And that will give you a much better chance of living longer!