10 Easy Steps to a Healthy Lifestyle

I was visiting a friend the other day when he starts on about his health, what medicines his  doctor has him on the restricted diet his doctor wants him to follow and how he needs to start exercising. Then comes the discussion of the high cost of his insurance and how much he has to spend on his prescriptions etc.  He then asks me how many different prescriptions I had.

My friend was amazed when I told him that I used no medication, had no prescriptions and didn't have regularly scheduled doctor appointments. What shocked him the most was when he realized that I am six years older than he is.

Of course he wanted to know how that could be and what I did to stay so healthy. From that discussion I will share the 10 tips I gave my friend.

Following are ten things that you can do to promote optimal nutrition: 

1. Watch what you eat. Your meals should consist of a healthy daily balance of foods. Knowing your nutritional needs and not eating too much or too little can lead to a more balanced lifestyle. This doesn't mean that I don't enjoy a good pizza now and then or a sweet tasty dessert. I just enjoy in moderation. 

2. Sleep.  When you are sleep-deprived, your body begins to shut down. Make sure that you feel rested from getting an adequate amount of sleep. This will allow your body to function at a consistent and optimal speed every day.
   
3. Take vitamins and supplements. Paying attention to where your diet feels lacking. Once you have determined this, you can compensate with vitamins and supplements. I personally use Centrum Silver as my daily vitamin and a glass or two of V8 to supplement my vegetable intake.
 
4. Exercise. You should exercise at least three to five times per week. Exercise helps your body to build muscle, lose weight and can help prevent illness and disease. Even walking daily will help improve your health and increase your stamina. Adopt a dog and take them on daily walks, a dog is a great motivator for getting out and walking!
   
5. Fight addictions. Avoid over or under eating, eat nutritionally balanced meals . Use alcohol and nicotine in moderation or stop using both. Over indulgence can easily disrupt your nutritional balance and cause serious problems. Having a glass of wine or beer daily may have it's health benefits but again enjoy in moderation.

6. Keep learning. There are several different definitions of improving health.  Improving heath not only means diets, but there are holistic approaches that can be a part of your lifestyle. Keep researching and studying to determine what is and is not effective to help you in improving and maintaining your health. Continuous learning also keeps your mind healthy and keeps you feeling young.
 
7. Stay motivated. It is easy to begin working on improving our health and it is also easy to discontinue once we don’t see immediate results. A major aspect of improving your health is remaining consistent and motivated in your activities. It is important to make health care an every day priority. Set easily obtainable daily, weekly and monthly goals.

8. Get the right body measurements. Getting your body mass index taken, as well as finding where you need to focus your efforts in order to improve health can help you in staying motivated in improving your health.
 
9. Build a network. A network includes not only those that can provide information for you, but also support and assist you in building and maintaining health. I enjoy taking my dog along on my weekly hiking groups hikes.
 
10. Consult. There are a variety of health care providers and nutritionists that can help you. If you are uncertain about necessary steps to take, get in touch with the right person to determine what you need to do.

Choosing a healthy lifestyle can benefit you in several ways. It gives you a boost of energy and makes your body feel more in tune. It is important to identify ways you can improve your health. You can help yourself to live a more fulfilled life by consistently working towards improving your health.  By knowing what you need to do and by following those steps, you can be assured that you will attain better nutrition and energy.

Have a confident and healthy day!



JD


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Ten Clear Thinking Techniques And Tips

Does your mind sometimes feel like a television station you can't quite tune in? You know there's an interesting program on - or several, but everything is mixed with static. What if you could "tune in" at will, have clear thinking whenever you want it? Try some of the following.

Ten Clear Thinking Techniques And Tips

 1. Take a walk. Science will eventually prove this to be a great way to improve the quality of your thinking, but don't wait for the proof. Aren't there enough other reasons to take a walk anyhow?

 2. Stay away from sugar. If you want to understand what brain fog is, eat a sugary donut on an empty stomach, then do math problems twenty minutes later. What you will experience, along with the "sugar blues," is brain fog. At least lay off sugar and simple carbohydrates when you need to think clearly.

 3. Organized space means clear thinking. It's rare that a person can actually work better in clutter. Organized working space means you won't have the thought "where is that..." distracting your mind.

 4. Get better sleep. Sleep requirements vary, but the minimum for most is somewhere around five hours. Some suffer if they sleep less than eight hours. The research, however, indicates that after a certain minimum quantity, the quality of sleep is more important to normal brain function.

 5. Try meditating. No time? Just close your eyes, relax, and watch your breath for a while. Accept that your mind will wander, but continually return your attention to your breath. Five minutes of this, and afterwards you'll feel a boost in your brainpower.

 6. Resolve your "mind irritations." Watch your busy brain. Maybe a call you need to make has been bothering you, just below consciousness. Find these stressors, and do something to let them go. For example, make that call, or put it on a list, and your mind will let go of it for now. Just seeing a problem and saying, "There's nothing I can do about this until Friday," will often stop unconscious worrying.

 7. Don't drink alcohol. At least don't drink too much. While moderate amounts can be conducive to creative thinking, all the evidence says that it is bad for the long-term health of your brain.

 8. Make decisions quickly. Nothing gets in the way of clear thinking like a dozen decisions hanging around unmade. If nothing else, decide when you'll make the decision.

 9. Get some fresh air. Go outside and breath deeply through your nose. You'll get a good dose of oxygen to your brain, and the change of surroundings can help clear your mind.

 10. Satisfy your physical needs. Clear thinking is easier if you aren't too hungry, thirsty, or hot.

You can think more clearly starting today. There are certainly more than ten ways, but you really only need to make a few of them a habit to have a more powerful brain. Why not try one or two right now?



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