At the beginning of this year there were probably many who have made a resolution to lose weight, eat healthier, or just in general “improve my health”.  Well… now is as good a time as any to start, or improve in, caring for our health.

There are countless ways to go about this and the best way for you depends on your body and lifestyle. Most of us are exposed to situations in our daily lives that can be hard on our bodies.  For me a couple of those would be the air in our city during the winter and the fact that I work at a computer for at least part of the day.  Air pollution is hard on our bodies because we take it straight into our system.  Sitting down can be stressful on the back and other parts of the body and of course means the body is not being exercised. (Hint: take little breaks for water and stretching)

I recommend you consult with your doctor or trusted health professional as to how to improve your health.  I will however share some information I’ve learned over the years from my own health and the health of others close to me.  If you’re short on time, at least check out number 1.

1. Stress – Reduce it!  (Notice I didn’t say eliminate it.  Though that would be best)  In my observations, pretty much all disease and lack of health can be attributed to stress in one form or another.  This can be mental and emotional stress and it can also be direct physical stress from too much exposure to unhealthy elements around us, like the air pollution in our large cities, or just a lack of healthy things like raw vegetables and clean water.  Basically if you take the stress off the body it begins to heal itself as it was designed to do.  And the big one for many of us is the stress eating.

2. Eat Well – Find ways of eating healthy foods.  If you like to snack, prepare some healthy snacks in advance that you can grab quickly from the fridge or cupboard.  Washed and cut up vegetables, nuts, fruits (be careful if you’re diabetic), whole grain foods etc..
Make sure that you eat healthy at meal times.  Prepare extra food when you cook so you can quickly warm up something the next day or soon after instead of going for a traditional frozen meal or eating out.  If you do eat out, make it the exception instead of the norm and choose a place that has a selection of fresh healthy food.  One of our favorites here is Cafe Rio.  Fresh and tasty.

Make a general rule to have fruits and/or vegetables with every meal.
I had a hard time with this one at first.  Try this. For breakfast have a healthy shake.  By using a blender or a simple stick blender I can combine fruit, juices, rice milk, or maybe some milk if want it creamy (but watch out for the artificial hormones in many brands), protein powder and green powder, or maybe some fresh spinach, into a really tasty and healthy smoothie.  Now the natural sugar may be a bit high for some people but I exercise regularly and get some really good greens and protein in this way.
A green powder I’ve used is called Perfect Food by Garden of Health.  (The best price I’ve found so far is from Amazon.com)  However, if you can use fresh vegetables that’s probably better.

600 gram Green Powder

The Protein Powder is a Whey Protein .  ( I get a 5 lb. bag of the Vanilla flavor at Costco or Sam’s Club for just over $30 that lasts me two or three months)
I don’t know if either one of these is considered the best but they work well for me. Feel free to look up some comparisons online.  You may find some that are better for you.  If you do, let me know in the comments below and why you feel it is better.

So this part doesn’t get any longer…  Look for the latest info and also the longest running info on what is healthy to eat and then start doing it even if it is in small steps.

3. Drink it up -  One of the best ways to stay healthy (and snack less) is to keep a bottle of clean water close by and drink a little every few minutes.  (Before you get thirsty.  Thirst is usually your body’s way of saying that it is too low on liquids already.)  Make sure to clean the bottle frequently.

I would love to tell you how much water you should drink each day but there are hundreds of different ideas out there.  You can check out a basic guide from the Mayo clinic here. And you may like this calculator at About.com.

4. Get Moving -  Yes we all know it, but how many of us exercise enough?  If you don’t have a regular exercise program start something today.  It can be as simple as a few stretches every morning and parking the car farther from the door in the beginning.  Then as you get used to that, add some more to it.  You’re doctor may have some great suggestions for you if you have some health issues.  Almost anybody can do some kind of exercise.  I have a friend who is in a wheelchair due to being paralyzed from around the waist down, has a son to take care of and work to do, and he finds time to do stretches and exercises regularly.

In summary,  reduce your stress and deal with issues you may have from the past, drink lots of water and eat lots of raw veggies, and get your muscles movin’.

Remember to take small steps and develop good habits.  Focus on 1 or 2 things and develop those into habits and then add on more healthy habits as you get accustomed to the others.  If you can increase without getting too stressed then that may work for you.

Be good to your body and watch your mood and energy levels improve.

P.S.

My wife and I have been learning about using natural essential oils for a healthy body.  It is really amazing what can be done! If you’re interested, we’ve learned most of it from doTerra Essential Oils.  And there is a blog at www.pureessentialoilinfo.com that has good quality information and tips about using the oils instead of the medicine cabinet.

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