EASY Tips to Maintaining or Achieving Health

It sounds simple, and it is. The keys to a healthy life are available for everyone, and at no cost. Many people who are slaves to medical care can cast off that mantle of expense and despair by just adopting these four simple principles.

Eat Healthfully

Eating healthfully sounds easy enough, yet statistically 2/3 of all Americans are overweight or obese. Where does one start? The four most deadly foods:

• Soda pop


• Processed foods containing numerous chemicals including high fructose corn syrup


• Sugar


• Highly refined white flour products

There are a plethora of nutritionists and scientists who agree that eliminating these items alone will drastically improve one’s health. From the original 1930’s harbinger of nutritional warning, Weston A. Price in Nutrition and Degenerative Disease, to science writer Gary Taubes and Good Calories, Bad Calories in 2006, increasing numbers of health professionals are strongly advising people to avoid sugar (including high fructose corn syrup) and refined white flour.

Exercise Regularly

Exercising regularly does not require gym membership. The simple act of walking can suffice for most individuals. A very worthy goal is to walk 10,000 steps a day, which equates to about 5 miles. Most people, shockingly, only average 400 steps per day.

Obviously some people are not able to walk because of disabilities, but most people are able to do some form of exercise that does not require expensive gym membership. There are channels on the television that are dedicated to exercise, and don’t discount housework, yard work and gardening as beneficial forms of exercise. Dumb bells are effective and cheap and will easily suffice for weight bearing exercise, as will the rubber tubing devices.

Get Enough Sleep

Surprisingly, lack of adequate sleep is a prime culprit contributing to weight gain and illness. Despite hectic schedules, all people should get between 7 and 8 hours of sleep, at a minimum. Sleep provides the body time to repair and to restore itself to maximum function.

Turn off lights while sleeping. Studies indicate that any source of artificial light in a room, no matter how tiny, keeps a person from producing melatonin.

Reduce Stress

This last recommendation is, for some, easier said than done. All too often, however, people carry stress that is unnecessary and unproductive. Recognize things that are beyond your control and learn to let these items go. This may mean limiting one’s exposure to continuous bad press. Sitting and watching the news and negative talk shows or crime dramas all evening may ultimately be contributing greatly to one’s stressful state of mind.

Being continuously stressed can contribute greatly to poor health:

• Stressed people often over eat or crave fats and sweets.


• Stress and depression can cause sleep difficulties.


• Depressed/stressed people tend to exercise far less than their more positive counterparts.


• Ironically, lack of exercise can in turn contribute to depression and stress.
  

The Power of Positive Thinking

Never underestimate the power of thinking positive thoughts! As Joseph Murphy, the author of The Power of Your Subconscious Mind said, " You are what you think, all day long." And, "Change your thoughts and you change your destiny."

Yes, it really is this easy to improve your health. Take it one step at a time, and remember, be kind to yourself. Times are tough enough.

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