The Healthy Way to Good Health

The Healthy Way to Good Health

To use an oft-repeated cliché, health is wealth, and if we don’t start safeguarding this, there’s no joy in living. To use another, prevention is better than cure, and these natural health improvement tips work wonders in not only keeping illness at bay, but also in keeping you young and fit.

1. A little exercise holds a lot of benefits: Work out, take a walk, go for a jog in the park, take up a game – exercise in any form provides you with good health the natural way. An hour a day is enough to get you in shape and keep sickness away. Even small things count – take the stairs instead of the elevator and walk a few blocks instead of driving to get there. Relaxation techniques like yoga and Tai Chi also help when you’re trying to lose weight and improve your body’s natural processes.

2. Eating right is the key: You are what you eat; your body is a mirror that reflects all that you take in, both good and bad. So do yourself a favor and include more vegetables and fruits in your diet; cut back on the fats and carbohydrates. Find more energy to sustain you through the day with energy-rich foods like nuts, yoghurt, eggs (the white only if you’re prone to high cholesterol levels), beans and lentils and seeds. If you have a sweet tooth or crave junk food, you don’t have to deny yourself. Satisfy cravings with self-control – eat two bites of a piece of chocolate cake instead of the whole slice or half a slice of pizza instead of three. Do not stuff yourself during any meal; instead, increase the number of meals per day and reduce the quantity you take in during each. Limit your caffeine intake, switch to green tea instead; the latter is rich in anti-oxidants that delay aging and prevent cancer.

3. Fill up with fluids: Our body is 80 percent water, so it’s only natural that you drink as much as you can. Water hydrates your skin and leaves it soft and supple. It also flushes out toxins from your body and cleanses your system.

4. Avoid direct and harsh sunlight: While mild sunshine is good for your Vitamin K levels, too much of it tends to give you sunburns and strokes. Exposure to harmful UV rays in the sunlight causes premature aging of the skin and suppresses your immune system leading to skin cancer and melanoma.

5. Maintain your BMI: Your Body Mass Indicator (BMI) is a good reflector of how trim and fit your body is. The ideal BMI, which is the ratio of your weight (in pounds) to the square of your height (in inches), is 25; a BMI under 18.5 indicates malnutrition while one above 30 labels you obese. So if you’re short, you have a lot of work to do to shed those excess pounds of flesh.

6. Harness the power of positive thinking: The stress and tension of day-to-day life cause more damage than you may realize. Ulcers, migraines, nervous breakdowns and insomnia are just a few of the illnesses associated with someone who’s stressed all the time. It’s not easy to take things easy, but if you work at it, the benefits are worth it. Practice relaxation techniques like yoga and Tai Chi, think positive thoughts and rein in your temper.

7. Massage your body and your mind: A body massage or a hot bath at the end of a long day works wonders in relaxing you. At the same time, treat yourself to a mind massage – give yourself an ego boost from time to time by reassuring yourself that you are good at what you do.

8. Say no to drugs and tobacco: Smoking kills in more ways than one and drugs are a definite way to disaster. Alcohol, while in moderation is not very harmful, tends to become an addiction if you do not hold on to your self-control.

9. Stay pollution free: Easier said than done with most cities and towns being inundated with cars and vehicles polluting the atmosphere. But make it a point to get some fresh air everyday – beat the heat and the crowds by waking up at the crack of dawn and taking a walk in the park. Steer clear of restaurants or public areas that allow smoking.

10. Fasting is good once in a while: Every once a month or so, your body needs time to heal itself from all the abuses you put it through. Undergo a detoxification routine – stay home, eat only fresh fruits and vegetables, drink lots of fluids, sleep, meditate and avoid work for a couple of days. Your whole system is rejuvenated.

11. Medicines don’t always help: Stop popping that pill for every common ailment that afflicts you. A simple headache can be cured by a walk in the fresh air or a cup of hot coffee; a cold is reduced with warm fluids and plenty of rest.

A little common sense mixed with a little effort is all it takes to stay healthy and happy.

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This article is contributed by Sarah Scrafford, who regularly writes on the topic of Care Plans. She invites your questions and writing job opportunities at her personal email address: sarah.scrafford25@gmail.com.