You want the best life for yourself and your family. To live your healthiest life, you must make certain changes in your diet and lifestyle. Those changes can make the difference between good health and poor health.
All of the changes you should make are easily within your grasp. The main challenge for you will be to make the commitment to stay with those changes. The tips listed below will help you and your family make those changes and live longer and healthier lives.
*EAT A HEALTHY DIET. Eating the right diet can reduce your risk of many diseases and conditions including heart disease, cancer, diabetes, obesity, and high blood pressure. A healthy diet should include a variety of foods like fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, legumes, and low-fat dairy products.
1. Eat at least 5 servings of fruit and vegetables every day. Highly nutritious vegetables are those with dark green (leafy vegetables), deep yellow (carrots, peppers, squash, sweet potatoes), and red (peppers, tomatoes) colors.
2. The best fruits are melons, citrus, and berries. Do not drink fruit drinks that you purchase at the grocery. They are full of sugar. If you like fruit drinks, make your own in a juicer or make a smoothie in your blender.
3. Lean proteins should include lean beef, poultry, fish, eggs and dried beans. Prepare meat without the skin. Bake, broil or grill. Do not fry.
4. Whole grains and legumes are high in fiber and include whole grain breads, pasta, rice, and cereals. Whole grains are an excellent source of fiber. Fiber can help reduce your risk of diabetes, heart disease, and cancer.
5. Dairy products like low-fat milk, low-fat yogurt and low-fat cheeses can reduce your risk of osteoporosis and diabetes.
6. Drink water, lots and lots of water. Water helps flush the toxins out of your body and increases your metabolism
*EXERCISE EVERY DAY. Regular exercise can help prevent heart disease, obesity, high blood pressure, diabetes, osteoporosis, and mental health problems. Any kind of physical activity will benefit your body. Try to add 30 minutes a day of some kind of physical movement.
1. Aerobic exercises are the best to burn fat and rev up your metabolism. Walking, jogging, skating, and bicycling are good examples.
2. Incorporate movement into your everyday activities. Take the stairs instead of the elevator. Park your car at the farthest end of the parking lot. Rake leaves, mow the lawn, clean house with vigor or go outside and play with your kids.
3. Any movement is better than none. If you cannot start a regular exercise regimen, do whatever works best for you.
*DO NOT SMOKE. If you do, stop. It is the single most important thing you can do to help your body.
*DO NOT DRINK ALCOHOL. If you must drink, try to limit your intake to one glass a day. Alcohol has been linked to many diseases including certain types of cancer.
*AVOID STRESS. Stress has been linked to many illnesses and no wonder. Today?s lifestyles are full of deadlines and a balancing act of trying to do everything as quickly as possible. If you lead a stressful life, find ways to de-stress every day. Take a hot bath, go for a long, leisurely walk with a friend, read a good book, listen to relaxing music, or whatever works for you.
*SEE YOUR DOCTOR every year for preventive care.
Following the tips listed above will put you and your family on the right track to good health. Once you are comfortable with the changes, you will wonder why you did not make them sooner, as you will feel better, look better, and have more energy to do the things you love to do.
