Living a Healthy Life

In the fast-paced world we live in, it can be easy to neglect our health and wellness. We are so busy in our daily lives (family, friends, work, social commitments) that we don't take the time to take care of ourselves. It really is no wonder so many of us are tired and burned out. What are some simple things we can do to improve our quality of life?

Drink drink drink…

You've heard it a million times and you'll probably hear it a million more: drink more water!

Think about it: the human body is 72% water. A 5% drop in fluids creates a 25-30% energy loss. A 15% drop in fluids causes death! Right now, 66% of us don't drink enough water, so more than half the population isn't running on six cylinders to begin with, before things like bad air, bad food, and stress bill.

It's not really a difficult thing to remedy. Just drink a glass of water every half hour or so, or 10-12 glasses of water per day, and you'll notice a huge jump in your energy levels.

Live Food – Loving Life!

A little known fact is that heating food above 116°F destroys much of the nutrient content. Considering we're not eating enough vegetables anymore, that's a pretty big problem. Nutritionists recommend five servings of fresh vegetables a day. How many of us are actually following that advice?

A great way to get the nutrients found in fresh vegetables without spending all day on the stove or eating raw celery sticks is to juice the vegetables. Make sure you have a good juicer (some juicers expose vegetables to the heat created by friction during juicing, which breaks down important enzymes), grab some fresh greens, and drink your way to good health. It takes a fraction of the time (for one thing, there's no cooking involved) and it's convenient. You can take your juice to work and even give it to the little ones for school lunch!

Wheatgrass in particular is an excellent source of nutrition. It is high in chlorophyll (sometimes described as "plant blood" because it closely resembles the molecules in human red blood cells) and has more than 100 elements needed by the body. Fresh grains are another excellent source of vitamins and minerals.

Power input – Power output

Exercise is another dirty word for most of us. The thing is, exercise doesn't have to be time-consuming or overwhelmingly boring. There are many options.

Years ago, gyms used to offer weight rooms, aerobics classes, and maybe a shooting circuit. Now you can add water aerobics, yoga, pilates, dance workouts, step classes, and a whole host of new workout options.

If you really don't have the time or money to go to the gym, or prefer to spend your mornings or evenings at home, try a stationary bike or walker. I'd be lost without my exercise bike: I set it up in front of the TV and merrily pedal along during my favorite shows.

If, like me, you are suffering from an illness or injury or your fitness level is quite low, you may want to consider some invaluable advice I received from my doctor:

Once you're not physically fit, and especially if you're not feeling well either, it can be a massive battle to get the least amount of exercise in a day. The danger is that inactivity leads to further energy loss, which becomes a self-perpetuating cycle until you can barely get off the couch.

A great way to get back into a physical routine is to start slowly. Ridiculously slow, it may seem. For the first couple of weeks, walk or bike for 5 minutes a day, exactly 5 minutes, no more, even if you think you can keep going. When the 2 weeks are up, increase to 7 minutes, then 10 minutes, 12 minutes…continue to gradually increase your activity until you are at a level you are comfortable with.

It may sound a bit silly, but it works. In effect, you trick your body into producing more energy. You're increasing your exercise time so slowly that your body doesn't really realize what's happening. Follow this method, and before you know it, you'll be comfortably exercising within your limits every day.

So folks, that's the basics. If you can rearrange your life a bit to allow for better eating habits and a little exercise, and if you remember to drink a glass of water every half hour or so, you'll be well on your way to a healthy life. On a final note, don't forget to take some quiet time for yourself. Meditating is a great way to minimize stress. You don't have to sit last