Some of you reading this may wonder why I wouldn't post this on Facebook. Well, believe it or not, some people get offended when you try to share with them things that would help them be healthy because they would rather believe that they could take some kind of pill or have some medical procedure done that would fix their health than to follow ALL THREE of these three elements of healthy living. You may not believe just how many people believe they were born with certain ailments - they were hereditary - or developed them because of environmental factors (being exposed to substances, abusive people or whatever). Now, there are a few people that may not be able to fully follow a plan of healthy living to where these things would benefit them... but those are VERY few and the exception, rather than the rule. Here's a little hint: you're likely not one of them. Most people who have these excuses believe they are this exception. I can't tell you how many people I've talked to who were skeptical about these things but later (after they tried them) went on to boast about how much better they felt. I was one of these skeptics. So without further ado, here they are:
1) Proper diet. This includes eating a nutritious and balanced diet. You consume what your body needs... not excessively nor to any extreme. You eat balanced meals. Fiber is important as well (for proper digestion). Part of this proper diet is also exclusion - excluding harmful substances such as tobacco, alcohol, drugs (to include caffeine) - with the exception of occasional mild pain relievers or antibiotics (only when absolutely necessary) used judiciously. There are other prescription drugs that may need to be taken to save your life or bring you comfort, but then again most often the cure is in the prevention in the first place. There are many medications - even ones prescribed by your doctor - that cause more health problems than they cure. Let me single out one type of medication that is particularly bad and has a bad track record for ruining people's lives: antidepressants. They are poison for your body and mind. Many people can run a course of antidepressants and emerge relatively unscathed, but there are also many of us that have had our lives permanently altered (I mean in a negative way) by these mind-altering drugs. Stay away from them! Believe me, you don't want to take that gamble. Besides, their true effectiveness is marginal, at best. Any positive effects are temporary and only an illusion to the user anyway... just like taking cocaine, speed or LSD. You feel "great" or "different" for awhile, but eventually the effects are devastating. Many people don't even realize just how much their lives have been altered and how their personalities have become much worse on these drugs but their friends and family notice.
2) Exercise. I'm talking about sustained, vigorous cardio-vascular activity at least 5 times a week. Sustained means 30-minutes or more. There are numerous physical benefits (too many to list here) that are derived from exercise, but there are also mental, spiritual and emotional benefits as well. Why? Exercise relieves stress by having an "outlet" for your physical activity. Also, your body chemistry is better regulated and you will naturally get a boost of the chemicals (hormones) that your body needs and craves to combat pain and depression. I refer to exercise as my daily "dose of medicine" because there is nothing more effective than a good workout... no drug, no psychiatric therapy - nothing. I've found that people who don't exercise always have some kind of excuse not to or they think they are getting more exercise than what they are realistically getting. Trust me, I know. I understand. I used to be one of those that made excuses and thought I was getting a proper amount of exercise, when in actuality I wasn't. You have to make a conscious effort to get that exercise. Walking to and from your car - no matter where you park in the parking lot - is not enough. It doesn't count.
3) Sleep/rest. Your body and mind need proper rest and on a regular schedule. The general rule is to have 8-hours of uninterrupted sleep every night. This may not be possible when caring for small children or when your sleep is interrupted by noises or flashing lights. Do your best to ensure you get the proper amount of uninterrupted sleep. Your bedroom should be conducive to rest - meaning that you should have a comfortable bed and surroundings that are free from the lights and sounds that would interrupt your sleep. This may sound like a no-brainer, but some people sleep with cell phones or think that falling to sleep with the television on is a good idea. Those are bad habits that keep you from having a good night's sleep. Occasionally, one may be afflicted by insomnia. If that is the case, get out of bed and do something that would calm you in order to get to sleep. What I find helpful is to have a cup of hot cocoa (this may not be advisable for many people, but it works for me) and pick up a book and read about something that won't stimulate your mind too much. I find that history books tend to bore me to tiredness.
I purposely haven't gone into too great detail about these three things. It's up to you to figure out. What I can tell you is that doctors know these things. They know that proper nutrition, exercise and rest are the best things you can do to improve your health. Here's how you can tell a good doctor from a quack: the good doctors will first want to help you get started on a plan that includes these three elements of a healthy lifestyle, rather than shoving some kind of prescription in your face. If your doctor isn't one who will be willing to promote health using these methods, RUN... don't walk away from this quack! Fire that clown! Find a doctor that will help you become healthy, not one that uses the cop-out of writing a prescription for everything.
I just wanted to emphasize - or reemphasize that actively pursuing a healthy lifestyle by taking only healthful substances into your body, getting adequate physical exercise and the proper amount of restful sleep are the keys to improving and maintaining your physical, mental and emotional health. So there you have it. I know this works. It works for me and I've seen it work for numerous people. So stop making excuses.
Disclaimer: I realize that there are people with genuine health problems - even debilitating conditions. I do not want to be insensitive to those who may be thus affected. So, take what applies to you.. what you CAN do and take the rest as academic, good-to-know information. In other words, don't take it personally.
No comments:
Post a Comment