Transcript 8 Simple Things You Can Do to Get Healthy and Stay Healthy Eat a

8 Simple Things You Can Do
to Get Healthy and Stay Healthy
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Eat a Healthy Breakfast
As we work with patients to improve their diet, we continue to be amazed at
how few people eat breakfast. Most either skip it entirely, or drink coffee and
eat sugary pastries instead.
A healthy breakfast is the cornerstone of a good diet. It is a meal that
provides the opportunity to eat a serving of whole grains, a digestible
protein, and have a serving or two of fruit. The energy from a healthy
breakfast can carry you through your morning in a more stable way than by
eating stimulating foods such as sweets and coffee.
If you are trying to improve your diet and nutrition and stay healthy as you
age, eat a good breakfast every day. Vary your foods and try to get some
protein if you have problems regulating your blood sugar.
• Drink Water
• Thoreau said that water is the
drink of the wise man. Water is
fundamental to all life on earth.
Our bodies are made up of 60%
water. It is involved in every
function in the body, including
circulation, digestion, absorption
of nutrients and the transmission
of electrical currents in the body
which control our nerves,
muscles and hormones. Due to its
importance in proper elimination
and detoxification, I'm fond of
saying "The solution to pollution
is dilution," as water facilitates the
elimination of waste products
through urination, sweating,
defecation, tears and mucus
which line our respiratory and
digestive tracts.
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Take a Good Quality Multivitamin/Mineral Supplement
Eating a health-promoting diet is an essential component of good health.
While it seems to be common sense that eating a healthy diet provides all of
the vitamins and minerals we need to enjoy good health and reduce the risk
of chronic disease, numerous scientific studies have shown that using good
quality nutritional supplements can go beyond addressing nutrient
deficiencies and help you achieve optimal health.
A recent study commissioned by Wyeth Consumer Health found that daily
use of a multivitamin by older adults is a relatively inexpensive yet
potentially powerful way to stay healthy. The group studied the effects of
taking multivitamins on five diseases: coronary artery disease, diabetes,
osteoporosis, prostate cancer and colorectal cancer.
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Connect with Other People
By our very nature, humans are social animals. We nurture our young, form families
and identify ourselves as part of larger social groups such as circles of friends,
neighborhood ties, and memberships in clubs and organizations. Connecting with
other people and forming bonds of communication and intimacy nourish our
emotional and spiritual health as much as a healthy diet nourishes our bodies.
In this day and age, people can become increasingly cut off from others, leading to
an increase in the prevalence of depression and feelings of isolation. Many go
through their day-to-day lives surrounded by other people without making meaningful
connections. The increasing use of the internet is a mixed blessing, allowing us to
connect with other people via email and chat groups while remaining in the isolation
of our homes. While the internet makes us feel connected, these communications
lack the physical components of touch, body language and face to face
communication.
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Eat Fruits and Vegetables
If you've heard it once, you've heard it a thousand times: Eat your fruits and
vegetables! You probably already know that you are supposed to eat plenty of fresh
produce every day. Here are some compelling nutritional facts that tell you why, as
well as information about just how to go about getting enough into your diet.
Fruits and vegetables supply many nutrients that are important for your health. For
example, dark-colored berries contain proanthocyanidins which are potent
antioxidants. These, in turn, scavenge free-radicals (which cause cell damage), slow
aging, and fight cancer. The orange color of carrots and sweet potatoes indicate their
high levels of beta-carotene which the body converts into vitamin A. This vitamin is
important for healthy skin and eyes. Popeye's favorite, spinach, is a good source of
vitamin A, vitamin C, iron and calcium. All fruits and vegetables supply the body with
fiber needed for cholesterol regulation and proper bowel function.
• Spend at Least 30 Minutes Outdoors
• Sunlight is every bit as central to our
health and well-being as proper
nutrition,clean water, and exercise.
Naturopathic Doctors often recommend
that we spend at least 30 minutes a day
outdoors. Here are a few reasons why:
• Our bodies make Vitamin D when our
skin is exposed to sunlight. 4-10 minutes
in the noon day sun in the southern US,
for example, produces the equivalent of
10,000 to 25,000 IU of oral Vitamin D.
(MIlk, for example, contains 400 IU
Vitamin D per quart.) There is strong
evidence for a protective effect of
Vitamin D on healthy bone density,
muscle weakness, more than a dozen
types of internal cancers, multiple
sclerosis and Type 1 Diabetes. You do
not need to get a sunburn to get
adequate vitamin D and suncreens that
block UVB diminish our bodies ability to
make Vitamin D.
• Do something physically active.
• We've all heard about the importance of maintaining
fitness and regular cardiovascular exercise. However,
many of us don't get nearly enough activity to stay fit,
due to sedentary jobs and lifestyles, busy schedules, etc.
Many join gyms only to find a few months later that they
are paying their monthly dues and not showing up for
their "workouts".
• Regular moderate daily physical activity goes a long way
to help us maintain and improve our fitness. as well as
our sense of well-being. Below are a few ideas to help
you find ways to stay active every day:play, walk 15
minutes away from your house and then return , take
a hike .
• Keep regular sleep hours.
• Insomnia and sleep problems are major
complaints from people these days.
According to the National Institutes of
Health, approximately 70 million people in
may be affected by sleep problems with
approximately 60% and the population
suffering from some type of chronic sleep
disorder.
Created by Dicianu Andreea