Take Charge of Your Health With 7 Healthy Habits

Did you know that the # 1 cause of death in America is cardiovascular disease? And #2 is cancer? Many of us think about our health only when we are sick or when a loved one becomes ill. Sometimes, when we start to consider the importance of taking care of our bodies, it's too late. I hope after you read this article you'll want to take charge of your health and motivate those around you to do the same.

Our bodies don't start showing signs of neglect for years, when we're way down the road. Also, if you are predisposed to a specific illness genetically, you may be able to keep that gene dormant if you adopt a healthy way of living now. So make a commitment today to incorporate these 7 healthy habits in your lifestyle.

7 Healthy Habits

1. Diet/Nutrition (what you eat 85% of the time)

• 5 servings green, red, yellow vegetables and 2 servings of fruit daily

• 4 servings of protein with low fat

• 2 servings of healthy fats like omega-3 fatty acids, avocado, olive oil, nuts

• 3 servings of whole grains, unless you have allergies to grains. I'm an advocate for the Paleo diet. But the way I train, I need more dense carbs. By cleaning up my diet and eating Paleo most of the time, I have found my body works well with digesting rice, bran, and whole unprocessed wheat. As I'm working towards building more muscle mass, whole grains are an important part of my diet just as much as protein and veggies are. Find out what works best for you! Listen to your gut and how you feel. Your gut will let you know.

2. Fitness (3 to 5 days a week of moderate to vigorous exercise)

• Strength training 3 days a week. No time? Train at home. Set up some kettle bells and free weights in your garage or bedroom.

• Flexibility training 2 to 3 days a week. Take a yoga class or download a video at home.

• Cardiovascular (cardio) training 3 days a week. Go to the park with your kids and actually play with them! Try tag, soccer, etc. Get your heart rate up.

• Plan your fitness like you do your work. Schedule time for your workouts. No excuses!

3. Sleep

• Schedule your sleep time to get at least 6 to 8 hours of sleep. The average person needs 7 hours. Find out what your body needs to feel fully charged.

4. Meditation (keep the mind active and stress levels in check)

• Deep Breathing - Connect with your breath

• Progressive Muscle Relaxation - Tense and relax one muscle group at a time

• Visualization/Imagery - Imagine you're some place relaxing, and connect your senses to that place

• Listening to Music

5. Social & Environment

• Limit toxicity

• No drinking, smoking, drugs

6. Time with Family and Friends

• Make time to spend with those you love and make life worth living

7. Spiritual Wellness (connect with the inner you)

• Meditation and emotional stability, ground yourself and find inner peace

Be sure to continually think about and work on all aspects of your health and wellness. Don't forget a huge part of well-being is mental—keeping your mind active, your emotions and stress in control, ad balancing your need for social, environmental and spiritual health. 
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"Genetics also play a big factor— so know your family history. Remember you may have a gene for cancer, but it may never get turned on if you are proactive and protect your health & wellness! "
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"When your health is at stake nothing else matters!" - Professor Robert Fullbright

If you would like to know more about how to be proactive with your health, or if you need help kicking your healthy lifestyle into gear, give me a call 760-658-4708.