The connection of body, spirit, and mind are crucial. If you do not make an effort to take care of your body, you will not have the equilibrium of the trinity.
"It is health that is real wealth and not pieces of gold and silver." - Mahatma Ghandi
As you come to understand this truth, you will understand why it is important to take care of your health. Here are 4 simple steps that you MUST DO to optimize your help.
1. Cut the Sugar!
Cut the Sugar! Yes, we find a lot of sugar in natural foods. However, the danger is truly in artificial sugar and added sugar. Based on a study from Harvard Medical School and other health professionals, artificial and added sugar are things we must look out for. They appear in foods that we think are not sweetened. For example, some soups, bread, and juice will show artificial or added sugar in the ingredients.
By consuming excess amounts of artificial and added sugar, we jeopardize our health. It can cause the following health issues and more:
- Heart Disease
- Fatty Liver Disease
- Cancer
- Obesity
- Raised Blood Pressure
- Increase Chronic inflammation
"Basically, the higher intake of added sugar, the higher risk for heart disease" - Dr. Frank Hu, professor of nutrition at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.
A simple way to avoid artificial and added sugar is to stick to unprocessed foods. Think of unprocessed foods as fresh and whole foods. It takes more effort to prepare yourself a quick snack or cook dinner, however this investment will optimize your health in the long run.
2. Drink Water
When was the last time you drank water? No, juice or sodas do not count as water, even though they contain some water in them.
Drinking one glass of water a day is not enough. We all have learned that our bodies are composed of around 70% water. Approximately 90% of our blood is composed of water. Do you really think one glass will be enough? According to Frank Suarez, Specialist in Obesity and Metabolism, drinking the appropriate amount of water YOUR body needs will help with hydration, weight loss, digestion, skin care, sexual activity (for men), and more.
Throughout the years of Frank's research and work, he and his team have found a formula that would help everyone know how much water they need to drink. The formula calculates how many glasses of water you need to drink, based on your body size/weight.
Formula: If you way 160 pounds, you would divide 160 by 16. That gives you 10 glasses of water, based on a 8 ounce glass. If you way 240 pounds, divide 240 by 16, which is equal to 15. You need 15 glasses of water a day, based on an 8 ounce glass. If you seek to calculate this in kilos, the number you will use to divide your weight by is 7. The glasses of water will based on a 250ml glass. Note to self, this is not to be done all is one go, but rather throughout the day.
Weight in pounds/16= number of 8 ounce glasses
Weight in Kilos/7= number of 250ml glasses
Frank teaches us that the first 2 things we will notice if we apply this to our health are the following:
- Weight loss
- Less hunger
3. Exercise
We humans are built to move. Exercise has immense health benefits that we need to take into consideration. For example, exercising regularly helps with weight loss, strengthening muscles and bones, reduces health risks, and helps with longevity.
To help you get started, schedule a time of day to help you exercise. If you need help with goal setting and planning, click HERE. Exercise can be walking, running, weight lifting, biking, swimming, and more.
4. Sleep
Not a lot of people admit to ensuring quality sleep. Matthew Walker, Ph.D., professor of neuroscience and psychology at the University of California, Berkeley, and founder and director of the school’s Center for Human Sleep Science, has given a few tips to ensuring quality sleep:
- Make sure the room is dark. Avoid any lights when going to sleep.
- Set the bedroom temperature to 18 centigrade.
- Avoid blue light at least one hour before bed (TV, smart phone, tablets...).
- Understand that the bedroom is a place to sleep.
Sleep is essential for the human body. Here is a TED talk by Matthew Walker that explains how Sleep is a Superpower.
What next?
Do not wait until you have health problems to put these 4 simple steps into place! These steps will help you avoid health problems and help you heal from the health problems you currently face.