Health
7 Steps To Feeling Better Than Ever!
by Jan Pitts
Taking care of ourselves is a chore for some and a discipline for others. I’ve noticed recently among my circle of friends and acquaintances that most of the women are at least 30 – 40 pounds overweight and inching towards an even larger size. I watched one friend go from a size 4 to a size 22 in less than two years. What happened? Like too many single women, loneliness overcame her and food became her companion and as she admitted, her only source of pleasure.
Pleasure is something that every human being is designed to experience, however, certain pleasures can become addictive and destructive to our well-being. Food would certainly qualify as such if it’s not consumed in a moderate fashion. Heart disease among women is said to be the #1 killer in America, and it is directly connected to over-indulgence and lack of exercise.
To be healthy is a mindset that’s easily attainable, once one decides to make one’s body a priority in one’s mind. Here are some things to do that will help you keep healthy, both mentally and physically for the rest of the year
Drink more water: Let a day go by without drinking at least 32 ounces of water (2 bottles) I know 8 glasses is the standard, but most people struggle with that amount, and I know water can be boring. However, if you chose to view it as a way to keep the cells in your body lubricated, that might add some glamour to the process. Water also lubricates your joints, which you need to stay mobile.
Get rid of all your bad habits. One way to do this is to face yourself by making an honest list of all those habits you possess that you consider “bad.” This could range from overindulgence in a particular activity or plain ol’ procrastination. Be sure to run a line through the ones you know are unhealthy. Then post the list on your bedroom door, so you are reminded daily of what you need to change.
Govern what you eat: Don’t eat something more than once a week that you know is not considered healthy eating. Learn how to control your craves for the sake of your health. I lost a good friend recently to colon cancer, who was super self-indulgent when it came to eating whatever she wanted. She was a strong advocate for red meat consumption, despite popular opinion. She was strictly a steak, ribs, and pork chop person, and whenever anyone suggested that perhaps her diet wasn’t healthy, she would blow up in anger. Yet, before she died, she admitted she had been unwise in her choice of diet through the years, and her voice was filled with regret.
Say it! Don’t hold in your gut what needs to be said to whomever it needs to be said to. Sometimes, we just need to get some things off our chest, just so we can feel better. Suppressed feelings can easily turn into stress, and stress can turn deadly in our bodies. Studies have shown that stress is directly related many times to cancer and other diseases. Note: Suppressed anger should always be released in a calm, confident, and healing way.
Take vitamin supplements: Don’t let a day go by without taking vitamin supplements. My suggestion is to take at least 2 fish oil (Omega 3) capsules, 2 Calcium tablets (600 mg each), and at least 500 mg of Vitamin C daily. At least one multivitamin tablet is essential as well.
Exercise: Allow a week to pass without taking out time to exercise and meditate. If you don’t exercise normally, at least take a walk daily or climb the stairs as often as possible to build up your strength. Sometimes, we don’t understand our need for strength until we’re called upon to use it, ie., running from a would-be robber or a taxi. For meditation, take a moment to go to a dark, quiet place and close your eyes for at least fifteen minutes, and shut the world out. Relax your mind and stop your mind from racing from one thought to another. Breathe deeply, and you’ll feel refreshed and renewed in the end.
Drink Wine: Drink at least one glass of red wine a week. It’s one of the healthiest things you can do for your body. Studies show that it helps reduce artery-clogging, which usually precedes heart disease, which is becoming very prominent in women of all ages.