Despite the big promises that one particular workout, SuperFood, will get you in the best shape of your life, the absolute truth is, you really don’t need to overthink, or overpay to become healthy. I would like to believe that everyone on this planet wants to have the best of health. Let us start this article with the first stone of health, which is sleep. Our brain is pretty much binary when it comes to sleep, it has to rest without a doubt. When we sleep, our brain rids itself of waste products, consolidates memory. Also, sleep will keep your heart and circulation working, and your digestion regular. It is not yet known why we have to be unconscious for these things to actually happen, however, we do.
SLEEP
On average, most people need 7 1/2 to 8 hours of sleep each and every night however, there is a lot of people that say they do fine on 5 hours. But they are more likely to be functional despite mild sleep deprivation. “Functional” “and doing what is best for your body” are not synonymous. Taking care of your future self is extremely important, and a long-term lack of sleep has been tied to so many diseases, that you might as well Say that you are playing Russian Roulette.
Once you really know how much sleep your body actually needs, think of it in terms of a week. You have seven days to get 49 56, 63 hours, or whatever. Studies show that if you make up sleep in the short-term, you live as long as those receiving a perfect night sleep every night. The bottom line is, if you have a sick child, or a 4th of July party to go to, a delayed flight, plan on taking a nap the next day, (you get me?)
STRESS
Stress is incredible but its cumulative effect over time are what damage our health. Chronic stress has been linked to a host of issues, that includes anxiety and depression, weight gain, digestive issues, inflammation, fertility problems, also poor memory. The best way to avoid repercussions is by dealing with stress in the moment, as it actually happened. The idea is to become psychologically flexible, in other words, to learn to balance your exposure to stress with self soothing efforts.
Research has shown that it’s not stress itself but our attitudes, and beliefs about stress that can make it “toxic.” When you feel powerless, that’s when stress becomes very harmful. So it’s really not the amount of stress that you have in your life that actually matters, it is the way you ride it out.
EXERCISE
No matter if you are thin, it’s still important to keep working out my dear friends. Research has even found that people who are obese and cardiovascularly fit have better health outcomes then people who are slim, and are not fit. You want to aim to be active around a 150 minutes each week, spread across five or six days instead of just one or two days. Your body will benefit more from daily increases in your heart rate and oxygen consumption-just like your system benefits more from food and water that’s consumed over the course of a week, rather than a giant feast in a single day.
On two nonconsecutive days each week, focus on strength and flexibility exercises to help your bone health and muscles and stave off injuries. The rest of the time, chooes a cardiovascular activity to strengthen your heart. If you are not really a fan of working out, focus on all the good reasons there are to do just that. It improves cognition, for instance, and it will reduce stress and anxiety. Exercising regularly also help you stay active and independent for many years to come.
DIET
The real secret to simple, healthy eating is variety. Choose different kinds of veggies, fruits, and other plant-based foods, since they all have phytonutrients that contribute to good health in unique ways. The very same goes for protein foods. Be adventurous, try new kinds of fish, poultry, meats, beans, and legumes. And don’t overlook seeds and nuts. Even if you are avoiding processed foods, eating the same healthy foods on repeat will only give you certain nutrition and not actually all the nutrients you need.
It’s like trying to play in a heavy metal band with a bass and drums and no guitars, the sound may be nice but having the guitar would make it much better. We tend to label some foods as bad, when in fact it’s really our eating patterns that may not be that great. If the only veggies you eat are corn and potatoes, well that’s not really healthy. Not because corn and potatoes are bad, but because what you are choosing isn’t balanced. Look through the lens of color: Are you eating food in all the categories, like blue, brown, purple, orange, red, and green? Each offers your health a little something different. Plus you received a bonus, they keep your meals interesting.
HOW TO MAKE GOOD NUTRITIOUS CHOICES
Try to go half veggie, try to feel 50% of your plate with vegetables. Always aim for three different colors at each meal, split the rest of your plate with good protein like tempeh or shrimp or salmon and complex carbs like whole wheat or beans. Load on the flavor, herbs and spices without a doubt are nutritional powerhouses. Parsley is high in apigenin, which is a potent anti-cancer compound. Oregano can help fight off viruses, also special compound in thyme are anti-inflammatory, and they taste great.
MIX UP THE FRUIT BOWL
Most of the time, I see fruit bowls full of apples and bananas, let us consider the vitamins, minerals, and phytochemicals you are missing by not stacking on other beautiful product. Swap your usual red delicious for a kiwi fruit, and you will get 18 times as much vitamin K that day. Don’t be shy, experiment with other fruits, it will be good for your taste buds and your body.
My dear friends, over the years you have read many of my articles concerning good health. You have heard me say, you can have all the money, success, and Power in the world however, if you do not have good health you will never really, truly, enjoy it. One of our main priorities in life should be having the best possible health, and as you know, my team and I will do all that we can, to help you have exactly that.
May good health and prosperity be always with you.
Humbly yours, Paul Earl.
www.Beautiflworid.com
I really enjoyed reading this post and your emphasis that there is no shortcut to becoming healthy. It’s a disicion and it requires commitment towards this goal.
The point I felt most useful for me is the one concerning sleep. Yeah, it’s so important that we must consider it an appointment with our health.
Good evening Ann, thank you for visiting weightlifting for a beautiful world. It is a commitment to oneself to become healthy, and to stay healthy. It is not a avent, it is a lifestyle, and as you agree it is a most important equation. Our bodies will not operate correct with out it, and having good health should be one of the most important things to achieve in one’s life. I thank you for your kind words, and if it’s anything at all that we can ever do for you by all means reach out to us. May prosperity and good health be always with you. Humbly your’s Paul Earl.
This is a great article and a good reminder for me. I do pretty well with the exercise, diet, and stress management. I think the one that always gets me is the sleep. I’m a night person who also likes to get up early. It’s not that I have trouble falling asleep or staying asleep. I’m just too busy sometimes that I push through and stay up. Thanks for pointing out that I should look at sleep in terms of a week instead of night to night. That seems like it could be really helpful. Is this something that you regularly practice and have you noticed a difference between getting all perfect sleep nights vs. hitting a weekly target?
Good evening Steve, nice to see you again, I do understand completely, what you said about staying up late and getting up early. This is what I used to do constantly, then one day I found myself completely wearing down and I couldn’t figure it out. I exercise, I eat well, I take the necessary vitamin, I just didn’t understand. Then the headaches, and then like a lightning bolt it dawned on me not enough sleep. Because sleep is just as important as exercising eating the right food having the right nutrition. Because if you have that weak link of not sleeping it will affect everything that you do in life. I think you for visiting weightlifting for beautiful world, and if it’s ever anything we can do for you please reach out to us. May prosperity and good health be always with you. Humbly your’s Paul Earl.
Thank you for your thoughts on sleep. I agree with you that sleep is so important to our daily health. In seeing my own family as my children get a bit older and family and employment stress cuts into their sleeping time, I see some health concerns already. They each have their particular sleep issue that keeps them from sleeping enough. One is from discomfort due to early-onset arthritis. One has trouble going to sleep, even with exercise and avoiding stimulating drinks in the afternoon and evening. All in all, they just don’t sleep as soundly as I do.
My theory is that sleeping is a habit! I know it is a simple answer, but I have always slept well. However, there have been times that I did not have enough time to sleep as much as I thought I wanted to. I don’t think my grandchildren sleep as well as their parents did at the same age. Is getting enough rest hard because of technology? That is often what one hears. I am not sure, but I do wish that everyone could sleep as well as I do. Just lay down and shut their eyes and sleep! I can sometimes be asleep before I get the cover straight! I am blessed.
Good evening Sami, thank you for visiting weightlifting for a beautiful world. I believe all of us at one time or another, especially us that are in the corporate world or in the internet world, cut our sleep short so that we can accomplish those things that we are involved in. Even when we know deep inside it is affecting our body and our overall thought pattern however, you will have those who would argue the point that it is for the greater good. What I believe,is that we must understood the body has to have sleep in order to perform the best that it can. Sleep is just as important exercise, food, and water, and it is our job to imprint this on the minds of our families and close friends who are not understanding this. Once again I thank you for visiting us, and if it’s anything at all that we could ever do for you by all means give us a shout. May good health and prosperity be always with you, humbly your’s Paul Earl.