Seven “Doctors” to Healthy Living! Part 2
Blessings to you and your loved ones this holiday of gratefulness. I am thankful you are here and can celebrate all we have to be thankful for. Being grateful is something we all should do every day. YOU ARE OF INFINITE WORTH!!
We have three of the seven doctors of healthy living left to go. How appropriate it is to start with PEOPLE, the fifth doctor. We are living beings who are meant to be in the company of others. We are reminded of that these past few months of isolation. You might ask how can people be a “healthy living doctor”? Just being in the presence of others gives our souls a refreshing boost of life. Some of our circles of people have changed over time, but we can change with them. Where do you find the people in your world(s)? Home, church, social gatherings, bible study might be a few.
Seek times to walk together, have a coffee, share a meal, take a day trip together to a local park, read a book together, and a phone call or letter are so appreciated. Surrounding yourselves with a circle of people is great for your wellness. Here is an affirmation that says it perfectly:
“Having strong, positive social support is one of the most important factors in predicting the physical health and well-being of people of all ages. It can help us cope effectively with stress and even help strengthen our immune system and lower our risk of disease.”
Holidays and every day are perfect times to gather with PEOPLE. Do not forget that YOU have a wonderful impact on the lives of others, too. Your experiences and memories are awesome and could be shared. You never know when a simple moment to you, could mean the lost answer someone else is looking for.
Whether we are more introverted or outgoing, give a person a compliment, ask how you are, and by all means SMILE! Smiles are a contagious ice breaker to start a connection. Now that know how important we are to each other, let’s see what the last doctors have to say to living healthier.
DIET & NUTRITION is doctor six. I think we all agree that this is one we have heard a lot about. It is true what they say, you are what you eat. Sorry, it is not what you wanted to hear. It does, however, give us a call to action, to be better. Remember those days we grabbed a sweet snack, a soda/pop, munched a bag of chips, or that candy bar for quick energy only to have a drop of energy? It did not work. If I knew then what I have learned now, I might be healthier myself. Our world, the market, mass production, especially branding by companies, are distracting us from better choices.
Did you know that diet and nutrition are two quite different things? Your diet is what you eat, your meals, your food choices, when you eat, how much, and includes the good and bad foods we may choose to put in our diets. So how do we have a good diet? It means we look at the nutritional value of what we are putting into our bodies. For some of us, we do better when we consume foods in shorter time periods and others prefer the traditional mealtimes. We need to keep the times, our portions consistent, and practice all things in moderation. As you create your mealtime it is also important to remember what medications one might take that need food or a meal for best absorption or metabolize without side effects.
Let’s look at the nutritional element of foods. I learned this from my wholistic health coach training:
We should be counting nutrients not calories! Advertisements claim many things about the quality of food but knowing the sources are key to eating foods that give us the nutrients our bodies need.
Everything we eat has calories but not all calories are good for us and can give us more trouble in the long run. Everybody needs 90 essential nutrients to give the body its ability to protect and tools to fight disease, infection, aging (gracefully), and body systems working well. These include 60 minerals, 2-3 essential fatty acids, 16 vitamins, and 12 amino acids.
What once was found in the soil (full of nutrients) is severely missing in our foods today. When Thomas Edison created electricity, our way of replacing nutrients disappeared. How? Fuel used to be wood and when the ashes were emptied, they replenished the soil with nutrients. Today, farmers are only required to put back three or four nutrients. Sadly, too many products have been created that add dangerous chemicals to the soil, and to the actual food themselves which alter the quality and nutritional value of food.
Do not be discouraged! If we apply “It is not what you eat; it is what the body absorbs,” we can make great selections of good foods to consume in our day that give our body nourishment and nutrients at the same time. Hope is not lost either that our food is not enough to fulfill the nutrients. Since foods are so depleted in the nutritional value, we once knew years ago, even decades ago, this is where supplements do have a place in our nutrition and diet.
Finally, is doctor 7; SLEEP is the most restorative time our body needs. While you sleep, your brain and “gut” work tirelessly to reset and recharge your body. Simultaneously, they work to control metabolism, help weight management, and boost cardiovascular health. Most importantly, sleep boosts your immune system. Wow! Did you know all that happened when you sleep? The toxins from free radicals in the environment to the things in our food, sleep is our best advocate to repair us.
P.S. nap time is also good for the body. Just be sure not to sleep too close to bedtime or restorative sleep may be hard to get. It is time to call it a wrap, but you will find more information on the website!
Thanksgiving Blessings!