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Take
care of your body with steadfast
fidelity. The soul must see through these eyes
alone, and if they are
dim, the whole world is clouded.
-Goethe
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| For statistics on
certain diseases and other health risks, click here. |
For statistics on the
leading causes of death in the U.S.,
click here. |
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The
Most Important
Elements to Wellness
|
Click on the
Topic for the source of the
information.
|
| Topic |
Why It's
Important
|
Recommendations
|
Sleep
|
Research
has revealed that people who
consistently fail to get
enough
sleep are at an increased risk
of chronic disease, including
diabetes, high blood
pressure, and heart disease.
Insufficient sleep is also
associated with weight gain,
mood disorders,
a weak immune system, alcohol
use, and a shortened life
expectancy. |
Minimum of 7 hours
per night, 8-9 is ideal,
maximum of 10 hours
|
Diet
&
Nutrition
|
The
old adage, "You
are what you eat,"
has been proven
itself to be true
over the past
several decades in
the U.S. as the
prevalence of
disease,
depression, and
obesity has
steadily increased
in parallel with
negative-impact
diet changes. So
powerful is the
link between food
and
disease that a
change in diet
alone can actually
reverse the
progression of
certain diseases
to the point of
full recovery.
|
Click
below for food
groups & daily
recommended
amounts.
|
Sugar
Control
|
The
average American
consumes an astounding
2-3 pounds of sugar
each week, which can
take the forms
of sucrose (table
sugar), dextrose (corn
sugar), and
high-fructose corn
syrup.
One
of sugar's major
drawbacks is that it
raises the insulin
level, which inhibits
the release of growth
hormones, which in
turn depresses the
immune system. A
weakened immune system
is a major risk for
developing various
diseases.
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Try to
eat as little
sugar as
possible, and
reduce the use
of artificial
sweeteners,
which promote
sugar cravings.
Also, adding a
chromium
supplement to
your diet
reduces sugar
cravings.
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| Vitamins
& Supplements |
In
an
ideal world we would be able
to eat whole foods every day
that
delivered all of our vitamin
and mineral nutrient needs.
Because that
is not the case for most of
us, coupled with the factors
that work to
deplete the nutrients we do
have--stress, smoking, lack of
sleep,
environmental pollutants,
alcohol, caffeine, processed
food--many of us
need to supplement the
nutrients our body lacks
through the use of
vitamins.
|
Taking
vitamins is a personal choice
based on an evaluation of
possible deficiencies
in one's diet.
For more information on
specific vitamins and their
purpose, cick here.
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Physical
Exercise
|
For
better
health, people of all ages
should
include a minimum of 30
minutes of physical activity
of moderate
intensity (such
as brisk walking) on most, if
not all, days of the week.
Activity
should be supplemented with
strength-developing exercises
at least
twice a week for adults in
order to improve musculo
skeletal health,
maintain
independence in performing the
activities of daily life, and
reduce the
risk of
falling.
|
30 minutes per day
|
| Stretching |
Regular
stretching is a powerful
part of any exercise
program, for the following
reasons: 1. Stretching
increases flexibility and
flexible muscles
can improve your daily
performance; 2.
Stretching
improves range of motion
of your joints, and good
range of motion keeps you in
better balance, which will
help keep you mobile and
less prone to falls as you
age; 3.
Stretching
improves circulation,
which increases
blood flow to your muscles
and speed recovery after
muscle injuries; and 4. Stretching can
relieve stress by relaxing
the tense muscles that often
accompany stress.
|
Quads, hamstrings,
hips,
lower back, shoulders, arms,
Achilles tendons
|
Massage
|
Massage
therapy and healing touch
therapies are proving to
be good
medicine for treating
those with chronic
diseases such as cancer,
osteoporosis, depression,
and even circulatory
disorders. There are
several good reasons for
this, the most important
of which is the fact that
massage therapy
helps move lymph fluid
around the body and
oxygenate organs and
tissues. Massage also
helps reduce stress, a
contributing factor in
certain diseases.
|
Regular
massages
(monthly, biweekly or
weekly) provide numerous
health benefits that far
outweigh the cost, and most
massage therapists offer
packages to offset
cost.
Click here to read
about the medical benefits
of massage.
|
Stress
Management
|
Stress
can be
circumstantial
or for some of
us, a regular
part of our
daily
lives. Either
way, the
negative impact
of stress is
well documented.
Stress can range
from mild to
severe, with the
most extreme
cases
resulting in
death from the
physical or
emotional
manifestations,
such
as disease or
suicide. Stress
management is a
direct approach
to
minimizing the
effects of
stress--physically,
mentally, and
emotionally--so
that we can
enjoy the other
aspects of our
lives.
|
Click here
to learn and apply
practical
techniques to
effectively
identify and
manage the sources
of stress in your
life.
|
Time
for Self
|
Solitude
is
one of the best
tools for
maintaining
emotional
balance and
well-being.
Taking time out
for some alone
time allows us
to "reboot"
and take a break
from some of the
stressors and
constant
stimulation in
our daily lives.
When we give
ourselves this
space, even if
just for a
few minutes per
day, we often
emerge more
relaxed,
confident, and
competent to
deal with the
situations that
demand our
attention, both
big and small.
|
Click here
for an article on
what solitude is
and is not.
Click here
for an article of
the importance of
incorporating
alone time into
our day.
|
Work/Life
Balance
|
When
your work life
and personal
life are out of
balance, your
stress level
is likely to
increase
dramatically,
thereby
increasing the
risk of the
negative impact
of stress on
you, both
physically,
mentally, and
emotionally.
|
Click here
for techniques on
maintaining
work/life balance.
|
Healthy
Relationships |
Good
relationships
are essential to our
happiness and
emotional and
physical health. Indeed, one
thing researchers know for
sure is that
our ability to feel love and
intimacy is what keeps us
well. Study
after study has shown that
loneliness is a risk factor
for disease, and
that relationships have a
positive effect on
everything from heart
health to age-related health
issues.
|
Click here
for some basic
tips on
maintaining
healthy
relationships with
everyone
in your life. |
Goal
Setting
|
Goal setting is a
powerful process for
thinking about your ideal
future, and for motivating
yourself to turn
this vision of the future
into reality. By knowing
what you want to
achieve, you know where you
have to concentrate your
efforts. Setting
SMART (specific, measurable,
attainable, relevant, and
time-bound)
goals can be incredibly
motivating, and as you get
into the habit of
setting and achieving goals,
you'll find that your
self-confidence
builds with every goal set.
|
Click here for some practical
strategies for
setting goals
across several
different areas.
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