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First of all, parenting is not an easy job. Parents provide us with the necessities of life from day one. They supply food, clothing, and a roof over our head, guaranteed for the first 18 years of life. Good parents are excellent role models. Great parental figures lead by example. You see the benefits of living a healthy lifestyle by the way your parents live. Their life seems healthy, happy, and satisfying.
The Benefits of Living a Healthy Lifestyle
Take a look into your refrigerator. What do you see? If you see lots of fresh fruits and vegetables, you will definitely experience the benefits of living a healthy lifestyle. Without eating fruits and vegetables you will lack foods high in nutritional value. Your Refrigerators tell the story. So, keep them filled with healthy fruits, veggies, and drink choices.
Reach for a Rainbow of Fruits and Vegetables
For one thing, eating fresh fruits and vegetables supplys you with energy. Plus, they lower your risks of heart disease, diabetes, cancer, and other forms of disease. Fruits and vegetables also increase your fiber intake. They provide an excellent source of vitamins and minerals.
So, make a habit of choosing a rich selection of fruits and vegetables from a rainbow of colors. Purple cabbage, yellow squash, kale, tomatoes, carrots, apples, oranges, strawberries, and melons are all good choices. On the flip side, there are unhealthy foods to consider.
Non-Healthy Foods Destroy Health
Some foods promote disease. For example, red meat contributes to colorectal cancer. In fact, red meats take longer to digest than other meats. Also, choose leaner meats. Lean meats lower your risk of having high cholesterol and more lipids (fatty acids.)Anothe rdiet I have in mind is known as the Mediterranean diet.
Benefits of a Mediterranean Diet
There are a plethora of benefits of the mediterranen diet. You buy these at any local grocery store. In addition, the products used in this diet are cost effective as well.
Here is a short list of Mediterranean benefits:
- Meals are replete with nutritious fruit and vegetable content
- Lean cuts of poultry
- Small portions of fish (high in Omega-3)
- Salmon, Anchovies
- Moderate intake of red wine
- A small serving of red meats
- Foods high in monounsaturated fats (nuts, seeds and olive oil)
- High-fiber grains, whole grains, oatmeal and barley
- Is found in countries surrounding the Mediterranean Sea.
Quality Rest Time is Key
Are you getting at least 7-8 hours of sleep every night? If not, you need to make a change. Sleep is one of the most important components of a healthy lifestyle and hormonal balance. It gives the body time to repair and heal during the night. During deep sleep, also known as Rapid Eye Motion (REM) moments, the brain has a chance to unwind. Actually, this is the time when you are experiencing the dream state. To sum up, here are the five stages of sleep.
- First Stage : Light sleep when muscles start to unwind, as you drift in and out of sleep.
- Second Stage : Light sleep 2.0. You are still awake but your heart rate, brain and eye movements slow down.
- Three and Four Stage: In deep sleep stages, it is difficult to wake up. This is the most critical part of sleep, the body repairs tissues, releases growth hormones and prepares the itself and the mind for the next day.
- Fifth Stage: This is REM sleep, muscles will stop moving, your body will relax.
On the other hand, sleep deprivation leads to obesity, diabetes, heart disease, hypertension, anxiety, depression, alcohol abuse, stroke and some rare forms of cancer. Unfortunately, a change in sleep patterns is a sign that there are other health issues to consider. Getting too much sleep, is another valid, medical concern. So, eight hours of sleep is enough.
How to Get a Good Night’s Sleep
Getting a good night’s sleep is easier than you think. The benefits are incredible. During sleep the body repairs itself.
So, make sure to do your own preparation such as:
- Set up a consistent routine to sign off and wake up each morning, even on weekends
- Turn off all electronic devices and store them somewhere outside of the bedroom.
- Keep your bedroom or sleeping area as dark as possible.
- Do not consume alcohol or caffeine within a few hours of bedtime.
- A daily 30-minute exercise routine helps you have a good night’s sleep,
Take Your Daily Exercise Seriously
Do you include some type of physical activity in your daily routine? Good for you. Exercise protects your heart. In fact, it also helps prevent bone loss as we age. It plays a key role in maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Power walking, in particular, cleared my head after going around the block. I felt like a brand-new person. Fitness experts remind us that exercise is one of the best ways to maintain weight loss. It also helps control appetite. Exercise also provides other benefits.
Otago Exercises for Seniors
Anyone over the age of 65 is capable of adding balance and flexibility training to their fitness routine. Apart from this, doing something that brings joy is so important. Whether it be dancing, swimming, gardening, or biking. Find your bliss. You are the captain of your own ship.
Many senior citizens are opting for Otago exercises. This fitness program is becoming more mainstream. So, tell your moms and grammas to get off the couch and get busy.
There are five categories of the Otago Exercises. Each one focuses on a specific area of the body:
- * Posture
- * Spinal Mobility
- * Hip and Core Stability
- * Lower Extremity Strengthening
- * Balance Training
For starters, consult with your primary care physicians. After getting the OK from your doctor, enroll in an Ortago Exercise class. It takes only three sessions a week for several weeks. During your last session you will see results.
You’ll notice improvement in your balance and flexibility. In addition, it helps prevent falls. Consequently, exercise, even in minimal amounts, makes a big difference in your life.
A Sustainable Diet Goes a Long Way
Eating a healthy diet is essential to maintaining a healthy weight. Skinny people are known to eat everything except the kitchen sink and never gain a pound. Despite this fact, weight watchers cannot do this and get away with it. Unfortunately, too many of us struggle with weight issues for far too long. Maintaining body weight is key to a healthy lifestyle.
From Yo-Yo Dieting to a Healthy Lifestyle
During my early teens, my weight began to climb. Eventually, the weight gain stopped. It reached a plateau around age twenty-five. After being in a Garden Club, I noticed how the pounds began to fall off. When I stopped gardening, the weight came back on. The moral of the story is – healthy food choices + exercise = weight maintenance.
My yo-yo dieting increased for the next ten years. I tried everything in town. Watchers, Jennie Craig, Slim Fast, you name it, I tried it.
Classes in Portion Control
In my forties, I started to learn about how to live a healthier lifestyle. Weekly seminars at church taught me about food choices and portion control. Eventually, I learned to control my appetite.
By the end of the year, 30 pounds were gone. What more could anyone ask for? You know what, I no longer live to eat. Instead, I now, eat to live. I am at my optimal weight and I’m feeling good. Also, I thank my exercise idol, Jack La Lane. His show, back in the day was my salvation. He is the founding father of fitness for sure.
Godfather of Health and Fitness
Jack Lalanne created the first Health Club & Spa in 1936. He built 200 health clubs and spas around the world. In addition, he also licensed them in 1980 to Bally’s Company. Later, Bally’s was renamed Bally’s Total Fitness.
I have worked out at many Ballys not knowing that one of my fitness heroes was founder of it. Consequently, the Jack Lalanne show was one of the top TV shows in the 80s and 90s. Lalanne created the “Jumping Jacks,” as a light aerobic warm up. He later developed the first Leg Extension Machine, Cable/Pulley machines, and other calf machines.
Jack Lalanne’s Other attributions:
- Authored 10 books on health and fitness
- Wrote dozens of “self-help” pamphlets
- Encouraged women to lift weights in the 1930s
- Ran his television exercise show (my favorite))
- Inventor of the Jack Lalanne Power Juicer (sold millions) www.jacklalanne.com
My Favorite Jack Lalanne Quote
“It’s not what you do some of the time that counts, it’s what you do all the time that counts.” This is true. Optimal health isn’t just a workout or eating well occasionally. It’s a lifestyle change. Transitioning to a healthier lifestyle is not easy.
Making a Healthy Transition
After many failed diets and binge dieting, I realized that I had to make a change in my lifestyle. Eating low-nutritional/high-caloric foods was no longer in my best interest. My weight continued to soar. Health problems also increased. My health, finally, reached a red zone. Today I am at a healthy weight and have fully transition to a healthir lifestyle.
Transitioning to a Healthy Lifestyle
I no longer struggle with my weight issues. Fortunately, my doctor spent time with me. We discussed the importance of maintaining a healthy weight. He put me on a modified version of the Dash Diet 1500 calories a day. I lost 30 pounds within a four-month period. Weight Management is feasible if you take charge of your life.
Weight Management is the Key
Weight maintenance is definitely a daunting part of keeping a healthy lifestyle. However, your weight is manageable if you stay focused and keep a positive outlook. Watch what you eat and do some type of physical activity every day. Like the Bob Marley lyrics say, “Don’t worry about a thing, every little thing gonna be alright.”
Final Take Home
Thank you for joining me on this amazing journey. Personally, I have come a long way. Keeping my life in balance is key. This means making healthy food choices, getting adequate sleep, drinking enough water (for me 2 Liters) and doing a moderate amount of exercise. Even if it’s sitting down in a chair. Yoga in a chair is awesome. Any amount works. Also, keep safe this summer and have lots of fun.
Rachele, Founder
w. mybluegenes.com
e. rachele@mybluegenes.com