LCG Vision and Commentary

10 October 2008

If you are envisioning a healthy life, then the next step is to start doing more things to achieve that vision. A life filled with peace and pleasure is close at hand if you remember to pay attention to your self. Be mindful of the risks and benefits of choices.

Let’s consider 5 simple things that you can do to enable the longevity we all seek.

The delight is that all five of these things are easy to do. I can promise if you begin today, you'll actually feel better tomorrow.

The hard part is starting. But if you start, the results will be fantastic.

These five things have been studied, tested, and proven to provide great benefits. Even if you can't do all of them all of the time, at least try them once a day or week, until they become habit. The quality and length of your life will go up.

Start on the path to improved health with these five practices:

1. You are what you eat

This is the most important thing to remember: Pay attention to what you eat. Sounds simple enough. If all you eat are donuts and pastries, full fat milk, pizza and chips then guess what? You're going to be obese. Why? Because those foods are dense in calories and high in fats that destroy the good fat in your body.

Want to feel good? Eat whole grains, fruit, berries, teas, slowly grilled meats, and vegetables. A diet like that will get you closer to your natural weight because it will reduce your caloric intake. (Who can eat 18 apples in a day?) By the way, the Japanese have a saying "hara hachi bu," which means eat until you are almost full, not stuffed. Humans who practice this live to their 100s and maintain good health. Remember, you are what you eat.

2. Move your body

It doesn't matter what you do – just get moving. Gardening is as beneficial as aerobics. Walking is as good as tennis. Your body knows it's alive when it's moving. By moving, you allow your body to produce chemicals and molecules that help keep it alive.

Amazingly, research shows movement results in changes at the molecular level. Exercise turns on and off different genes. It actually changes our genetic makeup! Ten years ago, doctors would laugh if you suggested such changes occur. If you are getting started, be careful and go slowly. But do something and let your body do the rest. Start with a simple 15-minute walk tonight.

3. Get your sleep

The fastest-growing health industry is the sleep business. It turns out poor sleep habits (and hygiene) will kill you faster than anything else. With poor sleep, you gain weight and your brain stops functioning. The actual structures in your brain change with poor sleep. Some changes are permanent. So remember to get at least seven and a half hours a day... although eight hours is ideal.

4. Get your sunshine

No matter where you live, get sun on your body every day. Sunlight prevents multiple diseases and improves moods. It decreases the odds of getting multiple sclerosis, high blood pressure, cancer, and depression. Sunlight stimulates your body to produce vitamin D, which then combines with other important molecules critical to health.

Are you worried about sunburn? Don't be. It's simple: Don't go out during the midday sun (11 a.m.-3 p.m.). And perhaps most important, avoid those cancer-causing sunscreens. The higher the SPF, the more concentrated the chemicals.

5. Stop and smell the roses

Flowers change your mood instantly. Flowers with sweet smells bring back memories. And science shows flowers increase our ability to create new memories. Flowers in the workplace increase productivity and mood.

To our health,
--- MDES

"Be careful the environment you choose for it will shape you; be careful the friends you choose for you will become like them."
W. Clement Stone
1902-2002, Author and Businessman