healthychoice… by traci vandermark

  Choices.  We are bombarded with them daily, from the minute we wake up (should we hit snooze and catch a few more winks)… throughout the day (should I grab that double cheeseburger for lunch or go next door and grab a green salad?)… to the moment our head hits the pillow again (another hour of tv or an extra hour of quality sleep?).  Choices are laid in front of us every moment of the day.  What we often forget is that today’s choices will determine tomorrow’s health.

 

There are 5 important areas of choice where if we choose health today, we will reap the benefits of improved quality of life.

1.  Sleep:  Over one hundred million Americans are classified as sleep deprived.  Medical studies have shown that lack of sleep negatively impacts carbohydrate metabolism and increases the severity of age-related chronic disorders.  How do you choose to get quality sleep that will improve your health?  Go to bed earlier, and get quality uninterrupted sleep.  Spend time in the sun during the day! This increases your melatonin production, which regulates your sleep cycles.  Keep the light out of your room at night… and get some exercise daily, even if it is only a short walk.  Minimize the sounds in your room, as they can affect your sleep rhythms.  If you must fall  asleep with a tv on, put it on a sleep timer, so it shuts off soon after you begin dozing.

2.  Nutrition:  Making healthy choices when it comes to nutrition requires more than a paragraph, which is why there are countless books on the subject.  However, we all need a reminder now and then, that tomorrow’s health often lies in today’s nutritional choices.  You don’t need to be a nutritionist or registered dietician to know the basic principles of choosing healthy foods.  Vegetables, fruits, lean cuts of meats, and for some people, whole grains.  Information on food choices abounds, and you should do some research to assure yourself you are making the right choice for YOU.  Not everyone can have whole grains, as more and more people are realizing they are intolerant to the gluten.  Are you diabetic or pre-diabetic?  Then too much fruit would not be a wise choice for you.  You need to pay attention to how your own body reacts to different foods, and look at your current health condition, and make healthy nutritional choices based on your conclusions.  Consulting your doctor before making any radical changes to your diet is recommended!

3.  Exercise:  No doubt that an article about healty choices will include exercise.  No matter what physical condition you currently find yourself in, there is something you can do to start taking steps towards better health.  Walking is simple and can be done at any pace and is a great place for someone to start.  Can’t walk?  Lift your arms above your head, or do some waist bends.  Grab a couple cans out of the cupboard for weights.  The only necessary equipment to start exercising is the willingness to do it!

4.  Breathe:  Seems easy enough… something we don’t have to think about.  But… BREATHE DEEPLY!  This is a technique that takes just minutes to practice.  Breathe in deep through your nose, taking air into your lower lungs.  As you do this, your abdomen should be rising, not your chest.  As your lower lungs fill up, then your chest will begin to rise.  When you have inhaled as much air as you possibly can, exhale through your mouth until you feel your abdomen or belly button reaching towards your spine.  Deep breathing increases the oxygen in your body, which helps with everything from thinking clearly to decreasing stress.

5.  Laugh:  Yes, that’s right… LAUGH!  Laughter really is good medicine. Studies have shown that the physical act of laughing reduces stress related hormones, works out your abdominal muscles and keeps your liver healthy!  And the world is catching on…. there is Laughter Yoga, Laughing Clubs, Humor Therapy and World Laughter Day (May 4th, by the way).  Think you have nothing to laugh about?  Just fake it… and within minutes you will have given yourself a genuine belly laugh.  OR… do one better and check out this Laughing Yoga video… 

                                               

Begin looking at the daily choices placed before you… and no matter how big or small the choice seems, evaluate it and choose wisely.  All of the choices you have made in your yesterdays have brought you to where you are at this very moment.  Likewise, choosing health today will give you an advantage tomorrow.

 

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