Drink lots of water, take deep breaths, choose good supplements, eat all your vegetables, eat more protein, eat fewer carbs. With all the healthcare advice out there these days, and much of it contradictory, it makes healthy living seem like a complicated endeavor! In fact, all that advice can make a junk-food diet look attractive in its simplicity. But don’t panic! Healthy living can be simple.
You know what makes you feel good and what doesn’t. If drinking plenty of water, taking certain supplements, or eating multiple small meals a day makes you feel better, then you already know more than the experts. Similarly, you probably know which of your “bad” habits make you feel ill, like eating too much sugar or spending too much time at your desk. If you are not sure what makes you feel better or worse, keep a diary for seven to twenty-one days. Log your daily food intake, exercise, level of stress, amount of sleep, and anything else that might affect your level of health. Notice what happens when you add or vary any of your habits.
Once you have discovered two or three really great habits that make you feel good, adopt them for the year. To keep things really simple, choose no more than three great habits. If exercise makes you feel good, adopt the habit of exercising a few times a week. If adding fresh fruits or vegetables is good, resolve to add them to your diet on a regular basis, but don’t break the bank. Do what makes you feel good in moderation, and in a way that will be easy for you to remember. If you want to add vitamins or supplements into your life, help yourself remember by putting the bottles or packets in your car, your purse, your pocket, your lunch, or your top desk drawer. Don’t kick yourself when you forget to take the supplements, and take them whenever you see the visual reminder of the bottle. Of course, consistency is always great for health, but in the beginning do what you can to make healthy living a rewarding and pleasurable experience rather than another item on your “To Do” list!
Alan Joel – Alan has been a Doctor of Chinese Medicine for over 25 years, and a practitioner of shamanic healing techniques for over 15 years. He helps …