The Right Path to Healthy Living

For most people, living healthy and eating right is hard. We live in a fast-paced society where even though we are frequently encouraged to eat right, it remains a challenge to enact such habits in our lives because fast foods and other quick conveniences dominate our society as a whole.

Medical professionals are finding that heart disease, diabetes, and other deadly infirmities are occurring at an early age. We are often guilty of presuming that if we don’t feel ill, we must be in perfect health. However, in most cases, when we are falling sick, there may be no early onset symptoms until we physically suffer the heart attack or stroke or develop diabetes. Here are some helpful tips towards a healthier you.

STEP ONE: Stop making excuses! We have all been guilty of this. The bible commands us to honor God with our bodies in I Corinthians 6:19b. It is imperative we dedicate at least 20-30 minutes a day, three times a week, to care for our physical bodies. All too often, we put everything before ourselves, whether its work, church or the children. Turn off the mental blocks that feed the millions of excuses you have for avoiding exercise and eating right.

STEP TWO: Make it a personal goal to start eating healthy and well-balanced meals! One way to do this is by adding more vegetables to your daily meals or changing your regular snack choices to fresh fruits and/or vegetables. Start slowly so you won’t get bored or feel deprived. For example, try changing your super-sized value meal to the regular size. In a month or two, reduce that to a Happy Meal. You can also substitute the fries for a side salad instead. Every little bit helps. Also, consume a least 8 glasses of water per day.

STEP THREE: Get rid of all your unhealthy habits! Smoking is an example of a habit which many people have a hard time quitting. Smoking increases your risk for heart attack, stroke and most types of cancer. Statistics say that every cigarette takes 10 seconds off of your life. The American Heart Association says 90% of lung cancer cases result from smoking. It’s a habit that is not only unhealthy for you but for those around you. Second hand smoke contributes to an increase in air pollution and chronic lung diseases like lung cancer. These are just a few reasons to quit. However, for most people, kicking it is not an easy task. The key to quitting is mental determination and fortitude. Speak with your doctor if you are having a hard time quitting. Also, you should consume small amounts of hard liquor. It’s high in calorie and low in nutritional value. Small amounts of wine can be healthy, but still drink responsibly.

STEP FOUR: Get moving! From biking and skating to jumping rope and doing sit-ups, there are thousands of activities you can do to get your heart rate up. The fact is every 45 seconds someone has a heart attack and the majority of these people who suffer heart disease lead very inactive and sedentary lifestyles. Increasing your activity increases the flow of oxygen and blood to your brain and body. Don’t attempt the impossible; start out slowly and set realistic goals.

STEP FIVE: Avoid as much stress as possible! Scientists contend that stress is very damaging to the mind, body and spirit. We now understand that stress can cause chest and abdominal pain and elevated or extremely high blood pressure. We serve a God who supplies everything we need therefore we should not worry as much about every little thing that occurs in our lives.

Yes, eating right and getting ample exercise is hard and we have all fallen victim to stress, sloth and greed at one time or another in our lives. However, let today be the day you renew, refresh and commit to doing better.