Setbacks due to negativity
Have you heard of the limit violation effect? It is caused by negative self-thoughts about breaking a diet and is when people blame themselves for harmful actions such as drinking too much or eating unhealthy food. They end up repeating those behaviors to a greater extent to cope with the problem.

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Thus, eating is a coping mechanism for escaping negative thoughts and self-awareness and, eating poorly only exacerbates the situation by providing any short-lived relief. You must remember that success rarely comes from a place of negativity. As an example, dieters usually fail to find compassion when they think of past mistakes such as ‘It is my fault I cannot have a cookie now’ or, when they fail, e.g., ‘Of course I failed, which is why I gained weight in the first place.’ At this point, some individuals consider him or herself a loser. Do not buy into this attitude.

By direct contrast, research suggests that having a positive-body image is correlated with successful weight loss and long-term maintenance. This suggests a real key to weight loss is self-compassion. In other words, if you do not reach your goal(s) when you want to or how you want to, do not beat yourself up about them. Be persistent and stay the course.

It is not Just about a Diet or a Program!
Remember that self-compassion is a kinder approach toward yourself and understand that your experiences are part of what everyone goes through during challenging times. After all, self-compassion is offering nonjudgmental understanding to one’s inadequacies and failures, so that one’s experience is seen as part of the larger human experience. It is also characterized by kindness toward yourself and mindfulness.

The key benefit of self-compassion is that you learn to recognize harmful and self-destructive behavior and evaluate it in a non-threatening manner. This allows you to improve self-regulatory capabilities, not only short, but also long-term. When you link self-compassion to weight loss, it helps you respect your health, and give up behaviors that are counterproductive to your well-being.

There is much research that supports the notion that self-compassion training may be useful for long-term weight loss. In one experiment, men who were taught self-compassion meditation with mindfulness meditation fared better with long-term weight loss than those who were only taught mindfulness meditation, as well as those in the control group who only received educational information. It really shows the power of positivity.

The fact is, everyone eats unhealthily sometimes; you should not beat yourself up about it, but do not make it a daily habit either. Individuals who are rigid dieters generally have more negative feelings toward their eating behavior than more flexible eaters. Rigid dieters will also typically eat more candy than flexible dieters, demonstrating the limit volition effect unless they have been schooled in self-compassion.

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However, it’s not all about self-compassion since problems such as obesity, a complex problem and sometimes called a disease, has many components that must be addressed. But, learning self-compassion may be an essential tool to helping individuals cope with their weight besides just designing a workout program and or eating healthy.

Let’s look at an example. Suppose you want to lose 30 pounds. Why is the goal of losing 30 pounds important? Do you want to look better in clothes? What is your answer? No matter what answer you give, I would again ask, why? This exercise will force you to dig into the deepest level of your intrinsic motivations. And, it will help you arrive at the higher-level goal for the right reasons. For example, Susan wants to lose 30 pounds. Why? To look better in clothes. Why? To gain better confidence. Why? To be a happier, healthier person. . . .

Although self-compassion is highly useful for people who tend to follow highly restrictive diets and who often suffer from feelings of guilt. Despite this, it works in conjunction with a good program and trying to eat healthy. They key is to be flexible and do not be a scale watcher.

Following is a short checklist of psychological aspects of weight loss you can work on:

• Dig deep into the ‘why’ behind your goal to lose weight. This will help you create the intrinsic desire to improve for the right reasons.
• Be kind to yourself; the negative self-talk (“Darn it, I have no self-control!”) should be replaced by understanding your struggles; it will help keep focus to continual improvement rather than succumbing to helplessness.
• Self-compassion is important when you’ve dropped off your goals, but only if you pick yourself back up and continue.
• Do not be too rigid in your diet if you have one, be more flexible, which will allow greater food variety and better health long-term.

Finally, always remember that weight loss and health maintenance are long-term processes. While we likely will not be perfect at them, we can strive to be. Highly restrictive and guilt-ridden dieting are almost always associated with negative feelings and emotions that are likely to cause more harmful behavior. Stay positive and have a happy and healthy day.

Beginning a good fitness program may be one of the best things you can do for your health and longevity. Physical activity can reduce your risk of chronic disease, improve your balance, and coordination, help you lose weight, and improve sleep habits and self-esteem. Best of all, you can start your program with five easy steps. What are these steps? They include assessing your fitness level, designing your fitness program, assembling your fitness equipment, getting started, and monitoring your progress.

1. Assess your fitness level
Before you begin, check with your physician to ensure there are no health problems and so that you’ll feel more comfortable while you begin. All of us likely have some idea of how fit we are, but assessing and recording baseline fitness scores can give you a benchmark that you can use to judge future performance by as you progress from day to day. Let’s assess your aerobic and muscular fitness, flexibility, and body composition. To do this, record the following about your performance:

• Pulse rate – both before and immediately after walking 1 mile. If you cannot do one mile, try ½ mile;
• Record the time it takes you to walk ½ or 1 mile. If that is not doable, record the time for ¼ mile. If you are fit, record this for 1.5 miles;
• Perform as many sit ups and pushups you can do in one minute. If you cannot do full pushup and situps, try modifying them to incline pushups and crunches and record that number;
• Sit flat on the floor with legs/feet out in front of you – measure how far you can reach while bending forward;
• Measure your waist circumference, just above your hipbones; and
• Record your body mass index.

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2. Design your fitness program
There are two things that make it difficult for people to get into a fitness program. First, they try to add more exercises than they can do in an allotted time and second, by doing so they generally get very sore because they have not exercised in a while. Avoid doing this and you’ll get off to a great start. You need a plan. Design an exercise program, but keep in mind the following:

• Consider your fitness goals. Are you starting a fitness program to help lose weight or, do you have another motivation, such as preparing for a marathon? Make your goals clear to help you gauge progress and stay motivated;
• Create a balanced routine

It is recommended that you get 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity or 75 minutes of vigorous aerobic activity per week, or a combination of moderate and vigorous activity;

As an example, aim for about 30 minutes of aerobic exercise on most days of the week. Also, incorporate strength training of all the major muscle groups into a fitness routine at least two days a week;

• Start low and progress slowly. If you’re just beginning to exercise or haven’t done so for a while, start cautiously and progress slowly. The gym is there every day so, build slowly, especially in terms of weight load in strength-training exercises. Design your program so that it gradually improves your range of motion, strength, and endurance;
• Build activity into your daily routine. The biggest challenge in fitness to finding a time to exercise that fits into your schedule. Once you find it – KEEP IT! To make it easier, schedule time to exercise as you would any other appointment. Plan to watch your favorite show while walking on the treadmill, read while riding a stationary bike, or take a break to go on a walk at work;
• Plan to include different activities. Different activities (cross-training) can keep exercise boredom at bay. Cross-training using low-impact forms of activity, such as biking or water exercise, also reduces your chances of injuring or overusing one specific muscle or joint. Plan to alternate among activities that emphasize different parts of your body, such as walking, swimming and strength training.
• Allow time for recovery. Many people start exercising with frenzied zeal — working out too long or too intensely — and give up when their muscles and joints become sore or injured. Plan time between sessions for your body to rest and recover.
• Put it on paper. A written plan may encourage you to stay on track.

3. Assemble your equipment
Let’s think of this methodically. What do you need when you exercise? You likely have workout clothes of some type so, the main item is a good pair of shoes to workout in. The type you need will depend on what types of exercise you want to do such as running, biking, strength training, etc. Pick shoes designed for the activity you have in mind. For example, running shoes are lighter in weight than cross-training shoes, which are more supportive. Ask for help at your local footwear store and the sales people will be happy to guide you into the right pair.

If you plan on investing in exercise equipment, be it weights, bikes, treadmills, etc., choose equipment that’s practical, enjoyable, and most of all, easy to use. Do not buy expensive equipment without trying it out first – go to your local gym and have a go at it. With gym memberships priced low right now, you should think twice about getting your own because at about $120 per year, a standard bike or treadmill would take 5-6 years to pay off at current membership rates.

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There are also many kinds of fitness devices to utilize if you plan on running, doing weight free exercises and so forth. So, consider using fitness apps for smart devices or other activity tracking devices such as Fitbit that tracks your distance, calories burned, or even monitors your heart rate.

4. Get started
You have done the first three steps, now it is time to simply get going. As you do so, be mindful of the following:

• Start slowly and progress gradually. Plan your time and give yourself plenty to warm up and cool down with easy walking or gentle stretching, especially the first week or so in your activities. Slowly speed up the pace and or increase the intensity for 10-20 without getting overly tired. As your endurance and stamina improves, gradually increase the amount of time you exercise until you reach 30 to 60 minutes of exercise most days of the week. If you’re going to compete, you’ll surpass these times.
• Split your exercise time if you need to. If you feel time starved, do not do all your exercise at one time; blend them into your daily activity by splitting apart what can be done in the gym and what can be done at the home or office. Often, short but more-frequent sessions have aerobic benefits too. Exercising in 10-minute sessions three times a day may fit into your schedule better than a single 30-minute session. And, walking up stairs, push ups, sit ups and other types of exercises can be done on the go at the office, during breaks, or at home.
• Creativity is a must. For example, it is likely that your workout routine includes various activities such as walking, bicycling, or running. Do not stop there, instead, take a weekend hike at the park or in the woods; run around the track at your local high school, or go swimming at your community center. The important thing to do is that while planning your workout program, find activities you enjoy and add them to your fitness routine.
• Listen to your body. If you feel pain (especially if it’s sharp), shortness of breath, get dizzy, feel nauseated, or something that doesn’t feel right, take a break. The symptoms are likely because you are pushing too hard.
• Be flexible. Stick to your plan, but if you don’t feel well on some days, give yourself permission to take a day off. Remember, a healthy lifestyle is about long-term persistence.

5. Monitor your progress
Once you get going and are being persistent, retake your personal fitness assessment about six weeks after you start your program and then again, every two months so that you can track your overall progress – write this down in a personal journal. You will likely notice that you need to increase the amount of time you exercise to continue improving. Or, you may be pleasantly surprised to find that you’re exercising just the right amount to meet your fitness goals.

One thing that happens to most of us is that we occasionally lose our motivation. If you lose motivation, set new goals and or try a new activity. Exercising with a friend or taking a class at a fitness center may help, too. This will help hold you accountable.

Starting an exercise program is an important decision, but it does not need to be an overwhelming one. By planning carefully and pacing yourself, you can establish a healthy habit that lasts a lifetime.

Finally, one of the big questions many have is, “How do a develop my own exercise program?” The answer is, you no longer need to, we have done that for you, to make it as easy as possible. Go to ‘My Workout’ section of the website and design your own program. However, be honest about your goals and fitness level. For example, do not click advanced when you’re really a beginner, nor do you want to click adding speed-strength exercises, when you likely do not know how to do them or are no longer in shape for them. You’ll find it easy to develop your own program with the ‘My Workout’ tools. Best of all, you can print it out and take it to the gym with you or store on your phone. Whether you want a 1, 2, or 4 week program, you’ll find it fun and easy and, you’ll progress quickly.

One group of these muscles is the Transverse Abdominis (TrA) muscle. By engaging this area before performing exercises and during exercises, you’ll have a healthier spine and lower back; not only now but in the future. It will help your six-pack abs, but let’s focus on the core, which is more important. For pro athletes, we call this the money maker because the core must be in tip-top shape to be really good at your sport.

The TrA acts to protect your spine and is just beneath the “six-pack abs” or in technical terms, the rectus abdominis, which is why the TrA is often overlooked. But, in terms of the core, the TrA has a much greater role in your core than other ab muscles.

There is a reason the TrA is overlooked; that’s because a great many people have a tough time properly engaging this muscle. How can we engage the TrA? Follow the steps below:

• Lie flat on the floor.
• Contract your stomach so that your belly button moves toward your spine. If you place a small object on your belly button (small saucer, bottle lid, etc.), you can easily observe the downward motion.
• Do not hold your breath during the motion. Breathe normally. Actually, you should be able to carry on a conversation.
• Contract your ab (TrA) muscles for 5 seconds and then, let go. Perform 15-25 reps. It’s a great warm down after a workout.

Work on the Core – Not the Six Pack
Many believe that building that six pack builds the core. It does, but not as much as you think and a great many complain of lower back pain due to lots of crunches and sit ups and as they age. There is a reason for this. When you perform core-training exercises that force your trunk and spine into what is termed excessive flexion (crunches and sit ups are examples), the facet joints and vertebral discs within your vertebral column really take a beating. This same thing happens when excessive extension. After all, these muscles are not like biceps muscles that prefer to be in the shortened position versus an elongated position.
What’s the Purpose of Your Core?

Briefly, the core muscles provide stability. All the muscles in your core and lumbopelvic hip complex work in tandem to provide protection for your spine, especially at the lumbar segments in your vertebral column. Most notably, these areas protect your spine during movements in the form of: anti-rotation, anti-flexion and anti-extension.

It is not about avoiding moving into rotation, flexion and extension during daily activity. It’s about how we should think about our core this way to get a better understanding of what’s truly happening with your spine. So, how do we determine what’s right for us in terms of core strength, routines, etc?
To begin, you need to adjust your spine and find a posture that feels best for your own body. Next, your primary goal should be to achieve proper core stability. If you can stabilize the muscles in your core in the presence of movement, you’ll achieve a greater level of health and a happier lower back that will likely be pain free. It’s not about popping pills to cure that lower back pain, but generally about strengthening your core muscles.

Once you find your proper form, you can begin to emphasize strengthening your core. This is easily done by adding external resistance from the use of resistance bands, medicine balls, dumbbells, cable column, etc. As you develop a good foundation and especially if you’re an athlete, you can begin to add power and explosive movement patterns into your core training routines. A core training progression would follow a step-wise process:

1. Spine Organizations
2. Proper Posture
3. Core Stability
4. Core Strength
5. Power Development

This progression listed above is important; it will help you develop a great core and strengthen your spinal area for long-term health. Let’s try the basic Plank Hold. During this exercise, your goal is to brace your core muscles, create full-body tension and to hold a static position, while gravity and your body-weight try pull at you.

Moving on to a higher level, you can perform an anti-extension exercise. In this type exercise, you are deliberately attempting to avoid spinal extension, especially in the lumbar spine, i.e., you do not want to let your hips dip down toward the floor. To properly perform all of this at the same time, it’s necessary for you to have core stability. This is the real key – core stability is necessary prior to adding elements of strength and power. You need to master exercises at each level prior to moving to the next step in your training progression.

Basic/Beginning Level Core Training Exercises

Dead-Bug
1. Begin lying on your back with your hands extended above you toward the ceiling.
2. Bring your feet, knees, and hips up to 90 degrees.
3. Exhale hard to bring your ribcage down and flatten your back onto the floor, rotating your pelvis up and squeezing your glutes. Hold this position throughout the movement. This will be your starting position.
4. Initiate the exercise by extending one leg, straightening the knee and hip to bring the leg just above the ground.
5. Maintain the position of your lumbar and pelvis as you perform the movement, as your back is going to want to arch.
6. Stay tight and return the working leg to the starting position.
7. Repeat on the opposite side, alternating until the set is complete.

Mountain Climber
1. Begin in a pushup position, with your weight supported by your hands and toes. Flexing the knee and hip, bring one leg until the knee is approximately under the hip. This will be your starting position. Do not let the hips dance as you perform the exercise.
2. Explosively reverse the positions of your legs, extending the bent leg until the leg is straight and supported by the toe, and bringing the other foot up with the hip and knee flexed. Repeat in an alternating fashion for 20-30 seconds.

Plank Hold
1. Get into a prone position on the floor, supporting your weight on your toes and your forearms. Your arms are bent and directly below the shoulder.
2. Keep your body straight at all times, and hold this position as long as possible. To increase difficulty, an arm or leg can be raised.

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Intermediate Level Core Training Exercises
Once you’ve mastered the basic level section, check out this list of the four core strengthening exercises with a corresponding video demonstration of each one:

Anti-Rotation “Pallof” Press and Overhead Raise
Assume a tall kneeling position; this will force you to engage your glutes to remain tall.
1. Position yourself perpendicular to a cable column (or where you are using a band) and move a couple feet away to allow for tension on the cable. The cable should be aligned with your mid-section. With your stomach tight, chest tall, and shoulders back, slowly control the cable away from your body staying in-line with your sternum until your elbows are almost locked out. Pause for 2-3 seconds and return to start.
2. Return to start and repeat for 10-12 repetitions. Make sure you focus on remaining tight throughout your core and controlling all motion.
3. I find people often use too much weight on this exercise, which promotes unwanted movement. Keep the weight moderate and focus on breathing and staying tight through your core.

Half-Kneeling Chop
1. Clip a rope attachment to the highest level of an adjustable cable machine. Kneel on the floor, with your leg closest to the weights bent to 90 degrees, foot flat on the floor. Extend your arms and grab the rope with an overhand grip, hands shoulder-width apart.
2. Brace your core, squeeze your glutes, and use your torso to pull the rope down and across your body, past your opposite hip. Return to the starting position and repeat before switching to the other side.
3. Avoid rotating your torso during the movement; maintain a slight bend in the elbows; and, maintain a tall and straight spine throughout the exercise.

Perfect Posture Rotating Plank
1. Place your elbows and feet shoulder width apart on the floor, with your legs and body straight in plank position.
2. Rotate your hips, shoulders, and feet while raising your right arm so that you shift onto your left elbow. As you rotate, straighten your right arm up towards the ceiling. Rotate your body and arm back into the starting plank position.
3. Repeat the rotating motion on the right side.

Plank Body-Saw with Valslides
1. Assume a forearm plank position by lying on your stomach with your elbows under your shoulders and a Valslide under each foot.
2. Raise your body so that only your forearms and the Valslides are in contact with the floor.
3. Keep your midsection tight, squeeze your glutes, and slowly push your body away from your forearms.
4. Only slide back as far as you feel comfortable, without piking or allowing your low back to sag. When you can’t go any farther, pull your body back up toward your forearms past the starting position.
5. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions, always keeping your hips elevated in a plank position.

Advanced Level Core Training Exercises
Finally, you’re ready to tackle the advanced section. Here is the list of the three core strengthening exercises with a corresponding video demonstration of each movement:

Side Plank Hold to Row with Hip Flexion
1. Position yourself next to a low-pulley cable machine and get into a side plank position on your forearm, facing the cable. Grab the handle with your free hand and palm facing the floor. Arm should be fully extended.
2. Brace core and drive the elbow past your back, while simultaneously pulling handle to your side. As you do so, pull same-side knee toward chest (to a 90 degree angle or greater). Pause and contract the muscle around your shoulder blade, while holding knee position. Slowly return hand and knee back to starting position.

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Half-Kneeling Medicine Ball Wall Toss
1. This core exercise isolates your core more and does not allow you to use your legs as much. It is a great exercise for working on power and core stability. Be explosive and quick for a few reps and then switch sides.
2. To do the Half-Kneeling Rotational Throw, set up with one side to the wall and place the foot of the leg closest to the wall flat on the ground. You should be in a half-kneeling position with your front leg up. You may need to open your front knee up slightly toward the wall. Holding the ball in both hands, bring it toward your outside hip.
3. Then, throwing it underhanded, rotate and throw it into the wall. Throw it as hard as you can, rotating toward the wall as you throw. Follow through with your arms.
4. Catch the ball and reload, bringing the ball back outside your hip.
5. Make sure to engage your glutes as you throw to keep you balanced. Also, do not round forward. Keep your back flat and abs engaged as you throw.
6. Complete all reps to one side then switch to half kneeling on the other side.

Farmer’s Carry Variation: Bottoms-Up Kettlebell Waiter’s Hold with Dumbbell Suitcase Hold
1. The bottoms up carry is incredibly challenging for your grip and shoulder girdle. The position of the kettlebell demands a tight grip, stable shoulder, and midsection. You cannot keep the bell balanced in this position without a well braced midsection and strong scapular control.
2. Start by swinging the bell with a tight grip so you balance it with the bottom pointed up. You can use your other hand to stabilize the kettlebell at the top before you start walking. However, to make it extra advanced, carry another kettlebell in your opposite hand.
3. Make sure that are keeping your abs tight and your shoulder blade packed by squeezing down through your armpit and lats. Continue to crush the grip of the kettlebell and walk smoothly. You can make this exercise more difficult by extending the kettlebell forward while keeping your upper back tight. Walk for distance or time for each rep.

So, get out there and train that core. Train for function first, not anatomy. You will find it easier to achieve optimal performance in this manner and you will prevent injury.

1. Drink Water

We have all heard the adage to drink 8 glasses of water (8 ounces each) per day. But, how many of us really do it? Water is the most essential component of life, whether for building bodies or nations. As an example, the muscles that move our body are 75% water, our blood plasma is 82% water, our lungs are 90% water, our brain is 76% water, and our bones are 25% water. This illustrates the importance of water for the body. Water is the cellular foundation of our body. And all too often, while we think we are hungry, we are just thirsty. For example, it’s 9:30 am on a typical day in your life – how much water have you drank today? The average person hasn’t drunk any water by this time, but has had 2-3 cups of coffee. Your day is already beginning in a water deficit. Would it surprise you to know that about 80% of people, maybe even you, are suffering from chronic dehydration.

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Chronic dehydration can often be the underlying contributing cause of pain, chronic pain, and nearly all the degenerative diseases that plague our times – heartburn, arthritis, colitis, cholesterol, and cancer. They all can be prevented by increasing water intake on a regular basis. Along with good nutrition, almost 95% of the illnesses that plague us as people can be mostly overcome. We generally need in excess of four pints of water each day, which is used by the body for digestion, detoxifying cells, watering the lungs, keeping the body alkalized, and many other processes by the liver and other organs.

What should we do? To rehabilitate our bodies from chronic dehydration, you need 2-3 liters of water each day. This water should be as cold as you can get it and preferably filtered to be rid of chlorine and other contaminants. Did you know that water treatment plants only treat for bacteria and other harmful, naturally occurring parameters. They do not treat for contaminants in the water related to agriculture, pharmaceuticals, and many others. A growing problem is what scientists call emerging contaminants that get into drinking water due to human excretions of drugs, caffeine, and all the other substances we take into our bodies. What is not used passes through and ends up in the water supply. Thus, filter your water so it is as healthy as it can be for you.

2. Breathe

When a martial artist throws a great kick or punch, it is generally accompanied by an expulsion of air from the lungs for great striking force. Yet, most people are unaware of their continuous breathing unless they are having trouble doing so due to a cold or other ailment. Breathing oxygenates the body (this helps with digestion), expels toxins, and livens the tissues, as well as helps us to process our emotions. For example, have you noticed how much more you breathe when you are angry or how much softer you breathe when you’re relaxed and happy? Your breathing rate will change in relation to the state of your emotions. Stretching, martial arts, Tai-Chi and yoga are not just done for a for a good workout, but all help the body in breathing as they are for all intents and purposes, breathing exercises. Breathing through the mouth is detrimental – it lets in airborne contaminants, but also ages the body prematurely. Breathing through the nose accesses the lower lobes of the lungs and thus, activates anti-stress hormones.

3. Exercise Daily

Face it, in the current age of technology, many, both old and young, have become couch potatoes. Thus, you need to exercise/move every day – make it a priority. You do not need to perform a full-blown workout, but stay active. You can go to the gym, swim, bike, yoga, tai chi, do a 30-minute walk after during lunch or after dinner and so many other things, such as sit up and pushups and more. By being on the go and moving, we keep our lungs and cardiovascular system healthy. The more we challenge our body, the fitter it gets. Perhaps not like a pro bodybuilder, but more capable of doing physical things without tiring. As we exercise, whether it be gentle walks or high-intensity, our lymph system is cleaned and we naturally excrete toxins that helps relieve aches and pains. Make it a habit – 20 to 30 minutes each day, more if you can.

4. Eat More Fat

Do not make fat a dirty word. Fat is necessary for correct physiological functioning of the body. Our body may be mostly water, but it is also composed of necessary fat, especially the brain. And, correct brain functioning requires fat. This doesn’t mean to go out and gorge down French fries and fried chicken, but you need to obtain fats such as Omega-3 and saturated fats from your diet. Losing weight also requires fat – fat burns in a carbohydrate flames, but that’s another story. Too much fat is not a good thing, but even saturated fat plays a major role. For example, in moderation, saturated does not contribute to heart disease, instead, it plays a key role in cardiovascular health. Likewise, loss of sufficient saturated fatty acids in white blood cells damages their ability to recognize and destroy foreign invaders such as viruses, parasites, and bacteria. And, fat is also required for calcium to be effectively incorporated into bone. There are specific saturated fats, such as those found in butter or coconut oil, that function as messengers in the body that directly influence your metabolism and the release of insulin. Including saturated fatty acids in our diet, we greatly diminish the stress reactions in the body, whereas polyunsaturated fatty acids amplify them. Dr. Mary Enig suggests that about half the fats in your diet be saturated. Also, the right fats in your diet can also help burn unwanted body fat, as well as helping to fight inflammation.

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5. Sleep

Doctors have generally recommended that you sleep at least 8 hours per night. However, most of us do not and most of us are sleep deprived. Like water, sleep is a necessary part of good health and a tired body is much more susceptible to colds, flus, and other ailments. You think better, digest food better, perform under stress better and rid yourself of it better when you get the right amount of sleep. Your overall sense of wellbeing improves with adequate sleep, instead of when you are tired and grumpy. With adequate sleep, the body can repair itself and rejuvenate much more quickly, whereas sleep deprivation can lead to hypertension, a propensity for diabetes and or obesity, as well as other health problems.

6. Eat Your Vegetables

Green, leafy vegetables provide vitamins, folic acid, minerals, fiber, and other nutrients that are needed by the body. The more you eat the better; best of all, most of them are non-fattening. The fact is that most people just do not eat vegetables very often. Think of a rainbow; these colorful plant foods also contain antioxidants, which are responsible for scavenging free radicals, especially vitamins C and E (causing cell damage and aging), aid longevity and youthfulness, and fight cancer. Vegetables help to cleanse the blood, provide clean water to hydrate the body, as well as provide healthy sugars, and they help support the liver, regulate cholesterol levels, and promote healthy elimination. And, they taste great. Why not start today, by putting a rainbow on your plate in the form of a good salad or have at least two types of vegetables with each meal.

7. Seek Nature

Most people live indoors and do not get outdoors as often as we should. We work all day, go home to dinner, often in the dark, and collapse on the sofa from the stress of the day. We become so accustomed to being inside that we miss the feeling of being connected to nature or, even trying. Lack of time in the sun means you’re not getting your Vitamin D, which is necessary for many important functions in the body, including constructing our hormones. Being indoors leads to feelings of depression and stress unlike a walk on the beach or outdoors, which provides negative ions that balance our circadian rhythms, slows our heart rate appropriately, and creates a sense of peace and wellbeing. So, next time you go to work, take a short break outside. Sit on a bench and look up into the sky to help relieve stress and open your body to a greater connection with nature. Try a bike ride or hike on the weekends, even if it’s only in a local park. The world of nature is far more inviting and complex than the ones we as people have created – connect with it for a happier, healthier you.

8. Invest in Probiotics

Do you ever get the feeling of being bloated, uncomfortable, or gassy; that your favorite foods now give you heartburn? There is a trend of so-called bad foods such as gluten, dairy, eggs, sugar, fruit and so on that you have removed from your diet because of the negativity associated with them. And still, you have the bloated and related feelings. The reason for this is because the bacteria levels that you normally have within your stomach have reduced to very low levels. When bacteria levels get low, it becomes more difficult absorb healthy foods and, the levels can drop even more. We live in a world that is very dependent on antibiotics that we have trouble with the body keeping balance sometimes. And, a great many buy into hot-nutrition issues. A current one is gluten free. What is gluten? Gluten is a composite of storage proteins termed prolamins and glutelins found in wheat and related grains (this includes barley, rye, oat, and all their species and hybrids such as spelt, khorasan, emmer, einkorn, triticale, and so forth). Gluten has viscoelastic properties, i.e., it gives elasticity to dough, which helps it rise and maintain its shape. Often, gluten gives the final product a chewy texture. However, unless you have Celiac disease you do not need and should not, eat gluten free products. Celiac disease is a problem with digesting gluten (found in foods like bread, crackers, and pasta) that affects the absorption of nutrients. Symptoms include gas and bloating, weight loss, and fatigue. Thus, watch out for the fads that are started and promoted for virtually no reason or because someone heard this or that and have a lot of followers on social media. Good nutrition helps in so many ways. Therefore, eating probiotics foods like kefir and yogurt, kim-chi or sauerkraut or kombucha, are good ways to restore your good bacteria levels. Reducing your stress levels by getting back to nature occasionally helps too.

9. Express Yourself

Your emotions play a key role in health and disease. Specific emotions have a direct effect on our biology. These include anger, grief, fear, fright, sadness, and timidity. Although such ephemeral emotions cannot contribute pathologically, they do constitute are considered healthful emotional aspects of well-balanced people. Allow yourself to feel what you feel so that pent up emotions do not overflow. Keeping them pent up can cause illness and imbalance in the body states – mentally, physically, and spiritually. You be you and be happy; do not buy into group think just because someone thinks it’s cool or wants you to. This will negate who you really are and could potentially cause pent up emotions long-term due to participation in something your really do not think the same way about as the person you are trying to please. This is only one example. Be authentic with yourself – find out who you are and express it. By expressing yourself you free up your conscience and reduce physical stress.

10. Relax through Meditation and Stretching

Meditation, whether done alone or while stretching is one of the oldest, most ancient, and beneficial methods for self-care. It quiets the mind, and aligns your brain waves, which enhances your feeling of being more at ease, more fully present, and deeply rested. Learning to meditate is not solely a religious issue as some suppose, but is practiced by a great many people around the world to calm themselves. Sometimes just closing your eyes and becoming aware of your breath can have a calming influence over the whole mind-body organism. Work on it for short periods, just 10 minutes and, try doing it outside in the park. You will amaze yourself at how calm you can be.

The field of health is very broad and it both an art and a science. To have good health you must be persistent in your pursuit – it’s a journey. These tips are a mere beginning.