Balance is the key to health. Sickness, injury, poor lifestyle habits, and the stresses of everyday life are things we all experience that disrupt the delicate balance that is so important to wellness and vitality. It is worthwhile to remind us what we should do.
BE ACTIVE
Exercise is essential for the regular maintenance and production of red blood cells, which carry hemoglobin (otherwise known as the protein that transports oxygen in the body). Physical activity further stimulates the bone marrow, an important component of the immune system, which boosts our body’s defense system. The need to overcome effectively the sedentary habits of our adult population has been recognized for decades (American Journal of Cardiology). Physical inactivity has been intimately associated with obesity, premature cardiovascular disease, unnecessary orthopedic problems, anxiety and emotional tension.
To promote and maintain basic cardiorespiratory health and endurance, all adults ages 18-65 should have at least thirty minutes moderate exercise three times a week (American Heart Association). You do not need to do all the exercises within half an hour but you can break it down into sessions of 10 minutes throughout the day. Walking in 10 minute sessions, for example, may be adequate to help lower blood pressure and start you on the path to better health, according to the Journal of Epidemiology and Human Health (August 2007).
As soon as one starts to perspire, it is best to stop and rest for several seconds to prevent overtiring the body. After all, the purpose of exercise is not to become muscular (though it may be an appealing side effect) but to regulate the body’s circulatory system by maintaining healthy nutrient flow throughout the body and excretory system by excreting water and wastes through the pores.
Exercise is essential for the regular maintenance and production of red blood cells, which carry hemoglobin (otherwise known as the protein that transports oxygen in the body). Physical activity further stimulates the bone marrow, an important component of the immune system, which boosts our body’s defense system. The need to overcome effectively the sedentary habits of our adult population has been recognized for decades (American Journal of Cardiology). Physical inactivity has been intimately associated with obesity, premature cardiovascular disease, unnecessary orthopedic problems, anxiety and emotional tension.
To promote and maintain basic cardiorespiratory health and endurance, all adults ages 18-65 should have at least thirty minutes moderate exercise three times a week (American Heart Association). You do not need to do all the exercises within half an hour but you can break it down into sessions of 10 minutes throughout the day. Walking in 10 minute sessions, for example, may be adequate to help lower blood pressure and start you on the path to better health, according to the Journal of Epidemiology and Human Health (August 2007).
As soon as one starts to perspire, it is best to stop and rest for several seconds to prevent overtiring the body. After all, the purpose of exercise is not to become muscular (though it may be an appealing side effect) but to regulate the body’s circulatory system by maintaining healthy nutrient flow throughout the body and excretory system by excreting water and wastes through the pores.
GET YOUR ZZzzzz’s…
It may not be as obvious, but sleep is a form of medicine for the body and works most effectively when an individual takes a dosage that amounts to 8 hours (WebMD 2006). Having adequate amounts of sleep reduces the need to see the doctor somewhat and may even reduce the need to take medication to some degree. The lack or reduction of sleep induces pain in certain parts of the body that goes unnoticed.
If the body is tired but you still want to continue working, the adrenal and thyroid hormones will be activated and stimulate the body. If this happens before going to sleep, the reaction helps sustain you. However, when you are about to go to sleep, you may feel unusually warm and sweaty. Consequently, this increase in body heat may cause you to wear less clothing and/or open the fans and window to sleep, but after you fall asleep for approximately 45 minutes, your hormones will decrease in activity, causing your body’s muscles to tighten and your body to feel cold. This body response releases more body heat. To compensate for the depression of bodily activity, your body starts releasing the thyroid hormones in excessive amounts. Your body response may then overperspire, causing excessive electrolytes, necessary for bodily maintenance, to flow out of your body. Over time, this may cause migraines and other bodily pain when one wakes up in the morning.
However, do not despair. There are relatively simple methods to help you. In order to induce better sleep, one may first try a form of meditation. To do this, one may start to breathe slowly while they are lying on the bed and imagine that every cell in the body, starting from the feet up to the head, is breathing with them. One may then imagine their muscles are slowly unwinding little by little from the feet up to the head. Picturing something that is peaceful and calm and focusing on the image may also prove to be helpful.
In a society in which we focus on working all the time, it is important to know how to rest. It is thus recommended to follow a pattern, in which one works for 30 minutes and then rests for 10 seconds. During the resting time, you can choose to breathe in deeply, drink water, go to the restroom, or massage the neck area. A relatively effective method to keep up with this pattern is to set a timer on your watch for every 30 minutes. If you prefer taking a longer rest and have the time during the day, consider taking a half-hour to 1-hour nap, which studies show may lower the risk of heart disease (Archives of Internal Medicine 2007). Regardless of the type of rest, if you can maintain this pattern of work and relaxation for an extended period of time, your muscles will not be as tight and the body will not tire as quickly.
It may not be as obvious, but sleep is a form of medicine for the body and works most effectively when an individual takes a dosage that amounts to 8 hours (WebMD 2006). Having adequate amounts of sleep reduces the need to see the doctor somewhat and may even reduce the need to take medication to some degree. The lack or reduction of sleep induces pain in certain parts of the body that goes unnoticed.
If the body is tired but you still want to continue working, the adrenal and thyroid hormones will be activated and stimulate the body. If this happens before going to sleep, the reaction helps sustain you. However, when you are about to go to sleep, you may feel unusually warm and sweaty. Consequently, this increase in body heat may cause you to wear less clothing and/or open the fans and window to sleep, but after you fall asleep for approximately 45 minutes, your hormones will decrease in activity, causing your body’s muscles to tighten and your body to feel cold. This body response releases more body heat. To compensate for the depression of bodily activity, your body starts releasing the thyroid hormones in excessive amounts. Your body response may then overperspire, causing excessive electrolytes, necessary for bodily maintenance, to flow out of your body. Over time, this may cause migraines and other bodily pain when one wakes up in the morning.
However, do not despair. There are relatively simple methods to help you. In order to induce better sleep, one may first try a form of meditation. To do this, one may start to breathe slowly while they are lying on the bed and imagine that every cell in the body, starting from the feet up to the head, is breathing with them. One may then imagine their muscles are slowly unwinding little by little from the feet up to the head. Picturing something that is peaceful and calm and focusing on the image may also prove to be helpful.
In a society in which we focus on working all the time, it is important to know how to rest. It is thus recommended to follow a pattern, in which one works for 30 minutes and then rests for 10 seconds. During the resting time, you can choose to breathe in deeply, drink water, go to the restroom, or massage the neck area. A relatively effective method to keep up with this pattern is to set a timer on your watch for every 30 minutes. If you prefer taking a longer rest and have the time during the day, consider taking a half-hour to 1-hour nap, which studies show may lower the risk of heart disease (Archives of Internal Medicine 2007). Regardless of the type of rest, if you can maintain this pattern of work and relaxation for an extended period of time, your muscles will not be as tight and the body will not tire as quickly.
YOU ARE WHAT YOU EAT
Just as oil fuels the widgets and gadgets of industrial machines, food keeps our bodily mechanisms running smoothly. Yet, in this rapid-paced society, it is increasingly more difficult to grab a bite or even to sit down to savor your food. When you eat, it is important to take time to chew slowly. Chewing about 15-20 times per mouthful is important, because the food will then be more easily absorbed by the digestive system. Otherwise, the food that you swallow will become less accessible to the body and may be converted into unusable forms of bodily substances, such as phlegm, acne, and extra fat. It is also equally important that we feel appreciative of the food we eat, because having a healthy mind that parallels our chewing movements will ease the digestion process dramatically.
It is further recommended for individuals not to eat too much of foods that are overly salty, sugary, spicy, fried, oily and/or pungent. While overindulging in salty food items may stimulate an excessive release of water from the body and induce dryness in the mouth, sugar-rich foods may increase the risk of diabetes especially when one is unable to burn the sugars in an effective manner. Similarly, although spicy foods may seem very tasteful and stimulate the senses for some people, these foods actually elicit an illusory response in the body, causing excessive blood flow to certain parts of the body, which may cause discomfort. Research has shown that it may even stimulate a chronic skin condition, known to cause red rashes on the face and arms, known as rosacea (Healthwise 2005).
Fried, fat-saturated, and oily foods, if not properly consumed and excreted by the body, may reside in the body as fat deposits and clog up arteries, especially those near the heart, causing heart attacks and compounding the risk of obesity and diabetes. Instead, a variety of foods, such as soy, can help reduce these risk factors. For instance, studies have shown that women who eat at least 13 grams of soy foods daily lower their chances of coronary heart disease. For comparison, a cup of soy milk contains about 6.6 grams, and 1/2 piece of tofu contains about 8 grams (WEBMD 2005)
For persons under 55 years of age, it is advised to not eat too much of pungent foods, such as onions and garlic, because these two foods may cause unhealthy reactions in the body. Such changes may include an imbalance of the bodily hormones, tightening of muscles, and/or interruption of good sleeping patterns (i.e. cause nightmares, unusual dreams, sweating). Contrary to popular belief, onions and garlic do not actually decrease cholesterol and blood pressure in the long term, because after consumption, the food residue in the body will stimulate the body negatively. When red blood cells (RBCs) pass through constricted blood vessels, these RBCs are unable to pass through and thus become damaged to a certain degree. In the end, the RBCs are captured and decomposed, which contributes to the further buildup of cholesterol. This is, after all, a natural body feedback mechanism, which helps mend the body’s injuries. On the contrary, for persons over 55 years of age, it is recommended that they eat some onions and garlic occasionally to increase body heat, since blood flow throughout the body slows down as one ages.
Just as oil fuels the widgets and gadgets of industrial machines, food keeps our bodily mechanisms running smoothly. Yet, in this rapid-paced society, it is increasingly more difficult to grab a bite or even to sit down to savor your food. When you eat, it is important to take time to chew slowly. Chewing about 15-20 times per mouthful is important, because the food will then be more easily absorbed by the digestive system. Otherwise, the food that you swallow will become less accessible to the body and may be converted into unusable forms of bodily substances, such as phlegm, acne, and extra fat. It is also equally important that we feel appreciative of the food we eat, because having a healthy mind that parallels our chewing movements will ease the digestion process dramatically.
It is further recommended for individuals not to eat too much of foods that are overly salty, sugary, spicy, fried, oily and/or pungent. While overindulging in salty food items may stimulate an excessive release of water from the body and induce dryness in the mouth, sugar-rich foods may increase the risk of diabetes especially when one is unable to burn the sugars in an effective manner. Similarly, although spicy foods may seem very tasteful and stimulate the senses for some people, these foods actually elicit an illusory response in the body, causing excessive blood flow to certain parts of the body, which may cause discomfort. Research has shown that it may even stimulate a chronic skin condition, known to cause red rashes on the face and arms, known as rosacea (Healthwise 2005).
Fried, fat-saturated, and oily foods, if not properly consumed and excreted by the body, may reside in the body as fat deposits and clog up arteries, especially those near the heart, causing heart attacks and compounding the risk of obesity and diabetes. Instead, a variety of foods, such as soy, can help reduce these risk factors. For instance, studies have shown that women who eat at least 13 grams of soy foods daily lower their chances of coronary heart disease. For comparison, a cup of soy milk contains about 6.6 grams, and 1/2 piece of tofu contains about 8 grams (WEBMD 2005)
For persons under 55 years of age, it is advised to not eat too much of pungent foods, such as onions and garlic, because these two foods may cause unhealthy reactions in the body. Such changes may include an imbalance of the bodily hormones, tightening of muscles, and/or interruption of good sleeping patterns (i.e. cause nightmares, unusual dreams, sweating). Contrary to popular belief, onions and garlic do not actually decrease cholesterol and blood pressure in the long term, because after consumption, the food residue in the body will stimulate the body negatively. When red blood cells (RBCs) pass through constricted blood vessels, these RBCs are unable to pass through and thus become damaged to a certain degree. In the end, the RBCs are captured and decomposed, which contributes to the further buildup of cholesterol. This is, after all, a natural body feedback mechanism, which helps mend the body’s injuries. On the contrary, for persons over 55 years of age, it is recommended that they eat some onions and garlic occasionally to increase body heat, since blood flow throughout the body slows down as one ages.
HOME SWEET HOME
Oxygen is essential in maintaining and regulating our bodily process of cardio respiration. However, many of Americans do not inspire enough daily oxygen and are instead overexposed to indoor pollution (EPA 2007). Thus, to reduce this risk, it is best to leave several windows open in the early morning for at least half an hour, perhaps before one needs to go to work or before 9AM. This is the preferred time period for fresh, cool morning air to circulate throughout the house and also is a time when there is less air pollution outdoors. Further, this practice of opening windows can even help you to wake up in the morning. Before the family goes to sleep, it is also beneficial to open windows in the evening after 7PM or when it is not as warm outside. This way, fresh air can circulate through the house and induce better sleeping patterns for your family members.
Oxygen is essential in maintaining and regulating our bodily process of cardio respiration. However, many of Americans do not inspire enough daily oxygen and are instead overexposed to indoor pollution (EPA 2007). Thus, to reduce this risk, it is best to leave several windows open in the early morning for at least half an hour, perhaps before one needs to go to work or before 9AM. This is the preferred time period for fresh, cool morning air to circulate throughout the house and also is a time when there is less air pollution outdoors. Further, this practice of opening windows can even help you to wake up in the morning. Before the family goes to sleep, it is also beneficial to open windows in the evening after 7PM or when it is not as warm outside. This way, fresh air can circulate through the house and induce better sleeping patterns for your family members.
BUNDLE UP
Though it may be hot during the summer, we must protect ourselves from over releasing heat. Although we may feel warm before we go to sleep during hot summer nights, several hours after we fall asleep, regardless of our age, our body temperature decreases, and without adequate clothing to cover our body parts, the corresponding muscles will slowly tighten. This may then induce spasms and chronic pain in various parts of the body that tighten, due to constricted blood flow. Further, these actions may even activate the adrenal and thymus glands to overproduce hormones to compensate for the reduction in body heat, which may cause irregular functioning in the long term. Thus, wearing proper amounts of clothing is an essential method to regulate heat release and is an effective way to help alleviate pain from people who have suffered chronic migraines, shoulder aches, and back pain. It is therefore recommended that individuals avoid wearing clothing that have little or no sleeves (i.e. tank tops, spaghetti straps), and wear pants that at least cover the kneecap as much as possible, during the day and especially during the nighttime.
Though it may be hot during the summer, we must protect ourselves from over releasing heat. Although we may feel warm before we go to sleep during hot summer nights, several hours after we fall asleep, regardless of our age, our body temperature decreases, and without adequate clothing to cover our body parts, the corresponding muscles will slowly tighten. This may then induce spasms and chronic pain in various parts of the body that tighten, due to constricted blood flow. Further, these actions may even activate the adrenal and thymus glands to overproduce hormones to compensate for the reduction in body heat, which may cause irregular functioning in the long term. Thus, wearing proper amounts of clothing is an essential method to regulate heat release and is an effective way to help alleviate pain from people who have suffered chronic migraines, shoulder aches, and back pain. It is therefore recommended that individuals avoid wearing clothing that have little or no sleeves (i.e. tank tops, spaghetti straps), and wear pants that at least cover the kneecap as much as possible, during the day and especially during the nighttime.