Whenever we try to master a new skill, it’s all about getting the basics right. Gaining and maintaining our health is no different and there are some basics that we all need to take care of if we’re going to get the health results we want.
Let’s take a look at a few of the big ones:
Get your spine checked regularly and consistently: A clear brain-body connection is a requirement.
Get enough sleep: Recent research confirms the fact that if you think you only need five or six hours a night, you’re kidding yourself. Seven hours is the minimum if you’re over 18. And it’s more likely you’d benefit from eight or nine hours sleep a night. The consequences of a lack of sleep are huge: weight gain, depression, increased risk of heart attack, stroke and diabetes. Lack of sleep also affects your judgment about how much sleep you need.for optimal health.
Stretch: I stand all day at my work, but I still sit too much. So do you. Can you touch the palms of your hands on the floor with your legs straight? Me neither. We’ve got work to do. Stiff muscles cause bad postures. Bad postures cause spinal degeneration and osteoarthritis.
Drink enough water: It’s more than you think you need. The best way to figure out how much is to weigh yourself. Then drink 35ml of water for every kilogram you weigh. Every day. If you’re miles away from that, then work your way up by an extra cup or so a day until you get to your goal.
Do some regular exercise: Huff and puff more days than you don’t. Get your heart pumping and your muscles working.
Deal with your dodgy diet: If your cholesterol is too high, taking cholesterol-lowering drugs isn’t the answer. Researchers are adamant that simply reducing cholesterol does not reduce our risk of heart disease or stroke. Eat more vegetables and fruit. Quit it with the sugary treats. “Treating” yourself to foods that cause you to get sick over time isn’t really a treat.
Don’t smoke: There are people who care about you and want you to live. Show them you care about them too.