Steps to Good Health
EAT WELL - Eat a well-balanced diet that includes plenty of fruits and vegetables, as well as foods that are high in complex carbohydrates, moderate amounts of protein, and low in fat. Make sure you eat regular meals. Skipping meals or eliminating certain foods can lead to out-of-control hunger, resulting in overeating. Eat in moderation. Most people eat for pleasure as well as nutrition. If your favorite foods are high in fat, salt or sugar, the key is moderation.
DRINK WATER - Drink lots of water. Most people do NOT drink enough water. Dehydration is very subtle. By the time you feel thirsty, you are already dehydrated. Most of us are dehydrated because we do not drink enough water for our body to operate at optimal capacity. Insufficient water consumption (dehydration) makes you tired, gives you headaches, and weakens your immune system. Water is the most important nutrient that our body needs in order to function properly. When the body becomes dehydrated, the organs can become damaged, resulting in various types of degenerative diseases. Every major system in our body depends on water.
EXERCISE REGULARLY – Anyone can benefit from starting a basic aerobic exercise program. If you get little exercise, even walking 10 minutes a day can help your body immensely. Exercise controls blood sugar, helps you lose weight, and helps your body detoxify. Walking is the most easily accessible and beneficial exercise and anyone can do it.
REDUCE STRESS – Avoid excessive amounts of caffeine that can increase your anxiety level and avoid alcohol that can mask symptoms and make them worse. Try deep breathing exercises, massage, guided imagery, and meditation. Learn it is okay to say NO occasionally. Make time for yourself, your number one priority.
GET ENOUGH REST – Most Americans do not get enough sleep. Getting enough sleep is vitally important for physical and emotional health. If you have difficulty sleeping, NEVER read, eat or watch television in bed.
DO NOT SMOKE - The nicotine and other poisonous chemicals in tobacco greatly increase the likelihood of developing certain cancers and heart disease. Every time you light up, you hurt your lungs and heart. The longer you smoke, the worse the damage becomes.
AVOID TOO MUCH SUN EXPOSURE - Skin damage from overexposure to the sun is cumulative over the years and is irreversible. Too much time in the sun can cause sunburn, especially for fair-skinned people, and other potential problems. These problems range from fatal skin cancers to allergic reactions.
FASTEN YOUR SEAT BELT - If worn properly, seat belts absorb the force of a crash impact and hold you securely in place, greatly reducing your risk of injury.
SEE YOUR DOCTOR REGULARLY FOR PREVENTIVE CARE - Doctors do not only treat patients when they are ill. With regular checkups and preventive services, you can help prevent serious health conditions such as heart disease, cancer, high blood pressure, diabetes, etc.
Using the above guidelines will start you on your way to a healthier life. You will feel good about yourself, have more energy, look better, and provide a good role model for your family.
Eat More, Weigh Less
Many of us gain weight this time of year due to the parties and celebrations we participate in, all featuring rich and tempting foods. How can you lose that weight? Believe it or not, you have to eat more food more often to effectively lose weight.
Eating five small meals every three hours throughout the day keeps your metabolism moving and helps your body maintain a stable insulin level. This consistency prevents the body from releasing excess insulin and storing fat. Your body, instead, uses the energy right away, helping you to lose weight.
Since eating actually increases your metabolism, eating regularly every few hours will keep your metabolism at its most efficient. Every time you eat, your body expends energy to digest, absorb and store food. Therefore, the more you eat, the more your metabolism revs up.
When you eat your meals, you must make sure you are eating the right combination of foods. Use the guidelines listed below:
*DRINK WATER - In addition to eating more often throughout the day, make sure you drink lots of water, at least 8 glasses a day. Sip slowly throughout the day. Water speeds up metabolism and flushes toxins out of your body.
*EAT FIBER – High-fiber foods absorb substances containing sugars, fats, carbohydrates, and the calories associated with them, speeding up the movement of food through the body; this also speeds up weight loss. High-fiber foods include whole fruits, vegetables, beans, whole grain breads, cereals, wheat germ, barley and brown rice. Always check food labels for fiber content.
*EAT PROTEIN – A large percentage of calories from protein are burned off in the digestion process (this is called the thermic effect food). Of all the nutrients our body ingests, protein has the highest thermic effect. Eat lean meats, poultry and fish.
*EAT HEALTHY FATS - Monounsaturated fats do not raise blood cholesterol levels and are an excellent source of antioxidants. Monounsaturated fats are, in fact, required for the body in order to function effectively. Replace butter and other fat with extra virgin olive oil in cooking and baking. Season your olive oil with garlic and/or herbs and spices.
*EXERCISE –The easiest exercise that will benefit anyone regardless of their fitness level, that can be done inside or outside, is walking. A brisk walk can burn as many calories as jogging, but does not have the risk for injury that jogging does. As an aerobic exercise, walking revs up the metabolism and keeps it going even after you have stopped. The only equipment needed is a good pair of shoes.
By following the guidelines listed above, your body will function more efficiently, you will lose weight, and you will be healthier. It is not difficult to make the changes necessary to transform your body into an efficient fat-burning machine. You will have better health, longer life, and more energy.
MS Support Groups, Helping People Cope With Their Diagnosis of Multiple Sclerosis
You wake up in the morning feeling alone. This is the day after your diagnosis and you can’t believe this is happening to you. You haven’t been yourself for some time. After many visits to the doctor and some tests, the results are not promising, or so you think. How can this be happening to you? Where did it come from and why now?
The diagnosis of multiple sclerosis (MS) opens up unknown territory for most people. Your feelings of loss, anger, fear, frustration and denial are very real. Your reaction to this news is more normal than you may realize. Most people experience some, if not all, of these feelings when they receive unwanted news. It is very important to allow yourself to experience these feelings as you digest the news of your diagnosis.
The exciting information is that MS is well known and understood by many physicians and survivors of MS. Information on MS is easily accessed through the MS society, at the library, through your doctor and on the Internet. MS support groups are vibrant and active in responding to inquiries from individuals who have been newly diagnosed.
Your life and how you choose to live it is all up to you. Learning to be an active participant in living with MS means that you can have a full, dynamic and rewarding life, if you so choose. You will learn knew ways to manage the many tasks that face all of us each day. For the next while, you will be faced with making many small changes to improve your health and maintain your independence. Talking about MS and listening to others share their story of how MS has been life changing may bring with it surprises - the surprises you’re looking for as you adjust to accepting MS. MS does not have to change your life in the dramatically devastating way that you might think.
Embrace your future. You may have heard the saying “as one door closes another door opens.” If just for now try to consider that a “window of opportunity” has come your way. This may be your chance to review your life, how you are living, and seek support and guidance to create your new life path. You might be surprised what prospects may come your way.
This article is brought to you by a Multiple Sclerosis support group. Optic Neuritis is the most common symptom at onset of MS.
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