Self-discipline is key to well-being

Being healthy in the modern world can be very hard for us and in affluent countries we all eat too much! Restaurants give us enormous portions; one portion today would have fed three people 30 years ago. Supermarkets now offer unimaginable temptation designed to encourage you to buy far more food than you need and we can all easily end up over-fed. Face the facts. We are now living in an era of addictive screen watching, be it TV games or computers that are designed to keep us glued to the screen and our seat. This promotes a passive, lazy life style. To combat this we need to discipline ourselves to build exercise into our day and keep to a limit on this kind of activity. We all love food but we can no longer just eat all we are given in a restaurant or all we can afford. We can enjoy our food but in sensible portions. You can no longer think, “I have paid for this, therefore I am going to eat it”.  Look at the meal and decide for yourself what a healthy sized portion is and then decide for yourself how much of it you should be eating. If after eating you feel guilty you know you have eaten too much. Self-discipline and thinking for ourselves is what we all need to protect us from the world today and keep us healthy. We all know that health is wealth. So let’s get ready to make some healthy changes: Eat smart. Healthy eating requires a balance of nutrients including food from all the groups so that your body has everything it needs for growth and repair. Try to eat less as research shows that life expectancy can be extended by eating fresh simple food. Maintain a healthy weight. Numerous studies show that optimum nutrition levels can help you to feel better, lose weight, prevent disease and slow down aging — naturally. Drink plenty of clean water. Your body needs to be well hydrated to function well. Drinking 8 to 12 glasses of pure water a day keeps you hydrated. Start the day well, but before you do anything else, drink a nice detoxifying glass of hot water with a slice of lemon; great for your liver. If you live in an area of desalinated water drink bottled water.  After a few weeks you will notice your skin looks really hydrated and youthful. Making time for exercise is a necessary part of modern life. This means everyone no matter what your age or fitness level you need to take some exercise. I recommend a few minutes of exercise every morning to stretch and gently get movement into each part of your body. My award winning Mini-morning Workout is ideal for this and you can get a free illustrated copy by emailing to minian@ardenhealth.com.  Daily exercise is the key to improved circulation, faster metabolism and emotional well-being. Recent studies show daily exercise is the key to staying mobile and flexible. Morning exercise also releases feel good endorphins in the brain so you feel positive about your day ahead. Gradually work toward exercise every morning and then three other periods of exercise per week. Let’s beat the sugar habit. Sugar is everywhere. It’s in our drinks, it’s in our foods, and it’s hidden in places we never would think of. Limit sweet treats to one per day; you do not need to deprive yourself completely to be healthy. Just eat less but enjoy more. Reduce the stress in your life: Good stress management is important and long-term stress can affect your health; so let the problems go — they are not worth damaging your health for. And, as Abraham Lincoln said, “Most people are just about as happy as they make up their minds to be.” So make up your mind to relax, enjoy life and when you can be kind. Don’t take a single day for granted. Enjoy life!