“The doctor of the future will no longer treat the human frame with drugs, but rather will cure and prevent disease with nutrition.” – Thomas Edison
I think the majority of the population are aware that a healthy body equals a better quality and often-times quantity of life. Despite the consensus, many people have a hard time breaking bad eating habits and really committing to a life of eating healthy and exercising regularly.
I want you to know that it is not as difficult as you may think. You might be looking at the big picture as more of an “all or nothing” mentality, when in reality it is a day by day process. It is more of a journey and one you can begin anytime. All it takes is desire, passion and commitment.
A very easy first step you can take is to remove as many ‘non-food’ items from your diet. These are sugars, grains, white table salt and milk. I know it might be difficult to let go of some of those, but the benefit is that you will feel so much better within a few weeks. These items provide virtually no, if little macro-nutrients to the body despite what food companies espouse.
The next thing to minimise or eliminate all-together is processed foods. Processed foods are foods that have been changed from their natural state. They are foods that are canned, frozen, dehydrated or packaged. Examples of processed foods that are detrimental to your health are canned goods that have a lot of sodium in them; chips, frozen dinners, packaged cookies, breakfast cereals with high sugar, breads with white flour and processed meats.
If you remove these unhealthy foods from your life, your digestion system will thank you for it. It is taxing on the digestive system to assimilate junk and processed foods and even when it does, there are very little nutrients that are absorbed into your body. Such food place a burden on the human body, as it attempts to draw nutrients from what is essentially ‘dead’ (not life-giving) food items.
As you decrease unhealthy foods, increase foods that your body needs and loves. Eat an assortment of above ground vegetables every day and limit your fruit consumption – since many fruits contain sugar. While this sugar is naturally occurring, it is nonetheless sugar and may wreak havoc on your hormonal system.
Consume foods which are whole and natural, which have not been refined or processed. Introduce new healthy foods into your diet as often as you can. You don’t have to make a dramatic change at first, as that might tend to make you anxious. If you are not sure how to cook with healthy foods, purchase a cook book to guide you. There are many great books on healthy cooking. Healthy eating is like learning a new language – at first you may stumble, but before long you have incorporated many new habits into your life.
Along with eating healthy, adopt an exercise regimen. There are all sorts of things you can do to exercise: walk, jog, play tennis, try yoga, go hiking, swimming or join a gym. As you exercise, you strengthen muscles and your core; endorphins are released throughout your body allowing you to feel happier and more connected to your environment. If you take 30 minutes out of your day and exercise, you will be well on your way to a healthier life.
Lasting health involves the physical, mental, and also the spiritual. Make a concerted effort to grow spiritually by taking time periodically for meditation, prayer, contemplation or even quite time alone. A wonderful place to feel at one with Spirit is out in nature. Many people associate prayer with religion. Prayer may involve a simple ‘thank you’ to the universe for that new job you recently acquired.
Have you ever just sat out in a field or in the woods listening to the sounds of nature and breathing in the clean air? It is in those moments that many people gain clarity about their life purpose and a deep gratitude may also fill their hearts.
If you take time daily to connect with Spirit, you will experience less stress and feel more energetic and revived. Your connection to a greater energy field will help you to experience more joy and peace as you go about living your life. Many people who regularly pray and meditate report that their lives are less stressful and they feel more fulfilled than when they did not engage in spiritual practices.
I hope that you will take these suggestions and put them into practice so that you can have long, lasting health. You are certainly worth it and you will simply feel so much better about yourself. I completely believe in you.
Footnote:
Interestingly, further to Thomas Edison’s quote earlier there’s a doctor who’s been treating illness via nutrition for many years, although he’s remained fairly anonymous. Polish doctor Jan Kwasniewski pioneered The Optimal Diet and has been curing a host of Western diseases. Dr Kwasniewski first experimented with nutrition as a healing force when he worked a medic in the early 70’s in the Polish army.
Sadly, the medically community have looked unfavourably on his work claiming nutrition alone is unable to cure these illnesses. Dr Kwasniewski has proven otherwise having worked with over 10,000 people over four decades.
It seems we still have a while to go before mainstream medicine catches up.
Great article Tony – what a shame Christmas and New Year are only around the corner. Not sure if I can cut out much of the non-food items from my diet with all the celebrations going on! Would you have any suggestions to stay strong throughout the holiday season? Or maybe I’ll make this my New Year resolution!
Hi Mary, even if you start with one minor improvement it can have a ripple effect on your health. For example you might choose to replace white table salt with Celtic sea salt which is rich in minerals. Your body will benefit from this immediately. Remember, health is a process and NOT an event. Call it a ‘work in progress’ if you will. Best of luck!