Learn 10 strategies to help you achieve lifelong wellness and maximize your quality of life. Strategies include exercise, diet, breathing techniques, lifelong learning and more…
1. Regular chiropractic care
First of all, we have to ask ourselves the question: “Why do people get sick?” We now know that most health problems are caused by stress: physical, chemical and emotional. Examples of physical stress are accidents, falls, inactivity and sitting for too long. Chemical stressors include smoking, alcohol, processed and preservative-filled foods, medications (including pharmaceuticals), and environmental toxins. It is generally accepted that the most common and most damaging type of stress is emotional. Emotional stress can have many causes and is different for everyone, but the most common causes are relationship problems, financial worries, low self-esteem, and social pressures. The good news is that we were born with a nervous system that can adapt to stress, so we don’t get sick every time we have a stressful experience. Due to the stressful world we have created for ourselves, I don’t think it’s realistic to completely eliminate negative stress from our lives, but a healthy lifestyle that includes practicing the 10 Strategies for Lifelong Wellness will certainly reduce the total amount of negative Stress reduces the stress you experience and helps ensure your nervous system continues to function as intended and handle the negative stressors it encounters. At the same time, regular chiropractic care keeps your nervous system healthy and better able to adjust to the negative stressors that you cannot control.
2. Drink plenty of clean water
Your body is 80% water and we couldn’t live without it for more than a few days. Only nerve function and oxygen are more vital than water. It is crucial for the circulation of nutrients in the body, internal cellular health, regulating body temperature and lubricating joints. Daily water requirements can be calculated by dividing your body weight in pounds by two. This number is the amount of water you should be drinking on a daily basis. Add 2 glasses of water per day for every cup of coffee, tea, soda, or serving of alcohol you consume. The type of water you drink is also very important. Tap water, despite regulations supposedly keeping it pure, is filled with harmful toxins including: prescription drugs, rocket fuel, heavy metals, chlorine and fluoride. Currently, the best way to ensure you’re getting pure, healthy water is to use a reverse osmosis filter in your home.
3. Get enough sleep
Sleep is one of your most valuable resources. Just like exercise, the health benefits you get from sleeping each night depend on how long you sleep and how well you sleep. Getting enough good sleep is essential to ensure your body has enough energy to meet life’s physical, mental and emotional demands. Sleep deprivation is such a chronic condition that most people don’t even realize they have it. A sleep deficit can have serious and wide-reaching effects on your health, including: a decreased ability to focus and concentrate, an increased physiological response to mildly stressful events, a weakened immune system, an increased susceptibility to heart disease, cancer, and diabetes. The latest research suggests that sleeping more or less than 7 hours a day, including naps, has harmful effects on your health.
4. Remember to breathe
Proper breathing can be as powerful as it is simple. The typical person only uses about 20 percent of their lung capacity, but with practice, they can reach their lungs’ full potential. Delivering more oxygen to the cells of the body can lead to significant improvements in overall health, mood, and energy. Developing good breathing habits is easy, but it takes practice. Start focusing your attention on your breathing and reduce the number of breaths you breathe from the standard 12 breaths per minute to just 4 breaths per minute. A common technique is called “4-7-8 breathing,” where you breathe in to four, hold your breath to seven, and breathe out slowly to eight. Concentrate on inhaling through your nose instead of your mouth.
5th exercise
Movement and exercise are necessary nutrients that are fatally lacking in industrialized societies. The human body needs daily exercise and exercise to function optimally. However, just like with your diet, it’s important to vary your exercise routine to get the absolute best results. Your muscles just get used to the same activity and they need some level of muscle confusion to keep improving and getting stronger. When planning your exercise program, be sure to include the following exercise types: aerobics, interval training (anaerobic), strength training, and core exercises.
6. Eat fresh, organic, and whole foods
Eat whole foods the way nature intended—fresh, organic vegetables and fruits, grass-fed, antibiotic- and hormone-free beef, organic free-range poultry and eggs, wild fish, nuts and seeds. If food didn’t exist in pre-industrial times, it probably isn’t healthy to eat. Shop at the edge of the supermarket as that is usually where you will find the healthiest foods. Most whole foods go bad if you keep them for too long. A packaged food that has a long shelf life is most likely full of preservatives, food additives and artificial colors.
7. Develop a spiritual practice
Studies show that people with regular spiritual practice, regardless of religion, are healthier and happier. Regardless of belief, it is important to give thanks to a higher power each day for the things in your life that you are grateful for. Gratitude is a very powerful human emotion and spending time each day being thankful is an important key to happiness.
8. Positive mental attitude
Studies show that people with a positive mindset live an average of 7 years longer than people with a negative mindset. Optimists also have a better quality of life as they seem to attract better relationships. You can focus on what is wrong or right in the world; It’s your decision.
9. Lifelong Learning
Have you always wanted to learn to play the guitar? Learn to dance or cook? Do you have a list of books you’ve wanted to read for a long time? Learning new things keeps your brain healthy and keeps life exciting and fun. Learning new things has also been shown to reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s.
10. Go outside
It’s important to make time to get outside and reconnect with nature. Connecting with nature through camping, hiking, and visiting the beach or park can remind us that keeping our environment clean and our planet healthy is just as important as keeping ourselves healthy. The sun has supported life on earth for years and is even revered by many cultures for its tremendous healing and therapeutic powers. Statistics show that nearly a million people die and suffer from serious illnesses every year because of not being in the sun. Too much sunlight can cause harmful and dangerous damage to your skin, so be respectful. But don’t be afraid to get out and soak up some sun, because the health benefits far outweigh the risks.
Thanks to Dr. Michael Gibson
