Healthy Choices: 5 Healthy Tips To Wellness

Well, here we are several weeks into the New Year! Most people are back into the "business mode" running full speed on their respective treadmills. So, have you implemented your New Years Resolution yet? You know the drill...the part where you promise yourself this is the year you are going to "get healthy."

Achieving optimal health is a process. My goal is to provide you with proven health tips that will take you from crawling to walking to running on your way to wellness. So where do you Begin?? First of all, it is important to remember that health does not come from a doctor, a prescription medication, or from surgery...but rather from making healthy choices and lifestyle changes.

The Starting Gate: 5 Healthy Tips To Wellness

1. Drink plenty of water. Water scientists tell us that most people are dehydrated. Your cells need to be nourished with the minerals in water. Water assists your metabolism and flushes out toxins and impurities. Drink a minimum of 2 liters per day.
2. Avoid overeating and watch your portions. Remember, "everything in moderation." Focus on eating healthy food like raw fruits and vegetables, skinless chicken, nuts, seeds and legumes.
3. Eat slower and chew your food thoroughly. Chewing your food thoroughly aids in digestion. Overeating and eating too fast are directly related. Be mindful of this simple tip.
4. Avoid fast foods or convenience foods. They are very high in saturated fat, trans fats (the bad fats), sugar and calories. Remember, let food be your medicine.
5. Exercise, even if it is for 20-30 minutes daily. This is critical for your program. Exercise will release the "feel good" hormones, de-stress your mind and body, improve sleep, increase mood and self-esteem, help get rid of the LDL (bad cholesterol), increase HDL (good cholesterol), and maintain your ideal body weight.

So get walking today or choose an exercise you enjoy or rotate exercises. Get Moving!!

Healthy Benefits You Receive From Your Efforts (To Name A Few)

• General sense of well-being
• Increased alertness and mental focus
• Increased endurance and stamina
• Improved immune system (less risk of infection)
• Maintained ideal body weight
• Reduced risk of developing chronic degenerative disorders like arthritis, diabetes, cardiovascular disease or cancer
• Enhanced self-confidence and self-esteem

Have A Coke And A Smile? Should You Eliminate Carbonated Beverages? Sodas are very popular among children, teenagers, young adults, and even older adults too. Clinically, it is known that carbonated beverages affect your metabolism (not in a good way) and are partially responsible for the obesity in America. Also, carbonated drinks have been shown to leach important minerals from bone and tissue when the body is attempting to remain in balance. This may lead to such long-term problems like osteoporosis. According to Digestive Health and Wellness there was recently a study that linked soft drinks to esophageal cancer. Ok, so you only have 2-3 diet sodas every day…but why go there? Dentists have insisted for years that sodas (yes, including diet sodas) are sugar laden and lead to the growth of cavities. Nutritionist have pointed out that sodas are partially to blame for Americas "battle of the bulge." And now, to blast your favorite beverage even more….a team of digestive disease doctors at a hospital in India are taking the fizz out of sodas declaring in a recent study that sodas may be linked to esophageal cancer. Yes, I know esophageal cancer is extremely rare, but consider drinking water instead; it's the healthy alternative. Dr. Philip Jaffe MD, a leading gastroenterologist who teaches at the University of Connecticut stated that, "the study is intriguing, but like all epidemiological studies, it has limitation." Obviously, further studies are warranted to learn more…. What we do know is that GI doctors are aware that carbonated beverages like sodas can exacerbate a condition known as GERD (gastroesophageal reflux disease), which has been linked to esophageal cancer. By eliminating sodas from your diet you will have taken one step closer towards improved health.