Southwest Florida's Health and Wellness Magazine Health and Wellness Articles
Talk to anyone trying to change their diet and lifestyle, and you will begin to hear a pattern in their voices. It’s too hard, too time consuming, and too expensive. Yet, in an ironic twist, a lack of good health can tear away just as much of your life in the form of emotional struggles, trips to the doctor, and prescription medication purchased to counteract the side effects of the last prescription that was written to you when you had more productive things you needed to do that day.
Good health doesn’t just happen. And make no mistake, when it finally does, the journey does not end there. It is a constant daily battle riddled with choices and obstacles. Although it may seem like an overwhelming task, when you learn to make changes in small, consistent steps, it is amazing just how easy living well can become.
Start small. It is common to think that someone preaching good health would tell you to overhaul your life and change everything about yourself overnight. While there are a lucky few who are able to take such drastic measures, more often than not, this type of thinking leads us to frustration and defeat, ultimately sliding back into bad habits. Try this instead: every morning, take a whole-food multivitamin. That’s it. That’s all it takes to begin to give your body the nutrients it is lacking. A whole-food vitamin is crucial when it comes to optimizing your consumer dollar. Don’t think for a minute you are saving money when you purchase a less expensive pill down at your local pharmacy. Lab-created, synthetic vitamins have a poor absorption rate and cheap fillers can cause internal damage, quickly undoing the good you are trying to create. Do this step for about two weeks, until it becomes second nature, then begin to add a little more.
Take your B vitamins. Change is not just about how you look on the outside. Every day we are bombarded with stressful situations and negative connotations that wreak havoc on our nervous system.. B vitamins, particularly B9 (Folic Acid) can help to regulate social behavior and support healthy serotonin levels. Pair this with B12 for a powerful weapon to fight fatigue and depression. Popping a bottle of liquid B vitamins in your purse or on your desk is a quick and effective way to give your body the energy it needs to manage stress.
Eat raw green leafy vegetables. You knew they were coming. Adding these green super foods seems to be one of the biggest struggles for people trying to make a change. Their bodies are so used to certain processed tastes and flavors, the thought of eating nutrient-dense foods can be the true deal-breaker. The good news is, you can add up to five servings of vegetables a day in one small meal. There are a plethora of reputable vitamin companies that take dried raw vegetables and grind them into a convenient scoop of green powder you can add to a yummy smoothie or glass of your favorite juice. While eating these vegetables in their natural form is always recommended, it is better to consume the powdered form of vegetables than not to have them at all. Once you add this to your daily routine, you will find yourself with more energy, and fewer sugar cravings. Your body will begin to desire healthier options. How wonderful will it be when you begin to eat healthier, not because you know you need to, but because you WANT to? This is the turning point where good health becomes easier than you ever imagined.
Talk to anyone who has changed their diet and lifestyle, and you will begin to hear a pattern in their voices. It has made them happier, they feel better at 40 than they did at 25, and no, it wasn’t easy at first, but they wouldn’t take it back for anything. When you begin to take care of yourself, you start to see the time you save when you have the energy to get more done. The money you save on sick days and medication. And most importantly, the positive self image you develop that is worth every struggle, every step, every minute, every penny.
