When was the last time you went to the doctor?  If you’re like most people that was the exact moment that you started thinking about how healthy are you?  Health is not just a state of mind it’s a lifestyle that you choose or choose not to pay attention to until you’re feeling ill. 

If you listen and pay attention, your body will tell you what it needs to reach your full health potential.  Living healthy doesn’t mean that you have to go without, feeling deprived; it means that you have to modify some habits and change others to improve the quality of your health.

Whether your daily habits are good or bad, they impact your health. It doesn’t take much to make a small change that can improve your health immensely over time.  You balance your health and you will balance your life.

Here’s a start:

Hydration

Start by hydrating your body with at least 8 glasses of water a day.  Depending on how active you are, where you live and weather conditions, you may need to drink more than the recommended 8 glasses a day.  The reason water is so important is becasue water flushes our systems, getting rid of unwanted elements.  And since our bodies are almost 70 percent water, this liquid is essential to its function.  It also helps to regulate our  body temperatures.

Antioxidants

Add more antioxidants into your daily diet by eating fruits and vegetables. These foods play a major role in keeping your body healthy; they ensure proper function of our immune systems.  Fruits and vegetables make great snacks, terrific side dishes and you can find recipes using these ingredients to make delicious and healthy meals.  Fruits and vegetables are natural sources of sugar, they provide nutrients we need and they are processed easier than refined sugars.

Exercise

Life moves along at its own pace and so should you.  Exercise is a great way to refresh and recharge your body and eliminate stress from your mind.  If you’re not into gyms or a daily workout, modify; park further from the mall entrance and walk, take the stairs instead of the escalator, go to the park and feed the ducks while you walk around the pond and work up a sweat while you’re taking deep breaths of fresh air.

Sleep and Relaxation

How much sleep do you get? How often do you just relax?  Sleep allows your body to do its maintenance by inspecting, repairing and preparing for the next day.  Relaxing allows your mind to rationalize the situations in your life so that your body can respond appropriately, eliminating stress.  Both of these activities will improve your health.

How healthy are you?

Source: Mayo Clinic,Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Photo