Healthy Living – Slow the Ageing Process

In the fast pace busy society we currently live in, we have become a society of very busy people with too much to do in very little time.  This lack of time is used as the excuse for not staying fit and healthy. We often grab fast food, substitute water for fatty or sugary drinks, never take thirty minutes out of our hectic day for exercise, and convince ourselves we are too busy to get enough sleep or even tend to bathroom needs immediately. Our fast paced diet has very little nutritional value often with far too little fiber, and our bodies don't get enough movement for muscle toning and good cardio vascular health. We don’t even consume the required amount of vitamins and minerals the human body needs everyday to function properly and remain healthy. Our diets often are loaded with chemicals and we don't get enough sleep or water for our bodies to heal and purge all the toxins.

Because of all this, we are becoming an overweight and sick society. Type II diabetes is effecting the young as fast as obesity, with more and more people now taking blood pressure medicine and depression medication than ever before. Pain medication used for arthritis and other related illnesses is netting billions of dollars a year to the pharmaceutical companies. Vitamin deficiency is very common these days, meaning that our bodies are actually aging much faster than our chronological ages.

There is no miracle cure or tablet out there to help solve this problem.  There is however a simple way to getting healthy and look your age (or even younger) in the process. It requires hard work and dedication, but can easily be achieved if you put your mind to it. Below is a list of things you need to do to regain your health and slow the ageing process:

1.      Drink eight glasses of water every day

There really isn't enough that can be said about the importance of drinking water. Water hydrates the body and helps to cleanse and heal the body. Water is extremely important in controlling blood sugar levels. Other drinks do not work nearly as well as water in this endeavor, and some, such as soda or high sugar drinks, can have the opposite effects. Water also helps your skin retain its elasticity, so you can have healthier, younger looking skin just by drinking enough water.

2.      Eat all the things your body needs. Use supplements (vitamin, mineral or fiber) when necessary and avoid eating things that actually harm your body

Regardless of the health issues you may currently have, whether it is high blood pressure, high cholesterol, Type I or II diabetes, hyperthyroidism or hypothyroidism, or any other problem, there are foods that you definitely should eat and foods you shouldn't. Find out what they are and eat all the foods you should.  A dietitian can help here. Also, keep in mind that you may need to consume some supplements, which is quite normal for any individual. Also, try consuming as much organic food as possible. One thing few people can get, no matter how good their food intake, is enough vitamins and minerals, so take a vitamin, preferably in liquid form, every day.

3.      Exercise thirty minutes a day, walking, bike riding or even dancing would do

We all need to move and be active! While this may seems a little too simple, getting up and moving is one of the best ways to keep your body healthy. Your body needs to burn as many or more calories than its consumes, depending on whether or not you need to lose some immediate weight, but you should never consume so few calories that you are cutting necessary nutrients, so use exercise to burn more instead of eating too little. Movement and any other form of exercise can help keeps your muscles toned, help those joints, and help your blood circulation. Walking is one of the best exercises, but even cleaning your house does require you to move and use energy, as does dancing, walking your dog or even a simple bike ride.

4.      Go to the bathroom immediately when you feel the urge

Going to the bathroom is extremely important, as it helps your body get rid of toxins and to stop plaque from building up on your intestinal walls. That's one reason the colon cleanse has become so popular. Also, letting your bladder stay too full for extended amounts of time can cause costly medical problems. For example, simply failing to empty your bladder often enough could cost you a surgery. Not fun.

5.      Find 10-15 minutes a day to relax and switch off everyday life (meditation or some relaxation music can help here)

Finding a quite time in the day (whether it is in the morning, afternoon or night) to sit down and relax a little can help wind down and reduce your stress levels. Doing simple things such as closing your eyes and breathing slowly, while removing all thoughts from your mind can do wonders. Try this with some calming music if you cannot relax.

6.      Get at least eight hours sleep a night

Like water, the importance of enough sleep cannot be overestimated. Your body needs sleep to repair all those little things that happen to it each day - no sleep means no repair. Lack of sleep also has affects on your body such as making you feel hungry the next day, mostly for sugars. Did you ever notice how candy bars and sodas can keep you going late night if you feel like you have to keep yourself awake to finish that project? Same thing happens to you the next day if you don't get enough sleep; your body craves fast energy to keep going after it has run out of energy and needs repair time. So, just don't give up the sleep for anything.

You may ask yourself, “it cannot be that easy?”.  Well the simple truth is that if it was really that easy, we would all be thin and healthy. The hard thing isn't actually doing all the above points, but actually wanting to do them. It often takes a major health risk to realize how important a healthy lifestyle can actually be.

If you do the above, after just two weeks your body will start to normalize and start feeling much better and healthier.  In the longer term, you will not only feel better, you will start looking healthier and younger in the process!!!

It is important though before making such changes to your lifestyle to consult your doctor first, especially prior to commencing an exercise program.