Health Tips

20 Steps to Weight Loss and Wellness

http://nationalhealthtest.com/health_tips.htm

1. Eat lots of fruit and vegetables. (Click Here)
   

2. They’re full of fiber, vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and other phytonutrients that protect against disease.

3. Avoid starches and sugars.

   Bread, cereal, pasta, rice, desserts, and other starchy or sugary foods wreak havoc with your blood sugar, cause carbohydrate cravings, and are a major factor in America’s epidemic of obesity.

4. Have a moderate-sized serving of protein at every meal.

   Skinless poultry, fish and seafood, and lean meat fill you up and tide you over and help with weight control.

5. Include wild salmon and other fatty fish in your diet a couple of times a week.

   Fatty fish are nature’s richest sources of omega-3 fatty acids, which reduce inflammation, nurture your brain, and protect against heart disease.

6. Curb your consumption of fried foods and other unhealthy fats.

   Deep fried foods are a nutritional landmine, loaded with calories and the most harmful type of fat known to science: trans fatty acids.

7. Go easy on processed and packaged foods.

   Most processed foods are stripped of nutrients and loaded with preservatives. Frozen peas and blueberries are one thing; toaster pastries and breaded chicken nuggets are another.

8. Do not overeat.

   Beware the monster portions served in restaurants and prepackaged foods — in many cases they contain twice as many calories as they did 25 years ago.

9. Exercise regularly.

   Half an hour of physical activity most days of the week is imperative for health and longevity. Nobody is so busy that they can’t carve out 30 minutes for a brisk walk.

10. Include strength training in your exercise regimen.

    We lose more than six pounds of muscle per decade after our twenties, and the only way to restore it is with weight training. Lean muscle mass not only improves strength and agility, but it also helps with weight control.

11. Maintain your ideal weight.

    Obesity is on the verge of overtaking smoking as our leading cause of preventable death and disability. Everything we’ve discussed thus far will help you maintain your ideal weight.

12. Drink at least eight glasses of water every day.

    In addition to keeping you hydrated, water flushes out toxins, curbs appetite, and actually burns calories.

13. Get a good night’s sleep.

    Inadequate sleep is linked with fatigue, poor concentration and memory, and increased risk of diabetes, hypertension, and obesity.

14. Take a good daily multivitamin and mineral supplement.

    Think of it as insurance to fill the holes in your daily diet. And don’t settle for a one-a-day brand — they do not contain high enough doses of crucial vitamins and minerals to ensure optimal health.

15. Look for alternatives to prescription drugs.

    Prescription drugs, used exactly as directed, kill a minimum of 106,000 Americans every year. For every drug out there, there are safe, natural, and equally effective alternatives — not that you’ll hear about them from your doctor. Take control of your health and seek out alternatives.

16. Don’t smoke.

    Lung cancer, heart disease, osteoporosis, erectile dysfunction, wrinkles, premature death: Need more reasons to stop smoking?

17. Drink moderate amounts of alcohol, if you drink at all.

    A drink or two a day lowers risk of heart disease and has other benefits. Excessive alcohol intake, however, is devastating to your health. And remember, about 10 percent of the population cannot handle alcohol and should stay away from it altogether.

18. Wash your hands often.

    This is a simple but highly effective and often overlooked way to prevent colds, flu, and other infectious diseases.

19. Find an outlet to relieve stress.

    Your body reacts to stress with the release of hormones that increase heart rate and blood pressure, mobilize blood sugar, tense the muscles, slow down digestion, and put the brain on hyper-alert. Whether you use breathing or relaxation techniques, meditation or yoga, it is imperative that you learn how to turn off this physiological response.

20. Challenge yourself mentally.

    Use it or lose it also applies to your mental “muscles.” One of the best ways to reduce risk of dementia and keep your mind sharp throughout life is to stay mentally active. Play bridge, read and write, do crossword puzzles, learn a foreign language, take up the tango or a musical instrument — do something to stretch your mental muscles.

21. Never underestimate the importance of touch and sex.

    Humans have a biological need for close body contact. If you don’t have a partner, hug your friends and acquaintances. If you don’t have any friends, get regular massages.

Foundational Nutrition – We Recommend..

http://wecoachsuccess.com/foundational-nutrition-we-recommend