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Does your body ever feel stiff or sore? As we go through the motions of our often sedentary activities, it can be easy to forget that our bodies need tending too. With just a little conscious thought, you can increase your physical well being today.
Incorporate these easy activities into your daily routines to help keep your body healthy:
Stand up and stretch
Whether you’re home watching TV or at work behind your desk, sitting for long periods can really take its toll, especially on your back. To ensure that you stay healthy and flexible:
- Avoid slouching in the chair or couch if you have to sit for long periods.
- Take a 1-minute break every 30 minutes to walk around and stretch your legs and back muscles.
- Support your back. Perhaps you would be more comfortable in different chair. You may also find that a lumbar cushion or back brace would be helpful.
Avoid spending hours at the computer.
Your job may require you to work at a computer all day. However, no matter how busy you are, you can take a moment or two every hour to rest your eyes. Here are some suggestions to ease your eyes:
- Use an anti-glare screen to decrease contrast.
- Take frequent breaks and rest your gaze out a window or at the far-away object. Relaxing your eyes will help you avoid eyestrain.
- Ensure that you have good lighting; there should be light around your monitor, and even behind it. Avoid using the computer in the dark!
- Minimize the amount of clutter around your monitor. Your eyes have more work to do when there are excess items in your frame of vision.
Lift with your legs.
As we go through “the motions” on a daily basis, we often overlook the impact small things can have on our physical health. For example: how we lift. Like most of us, you may forget sometimes that lifting with your back can cause damage. Try to remain conscious of this fact to protect your body.
- Bend at the knees, not at the waist to take the pressure off your sensitive back muscles and prevent unnecessary damage.
- Avoid lifting things that are overly heavy. You might feel like you can manage it but you may be putting excess strain on your muscles.
Eat frequently.
Sometimes you may get caught up with work and other activities, and forget to eat.
However, there is absolutely no positive gain from skipping meals, whether intentionally or mistakenly. Eating every 3-4 hours helps keep your digestive system healthy.
Get plenty of rest.
To function, two of your bodies’ most primary needs are food and rest. A good night’s sleep will help you be at your best. Rest periods give your systems a chance to regenerate and become ready for the next day’s physical challenges.
- Set your bedtime and try to stick to it.
- Take a break from work if you notice your body is showing signs of weariness.
- Relaxation is another form of rest; a little leisure time can effectively help your body to regain lost energy.
To ensure your lifelong health, start by focusing on a few simple actions like these every day. Now that you know how easy it is to enhance your health, you can start your journey to vibrant health today.
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I really wanted to talk about this topic today because your natural health and wellness is important. You can adopt healthy lifestyle practices that improve your health, your environment, and enrich your life, which can in turn improve the lives of those close to you. You have the power to break the cycle of poor health, including chronic disease, so that you can leave a legacy of health to your loved ones.
I use functional medicine and lifestyle medicine as the first line of treatment, before medications, to treat lifestyle-related chronic diseases. Lifestyle-related chronic diseases include diabetes, hypertension, obesity, and some cancers, just to name a few. Lifestyle practices, such as eating a whole-food plant-based diet and regular physical activity, can help you lose weight, reverse some chronic diseases (if you suffer from them), and can even help you with detoxification. In certain cases, these approaches may even outperform pharmaceutical therapy.
But I always tell my patients that conventional medications may be appropriate at this time to prevent catastrophic illness, but over time, you can work to make the necessary lifestyle changes to possibly reduce and/or eliminate medications. Please remember to always consult your physician for your particular needs and circumstances prior to making any decisions whatsoever.
Is Dietary Supplementation Right For You?
For some people, vitamin and mineral supplements offer important health benefits. Supplements are designed to fight deficiencies found in our diet and complement the food we eat regularly. Supplements are basically “helping hands” to our daily food.
If you suspect that you aren’t getting the nutrients you need, consider shifting your focus from supplements to eating better.
But it is very important to note that we are not eating the same foods we ate years ago because the soils have been depleted of critical nutrients through current industrial farming practices. And because the soil is not as good as it used to be, the food supply (grown from the depleted soil) is not as good as it used to be. For example, you are not getting the same levels of magnesium as you would have gotten 30 or even 50 years ago.
Second, much of the food has been genetically altered, which can impact the inherent and unique nutritional composition that each food possess. For example, ancient einkorn wheat has less gluten, more protein, more Vitamin A, and more beta carotene, than modern genetically modified wheat.
Third, the toxic load in the environment today is much higher than 100 years ago. We can see this with global warming, toxic landfills, polluted oceans and waterways, etc. Toxicity levels interfere with nutrient assimilation and absorption not just into the foods, but into our bodies as well.
So… if you are unable to eat better, the supplements in my MaxHealth Essentials Bundle may provide the extra boost you need.
These are my favorite Wellness and Immune-Boosting Supplements to use! This MaxHealth Essentials Bundle will ensure you have the intake of the important vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants to decrease inflammation and boost your innate wellness day and night. Taken together, it’s a solid plan for increasing your body’s natural resiliency.
For best results make sure you use the supplements with dietary changes including a whole food plant-based diet, regular exercise (at least 2-3x per week), regular sleep (8 hours per night), and intermittent fasting (at least 1-3x per week).
Weight Monitoring
Since weight management is very important in combatting chronic diseases, I recommend that you be mindful of your weight and its fluctuations, and that you monitor your weight AT LEAST on a weekly basis. I recommend a scale that includes a body composition monitor (*this scale cannot be used with a pacemaker or other implanted devices).
Physical Activity
Physical activity (or exercise) can improve your health and reduce the risk of developing several chronic diseases like high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, and cancer, just to name a few. Physical activity can improve your mood, boost your immune system, help you maintain a healthy weight, and is a great way to detox your body!
I often recommend yoga and resistance training for physical activity, but as you are aware, there are plenty of forms of “movement” that you can do! But for the basics, especially if you’re just getting started, yoga and resistance training are where I would start.
Yoga
Yoga can be a great way to improve your strength and flexibility, manage your stress, improve your heart health, and lose weight! I recommend using a grounded yoga mat to connect yourself with the earth and reduce inflammation.
Resistance Training
Resistance training is the mainstay for overall health. It not only has beneficial effects on reducing body fat, it also increases muscle size and strength. Check out some basic dumbbells/free weights that I recommend to everyone.
Another alternative for dumbbells/free weights are resistance bands. They are great for physical therapy, yoga, strength training, and excellent for traveling.
Remember, living a healthy lifestyle including eating a whole foods plant-based diet, regular physical activity, and reducing stress are the best ways to maintain a healthy weight. Let me know what you think in the comment section below.
Dr. Nicolle Martin
Dr. Nicolle is double board-certified in Family Medicine and Preventive Medicine. As one of the nation’s most acclaimed primary care and public health physicians, she is a nationally recognized author, speaker, researcher, consultant and media personality. She is the Founder and Chief Medical Advisor of DrNicolleMD.com, where she discusses actionable ideas and real-world strategies to help people take control of their health using integrative therapies and lifestyle change.
Dr. Nicolle also shares her knowledge via her popular social media accounts “Maximize Health” to help people pursue a healthier life. Her motto is simple: Minimize Medications, Maximize Health. With her credentials and warm “bedside manner,” it’s no wonder that the doctor is renowned as “America’s Favorite Family Physician.”
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Last updated on April 26th, 2023 at 04:06 am
Minimize Medications. Maximize Health.
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