It is said that our body is a temple and therefore only the most pure and pristine is supposed to be put into it. It should be treated with respect and reverence. Far too often we fall short of this goal in today’s society. Our brain is the center of all things that take place within our bodies, setting in motion building blocks for the future and managing the resources within our body to their highest and best use. Our body is also where we process all the food we consume, absorbing the nutrition and expelling any toxicity along the way.
This body of ours is made up of numerous systems which when operating in unison manage to sustain our life. There is our digestive tract, our circulatory system, respiratory tract, our excretory structure and neurological configuration among many others. Each of these systems plays a prominent role in our life sustenance and they work together to keep our bodies vigorous and vital. When one of these systems fails, every other system within us is innately affected and when left unchecked the body could decline and perish.
In nearly all cases, the disparity between those who reach the century mark in age and the ones who do not make it to mid life comes down to the day to day choices that are made and the standard of care supplied to the body. When you talk to those people who live past seventy years of age, maintaining their vim and vigor and ask them how they stay so youthful, they will tell you there is no special magic involved. Simply looking after the body they have is their secret and in doing so their body returns the favor in good health and personal well being.
When asked the question of how they care for themselves as they age – their elementary response is listed below in no particular sequence.
• Physical activity is paramount [exercise] – all our bodies need to be conditioned and worked out regularly. Exercise is important since we sleep on average on third of every day and we eat [usually too much] so we can gain weight easily. By working out we can burn extra calories and lose weight while benefiting our heart, keeping it working in peak levels. People overall should simply walk more often or begin a program of jogging to lose weight and keep fit. You will feel healthier and prolong your life span.
We sit at home and at work, driving back and forth from work in our cars and even when we go out for entertainment – we are always sitting. This adversely affects our health as our body is weakened by sluggishness and is anything but alert. We must find a method we can stick to so we get a little physical activity each day. Walk the steps at work, in fact, walk to work. If you drive, park your car further away and walk farther to get to work.
• Take a bath daily – Okay, hopefully everyone is already at least showering regularly but taking a bath is different. It makes you feel revitalized and looking good but it also is more effective at removing natural oils from your body, cells that have died that build up on your body’s exterior surface, and effectively remove the germs and bacterial grime associated with sweating. All are better cleansed with a bath and you will feel very clean and refreshed as well.
Another advantage of bathing over other hygiene methods like showering is disease prevention. You are efficiently removing external toxicity from your body that could otherwise make you ill. Take at least one bath per day along with your shower and feel the difference. Better still have a bath before you leave your house in the morning and one before you go to bed in the evening.
• Lubricate your body – Using lotion aids in closing up your pores and the bodies façade and averts assists in retaining water in the body. You will greatly decrease the stress on your skin and thwart the cracking and creasing associated with dry skin. Apply lotion liberally, especially in the beginning of this routine. Utilize a facial lotion that will also safeguard you from UV ray exposure, a critical step in skin care. Go ahead and use anti aging products on your face as you begin to see the signs of age appearing. It will be good for your skin and great for your self esteem.
• Consume plenty of water – since it is a crucial component of our overall health. Our body is made up of water for the most part and knowing this many people still do not drink much water. Experts highly suggest that we ingest at least three large glasses of H2o each day. You should space these glasses out over the course of your day. Too much water consumed at one time will place stress on your excretory system and strain on your kidneys for no reason. Absorption of water is finite and so only so much can happen at one time.
We place ourselves at risk of disease and illness when we do not get enough water into our system regularly. Drink only fresh, clean water that has been distilled or purified if the source of supply is questionable. Keep a bottle of water handy wherever you are and sip from it often. Drink water only and avoid soft drinks and other liquids in frequency. When you are thirsty be sure to reach for a cool drink of water rather than coffee, alcohol or soda.
• Dress neatly – Your clothing is a representation of yourself to the public and those close to you. When you are dressed neatly and appropriately you will feel better about yourself and people around you will feel more comfortable about you as an individual. Clothing is also important as a safeguard from the elements. Keeping yourself appropriately attired for the climate conditions will prevent harmful exposure to the cold and heat.
Those around you affect the way you feel about yourself and when they see you dressed well they will be less inclined to speak poorly about you to others. When you are dressed well people treat you better whether you know them or not. Their sense of you will be formed based on their initial impression of you. If you want it to be favorable, dress favorably. No one is suggesting that you need to spend a fortune on the latest styles – this is not about fashion. Clean, proper attire will open doors for you and how you are treated will do wonders for your personal self worth.
• Consume nourishing and healthy food – This tops the list of things you can do to improve your life expectancy. You truly are what you eat so some food that you put in your body will do nothing but shorten your life. Anything that has been processed or quickly cooked will negatively impact your body. French fries, burgers, anything deep fried etc, is going to harm you over time. Natural or organic food is far and away the better choice. Junk food will make you gain weight and it is prepared with additives designed to make you crave more of the same. Be extremely selective about what you eat and drink. The choices you make for your diet will determine how long you will live and how healthy you will be during that time period.
• Be sure to get plenty of rest – This is one of the best things you can do for your body. Sleep for no less than six hours a night and no more than ten. Studies have revealed the increased mortality rates [upwards of sixty percent] of those individuals who sleep outside of these parameters. If you are tired your body is telling you something vital. Take a nap but not after seven p.m. but preferably in the latter part of the afternoon and for no longer than an hour. Stress is relieved when you rest through the day, even for a ten minute break so finding the time to decompress during the day is great if possible and close your eyes!
• Enhance your level of immunity – You can do this by simply visiting your health food store and beginning a regimen of vitamins and minerals that will give you the essential elements you require. There are particular foods that you need to consume regularly to supply you with the various nutrients your body cannot store or produce naturally. Antioxidants are an integral part of your augmented immunity plan and you can find certain products that will do this quite well.
There are too many to discuss here but with just a small amount of research online and you will know exactly what to start with [green tea and grape extract are both excellent]. The objective is to safeguard you from the more common forms of contagions that exist everywhere today. We all have a natural immune system and healthy eating combined with proper nutritional supplements will improve your immunity innately.
• Everyone should have their own personal health care provider they trust and one who knows their physical condition thoroughly. This could be a physician or trusted holistic professional. This health care professional should be consulted regularly for an examination. When you do not feel one hundred percent something is not working correctly so you should speak to your health professional about it.
Ongoing maintenance for your body is critical to overall health and well being so regular checkups are critical about once per year at a minimum. Even if you feel great you must still seek the medical professional’s opinion to avoid serious illness and disease. Your healthcare provider can give you advice about how to prevent certain health problems and monitor any fitness or diet and supplement regimens you may be following.
There is every reason to believe that if you follow the tips on the list above you will prolong your life by a number of years and live those years in quality health with peace of mind.
Mon, Aug 30, 2010
Anti Aging, Anti Aging Theories, Lifestyle, Longevity