There are many things that impact your health, some positive
and some negative. It's up to you to do all that you can to avoid the unhealthy
ones. Of course, it won't always easy. Obstacles sometimes get in the way. But,
by learning more about the following five factors, which positively impact your
health, you'll be well on your way to better health. The factors covered in
this report are quality nutrition, hydration, detoxification, oxygenation and
alkalization. Hopefully, you're already familiar with a few.
QUALITY NUTRITION
Everyone needs to be concerned about quality nutrition,
regardless of where they feel they stand health-wise. There are so many
benefits to proper nutrition that it’s somewhat difficult to know where to
begin. Here are some of them for your consideration.
Increased Productivity
Recent data indicates that eating foods that are unhealthy
for you actually puts you at a higher risk of productivity loss. Some studies
put that number as high as 66 percent. All the more reason to think of healthy
food as fuel for your brain, don’t you think?
Fewer Wrinkles
Foods that contain a high water content help to moisturize
your skin. They also contain antioxidants, which help to reduce the likelihood
of cell damage and keeps your skin younger looking for a longer period of time.
Go one step further and include foods like salmon, on the menu. Salmon is high
in Omega-3 fatty acids that are also beneficial to your skin.
Saves Money
By sticking to a healthy diet, you generally have fewer
medical bills. In addition, you’ll probably eat less, which means you’ll save
money on groceries. This is especially true if you’re one to eat a lot of
sugary treats and/or fast food meals.
Fewer Cravings
It probably won’t happen immediately, but eating healthier
is a great way to reduce cravings. Lean proteins and complex carbohydrates do
an excellent job of stabilizing your blood sugar. This helps to alleviate a
rapid drop in blood sugar, which causes a craving.
Healthier Smile
The calcium in milk and other dairy products helps to
strengthen your teeth. Yogurt is known to contain microorganisms that are
helpful in fighting the bacteria that causes bad breath. Research indicates
that Omega-3, found in fish, may even reduce the chances of gum disease.
Longer Life
Although nothing is guaranteed 100 percent, quality
nutrition goes a long way in helping you to live longer. Several studies
indicate the possibility of low-meat, vegetarian or diets high in nut
consumption very well adding years to your life.
Happier Disposition
The next time you feel a bit gloomy, why not take a minute
out of your day to eat a banana or a couple of pieces of dark chocolate? The
average-sized banana contains 10 mg of dopamine. Dark chocolate is packed to
the brim with polyphenol. Both of these substances are known to give your mood
a boost when you need it the most.
An added benefit to all of these things is the fact that
learning to eat healthier automatically makes you more knowledgeable about
nutrition. So, not only are you helping yourself, you’re helping your family as
well. What could be better than that?
HYDRATION
Staying hydrated is extremely important for overall health.
What many people don't realize is that drinking plenty of fluids is also
necessary for optimal heart health. This is especially true in warm weather.
Every single cell in your body needs water. So do your
tissues and organs. The body requires water to lubricate joints, maintain
proper temperature and remove waste products.
Keeping your body hydrated helps your heart pump blood
through your blood vessels. It also helps muscles work more efficiently. In
other words, when you drink the proper amount of water or other fluids your
heart doesn't have to work as hard.
Water Is Best
Water is the best thing to drink, when it comes to staying
hydrated... especially when you're exercising. If you're someone who doesn't
enjoy the taste of water alone, try eating fruits and vegetables that have high
water content. These include, but are not limited to:
Cucumbers, iceberg lettuce, iceberg lettuce, Celery
Radishes, Tomatoes, Green peppers, Watermelon
Citrus fruits, Strawberries, Cantaloupe
As you can see, you have plenty of healthy choices. For
additional options, doing a quick search engine search will bring up many other
suggestions.
Sports drinks are recommended in very hot weather. However,
if you're trying to steer clear of added sugar and extra calories, you might
want to think twice. Any sugary drink, such as soda or fruit juice, tends to be
harder on your stomach. And, anything with caffeine in it actually causes you
to lose fluid, which obviously defeats the purpose.
How much is too much?
You've probably heard or read somewhere that you need to
drink eight, 8-ounce glasses of water per day. While many people still believe
this to be true, some physicians will tell you that it depends on things like
climate, the type of clothes you wear and whether or not you're exercising.
Never let the fact that you feel thirsty be an indication
that you’re getting dehydrated. If you're thirsty, you've ALREADY reached that
point. If you perspire more than average, you need to drink more fluids. If you
have a medical condition such as diabetes, you need to drink more fluids. If
you're elderly or pregnant, you need to drink more fluids.
Believe it or not sometimes when you feel hungry, you
actually might be thirsty instead. If you've eaten within the last two hours,
try this trick. Drink a glass of water and wait approximately 10 minutes. If
after that time, you no longer feel hungry, you'll know you were dealing with
dehydration.
One of the best ways to monitor your hydration level is to
keep track of the color of your urine. If it's pale or clear it means you're
properly hydrated. If it's dark, you need to drink more liquids.
Don't ever take dehydration lightly. Not only can it lead to
painful issues such as headaches and swollen feet, it can also lead to
life-threatening conditions like heat stroke.
DETOXIFICATION
If you’re feeling sluggish and lacking energy, it may be
time to consider body detoxification. Detoxification, or detox, is the process
of cleansing the blood by removing impurities in the liver, where toxins are
naturally processed. This allows the body to process and removes toxins more
efficiently, which leads to improved health and a better quality of life.
Should You Detox?
It is recommended that everyone detoxifies at least once
every year. A detox program can help alleviate symptoms that are otherwise
unexplainable, such as fatigue, skin irritation, allergic reactions or even
bags under the eye. Even if you don’t feel like anything is amiss, detoxifying
helps to cleanse the whole body and leaves you feeling fresh and rejuvenated.
Cleansing Your Diet
There are many different detox recipes and programs to
choose from, all focused on cleansing the body and eliminating toxins. One very
popular and tasty way to include cleansing foods into your diet is detoxifying
juices and smoothies.
Fasting
Taking a break from eating gives our digestive system a
chance to rest and rejuvenate. This means it will be more efficient when it’s
time for it to work again. In order to give your digestive system a break,
replace your meals with juices or smoothies for a day or two of fasting. This
will be easiest if you do it on a day off, so that you can rest and avoid
situations that might otherwise tempt you to eat. This detoxifying method may
not be much fun during the actual fast, but it will be worth it afterwards when
you feel energetic and refreshed.
Stay Away from Toxins
Toxins that we take in either through food or our
environment get in the way of our body's healing processes. Stay away from
refined sugars, saturated fats, coffee, cigarettes, and alcohol. Also, try to
use natural alternatives to both cleaning and personal care products, to avoid
exposure to minor levels of toxins.
OXYGENATION
Oxygenation is the process of oxygen molecules making their
way into all tissues of the body. Oxygen is not only necessary for breathing;
it also plays an important role in every metabolic process, which occurs in the
body. Another term for oxidization is “medical oxygen saturation.”
How Oxygen is Used
Our bodies use oxygen for a number of different processes.
When we breathe, the oxygen in the air that we inhale is diffused into our
bloodstream. This oxygen-rich blood makes its way through our bodies and finds
places where oxygen is needed. Oxygen molecules in our body combine with
certain enzymes to help out with many of our body’s processes. A waste product
of these processes is carbon dioxide, which is transported back to the lungs.
Restoring Oxygen Balance
There are several easy things you can do to help restore
your oxygen balance.
This includes:
Drinking an adequate amount of water,
Adhering to an alkaline diet,
Exercising daily, breathing
properly.
Without the proper amount of water, all body functions are
diminished. Filtered water is the best choice, because of its smaller groups of
water molecules, which provide better overall hydration on a cellular level.
Adhering to an alkaline diet is explained in more detail
below. In a nutshell, it refers to eating more plant-based foods such as kale
and spinach and eating less processed and animal-based foods. Along with the
diet, it’s helpful to take an iron supplement. Women need at least 18 mg,
daily. Men require no less than 8 mg per day.
The type of exercise you choose is completely up to you.
Walking, biking and hiking are particularly good choices to help oxygenate your
body. In fact, in this case, it’s actually more beneficial to walk for 15
minutes a day, as opposed to working out at the gym for two full hours.
Yes, there is a proper way to breathe. Whenever possible,
avoid breathing from the chest. It’s much better to breathe slowly from your
diaphragm and through your nose. Twelve breaths per minute are usually
adequate.
Oxygen and Detoxification
A major factor in our health is how efficiently our bodies
make use of nutrients on the cellular level. Another factor is how effectively
waste and toxins are removed. Our body has several ways of getting rid of
cellular waste. Much of it is dissolved into water and leaves the body through
urine and sweat. But, some of this waste can only be neutralized by oxygen
molecules, in a process called oxidation. Because our bodies need oxygen to
process waste, avoiding environmental toxins and maintaining proper oxygen
balance leaves us feeling great and could even help prevent disease.
ALKALIZATION
Alkalizing your body is another wonderful way to stay
healthy. Simply put, alkalization is shifting your body's pH to the proper
level. In the event the thought of this makes you nervous, there's no need to
worry. It's actually much easier than it sounds. The end goal is to have a body
which is more alkaline than acidic.
Optimal pH Level
When your body is highly acidic, it tries to balance itself
out by getting nutrients from your cells and bones. That's bad. The optimal pH
level, to strive for, is just a little over 7. Once this number is reached, it
greatly reduces the possibility of disease and cellular damage.
When your body reaches this level, it's generally easy to
maintain, as long as you know how to do so. The process involves replacing the
acid you eat and drink with foods that alkalize.
Increased Health Benefits
There are many benefits to an alkaline diet. Statistics
indicate that if your diet consists of at least 70 percent of alkaline foods,
you'll improve your quality of life substantially. Health benefits include an
increase in energy, a more restful sleep, a slower aging process, a clearer
mind and increase protection against certain kinds of cancer. That sounds
wonderful, doesn't it?
Foods to Avoid
There are several foods and beverages to avoid on an
alkaline diet. The top five categories include:
Processed sugar, Meat, dairy products, coffee, soda.
Cutting down or eliminating these foods not only helps to
balance your pH level, it makes you healthier overall.
Foods to Enjoy
There are many types of foods that are great for increasing
your alkaline level. You don’t have to partake in a boring diet in order to get
healthier. Think about incorporating some of the following items into your meal
plan. It’s probably simpler than you think!
Leafy greens, Chia seeds
Almonds, beets, bananas,
Garlic, figs, lemons,
Melon, tomatoes and broccoli.
Consequences of an Unbalanced pH Level
When your pH level is out of whack, it has the potential of
affecting your health in many ways. Excess acid is stored in fat cells. The
reason for this is that the fat neutralizes the acid. There is good news,
however. Once you reach a pH level of 7, it’s entirely possible to lose as much
as a pound of fat per day.
Your arteries are affected by pH levels, as well. Why? When
your body is highly acidic, it automatically produces cholesterol to protect
the arteries. High cholesterol can lead to heart attacks. The upside to this
is, just like the excess fat cells, the extra cholesterol will disappear once
your body is properly alkalized.
Believe it or not, there’s also a possibility that you’ll
shrink, if your pH level remains off balance for long periods of time. This
occurs when calcium begins to dissipate from your bones due to the acid.
Once your body begins to balance out and become more
alkaline, you may experience something that is often referred to as
"alkalize and energize." This simply means that you'll start to
automatically feel more energized and ready to take on the world.
Congratulations!
Taking Things Slow
When it comes to information about these five factors, which
positively impact your health, this is just the tip of the iceberg. However, it
gives you a great starting point. What you do with the information is, of
course, up to you.
If you feel overwhelmed, as many individuals do, tackle one
area at a time. You're not going to feel transformed overnight. Obviously, it's
going to take some time. But, with patience and due diligence, you'll start
feeling much healthier before you know it. At that point, all of your hard work
will be more than worth it!.
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