My Guiding principles to long term health.

1.Don’t take your health for granted. When I was young and naïve, I thought I would live forever and never get sick.

I pushed the limits by eating a lot of bad carbs and stressing out. I think that’s the reason I got very sick.

By changing things around, prioritizing my health, eating better, continuing to exercise, strength train and relax more, I healed.

Now when I get sick (which thank G-d is not often), I heal faster. A cold usually lasts <1 day.  The chronic diseases I had are also at bay, (hadn’t had a flair in years, thank G-d). I attribute this to better habits.

I know G-d is watching over me and helped me heal. His gift to me is life. My gift back to him is LIVING a Healthy Life.

Let me show YOU How I do this (most of the time)

2.Prevent illness when possible!

“It’s always easier to put out a small flame than wait until it becomes a forest fire.”

Actively preventing a medical condition is always better for your body, than waiting for the disease to occur.  In other words, it’s better to NOT get sick in the first place. That may seem obvious, but many Americans don’t do this.

According to studies, only approximately 7% of Americans get the recommended number of fruits and vegetables per day and minimum amount of exercise. Many folks are stressed out and not sleeping well. Not surprising, sadly one third of Americans, including children are obese and millions are feeling tired, anxious, and depressed.

The upside is there’s much room for improvement. Realizing some tweaks can make all the difference. There are many things you can do to reduce your risk for chronic disease, including, stress, anxiety, cancer and pain.

Changing mindset is key to changing behavior, and I will share how I prioritize my health almost every day.

What are YOU Focusing on and is it serving YOU? Reframe and retrain the brain. Do you have a viable plan?

a.90:10 rule (90% of the time you eat whole foods ie fruits/vegetables, good protein and good fats ie wild salmon, cod, 100% grassfed/grass finished beef, bison, almonds, walnuts, beans seeds etc).

90% of the time MOVE. If injured decide what YOU can do. If legs are hurt, move upper body. If upper body is hurt, move lower body. If most of the body is injured, practice some deep breathing, and gentle stretches. Consider pool or chair exercises. A whole lot of smiling and laughing along with making it fun can help you stay committed. Find an activity you enjoy, or you can always tag team it with something you love or need to get done. One of patients enjoys Romcom movies while working out, another enjoys reading her mystery novels, while cycling. Another physician checks her emails and does her paperwork while on the treadmill. What CAN YOU DO? Start there!

If you feel you’re too busy, keep it simple. 10 minutes is a great way to begin. Here’s a FUN workout. There are many videos online, pick something and if YOU decide to make the time, join a group or class. Studies show you’re more likely to do something in a group and enjoy it. I love my Zumba and yoga classes.

Now if just getting started something is always better than nothing.

Accountability is a necessary ingredient to success. Join a group that will inspire or motivate YOU to do your habit consistently. Meet up with a holistic professional. Hire a trainer and health coach. The key is doing something to keep you on track. As you know we are usually excited in the beginning, but you want to be still doing what you need to do even when the desire wanes or it seems hard.

Treat illness EARLY. If you’re feeling sick DO something about it SOON. Here’s my list of go to’s for cold Sx (congestion and cough which can be annoying and frustrating). It’s never the right time to be sick.

COLD SYMPTOMS

1. Rest and drink plenty of water (if no kidney or heart problems, drink ½ your body weight in ounces along with electrolytes) i.e., 100 lbs. = 50 oz
2. Cough and congestion: Olbas menthol cough drops. Olba’s cough syrup. Mucinex DM 600mg (cough) or plain Mucinex 600mg (congestion) one to two tabs twice a day, Sudafed, or phenylephrine (with no high blood pressure, remember these 2 items can raise blood pressure and increase your heart rate, making you feel jittery and keep you awake.) Tessalon Perles (need a prescription). Warm/hot showers for congestion. Hot steam/shower with eucalyptus or Breathe and/or Onguard essential oils.

3. Moisturize the air with a humidifier. Use small amount of Lucas Papaw or Burt’s Bee (beeswax) inside your nostrils. Saltwater gargles for sore throat.
4. Vitamin C capsules two grams daily. Emergen C 1 pack every few hours (max 3-4/day, too much vitamin C can lead to loose stool. Use Emergen C lite if have high blood pressure or diabetes).
5. Antihistamine (i.e., D-Hist from Orthomolecular or Quercetin or Claritin or Zyrtec (can make you drowsy) for runny nose and allergy symptoms.
6. Limit dairy products. Bragg’s Organic Apple Cider Vinegar 1TBS with little honey
7. Essential oils Breathe and Onguard from Doterra.