A healthy body is so very important for your overall effectiveness and healthy attitude.  If you are not healthy, if you do not feel well, then you simply are not at your best.  Your healthy body rests on five main foundations

Let's explore each one of these individually.  You can follow this entire page or follow the links by clicking on each of the topics listed.

Although almost all  exercise is good, the best for our health is Aerobic Exercise.  What is Aerobic exercise?  Although many of us think of Aerobics as classes full of leotard-clad people exercising to music, Aerobic exercise is any exercise (such as running, walking, swimming, or calisthenics) that causes a marked temporary increase in respiration and heart rate.   

Why Aerobic exercise in particular?  Aerobic exercise has the greatest ability to improve your physical health as well as you mental health.  

In terms of physical health, Aerobic exercise leads to 

What about Mental Health?

As we listed above, Aerobic exercise can take many forms, including brisk walking, running, bicycling, swimming, cross country skiing, or any activity where you  can elevate your heart rate to 50% to 80% of it’s maximum rate for twenty minutes or more.  (Your maximum heart rate is 240, minus your age, times 80%)

How much aerobic activity do you need to do?  Recommendations vary, but all agree that you must elevate you heart rate for at least 20 minutes to achieve the full effect of your exercise program.  So, at a minimum, you should indulge in Aerobic exercise at least 20 minutes a day at least three times per week.  Perhaps this sounds like a lot to you, but what we invariably find is that people will begin to find that the pleasure that they get from exercise is so great that they want to do more and more.

For more on Aerobic exercise, we suggest you try the following web sites:

The President's Council on Fitness

“You are what you eat” is an absolutely true statement.   A healthy diet is one that is low in fat and high in fiber, with an emphasis on fresh fruits and vegetables, nuts and seeds, and whole grains.  Foods should be low in sodium content, and you should try to avoid chemical additives or refined sugars.  Since water is also an essential nutrient, we should drink plenty of fresh, clean water every day.  The water, vitamins, minerals, carbohydrates, fats, and proteins from our daily food intake are the building-blocks of life.  Choosing foods that are fresh, pure, and of the highest quality helps make sure you have a healthy body. 

 Although there are many theories about what constitutes proper nutrition, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) suggests that you follow the eating suggestions of the Food Guide Pyramid.   

 As you can see from the chart, the most important things to eat are fruits, vegetables, and grains.  Always try to choose fresh, uncooked or lightly-cooked fruits and vegetables and whole grains whenever possible.   

 What about various supplements such as herbal supplements or vitamins?  These may be good for you or even necessary to make up for a deficiency, but it is generally best for your health to obtain as much of your body’s nutrition by eating properly.  Before you take supplements, make sure you check with your health care professional.  Although most supplements are harmless, some, if taken to excess, can result in an unhealthy build up in the body or cause strain on organs. 

Further guidance for nutrition is available from the USDA and your county health society.

How do you know if you are getting enough sleep?  Are you often sleepy during the day?  Do you drop off to sleep at night and have to drag yourself out of bed in the morning?  Do you feel the need to “catch up” on your sleep on the weekends?  If so, you could be suffering from sleep deprivation.  People who do not get adequate, quality sleep begin to lose the ability to concentrate, lose memory, lose motor skills and become irritable.   

A shortage of sleep is common in our very busy lifestyles.  The American Sleep Disorders Association (ASDA) estimates that more than 35 million Americans suffer from chronic insomnia; 20 to 30 million others suffer occasional sleeplessness. Men and women of all ages experience insomnia, but it is more common in the elderly and in women, especially after menopause. The ASDA defines insomnia as difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep.

What causes insomnia?  It can result from something as simple as anticipating a stressful event, like a test or meeting, or from a longer-lasting stressful circumstance, such as a sick child or troubled marriage. Even worrying about having a tough time falling asleep may itself prevent a person from drifting off.  

Other common causes of nighttime wakefulness include environmental disturbances, such as noise from traffic or television, an uncomfortable temperature, or light from the sun or other source; use of alcohol or stimulants, such as caffeine or nicotine; and erratic hours, like those of shift workers and people whose air travel takes them across time zones.

 Finally, insomnia can be caused by sleep apnea.  Sleep apnea is a condition in which you literally stop breathing at night.  In sleep apnea, breathing is interrupted when air can't flow into or out of the nose or mouth. 

What do we do about insomnia?

Weight Loss: Many of us feel that we need to lose a few (or perhaps quite a few) pounds.  Before we go any further, we need to ask a question:

But before you jump on the scales or start counting calories, ask yourself - Do you really need to lose any weight?  The reason we ask this is that we live in a society that is biased toward very thin people in most of its advertising, etc.  This is especially true for women.  Models in fashion advertisements, movie stars, and celebrities are often very thin.  They may be thinner than most of us should ideally be.  And yes, you can be too thin. 

How much should you weigh?  There is no simple answer to that, as it depends on body type, age, bone density, and other factors.  There are two methods we suggest that you consider using.

Your body weight is based on many factors.  These include genetic make up, amount and what you eat, amount of exercise, your age and health status, medication, and other factors.   

The mechanics of being overweight are simple – we consume more calories than our bodies consume, so the excess is stored as fat.  This is a natural function based on the need for our primitive ancestors to “store” food when there was plenty to use when there was a lack of food. 

Successful weight loss and weight management must address both the amount/calories of what you eat and the amount you “burn”.  If you are going to lose weight and keep it off, you have to change what you are doing now.  The most effective weight loss programs are realistic (losing 1-2 pounds per week) and involve changes in what you are eating and your level of exercise. 

Beware of products that promise quick and easy results, or that promise permanent results without permanent changes in your lifestyle. Any ad that says you can lose weight without lowering the calories you take in and/or without increasing your physical activity is selling fantasy and false hope, and may in fact be fraudulent.  Also, beware of “fad diets” that ignore basic nutritional guidelines.  They certainly may help you lose a lot of weight fast, but are usually unhealthy.  In any event, weight losses from these diets are generally temporary.   And make sure you consult with your physician before you begin any weight loss program

Disease prevention is important, because it is hard to “be your best” when you are not feeling well.

The best prevention against disease is a healthy lifestyle – well fed, well rested, well exercised people are far healthier than those who dot follow good health practices. 

We can’t escape all diseases or sicknesses – the cold or flu just sneak up on us from time to time.  However, there are ways to reduce the chances of diseases catching up with the ones that you know and love: