We all strive to live a happy and healthy life, yet many of
us struggle to accomplish one or both of these goals. Instead of setting large,
unattainable goals, try to focus on making small choices that can improve your
likelihood of attaining these goals and achieving a greater overall well-being.
A functional-medicine pioneer sums up six elements to a happy and healthy life!
Eat using the perfect plate method. We know this sounds
simple but this is often a big struggle for many people. Using the perfect
plate, as described my Frank Lipman, M.D., helps you focus more on eating
healthier foods rather than counting individual calories, prompting us to focus
on quality over quantity. Lipman breaks the plate into 50 to 70 percent
non-starchy vegetables, 10 to 15 percent best-quality proteins and 20 to 30
percent healthy fats. Focusing on these foods will help reduce the consumption
of the starchy, sugary foods that promote inflammation and weight gain. This
element goes hand in hand with another suggestion made by Lipman, address your
toxic burden. We are surrounded by environmental stressors that our bodies have
to expel each day. These include GMOs, carcinogenic compounds, chemical
additives, to foods, healthcare products or personal care items, etc. Lipman
suggests to avoid GMOs, educate yourself about what is healthy versus unhealthy
and dismiss the doubters of what you want to achieve.
Become active! Our bodies were designed to move and moving
helps to keep our joints well lubricated and healthy. Moving helps to produce
proteins called myokines that fight disease and reduce inflammation. It also
strengthens the most important muscle in our bodies, our hearts! Take a 5
minute break from work to walk around and stretch or go for walk at lunch.
Get good sleep. The glympathic system, similar to the
lymphatic system, is a system within the central nervous system that helps to
keep your brain clear and healthy. The glymphatic system works by removing
excessive proteins, byproducts of normal neurological functions, that have been
linked to the loss of neurological function. The glymphatic system works while
we are sleeping, allowing our bodies to rid themselves of toxic overload. If
you have an out-of-sync sleep schedule here are some suggestions to improve your
sleep cycle. Dr. Lipman recommends good light exposure in the morning by
walking outside as our internal clocks are sensitive to the energizing effects
of light. Getting outside regularly throughout the day for a few minutes also
helps to improve alertness our circadian rhythms. As the evening progresses
limit your exposure to artificial light as you prepare to sleep.
"Unwind: Use your breath as a pathway to peace".
Stress is a large topic of many of our lives. Unwind by taking a break from
social media and get away from the internet. Take time throughout the day to
take deep breaths to help clear our minds and relax. Belly breathing or the
4-7-8 breathing methods help you to relax by focusing on breathing rather than
your surroundings. To use these proper techniques refer to the attached link: https://experiencelife.com/article/6-keys-to-a-happy-and-healthy-life/.
Lastly, connect and practice appreciation for your fellow
beings. We all enjoy a good compliment and healthy relationships, and so do our
peers. Perform random acts of kindness like giving compliments, smiling,
listening closely to whomever you are talking to, help strangers, etc. These
acts help us to become more connected and relaxed, creating a healthier you and
environment! To find out more ways to keep
yourself healthy, please visit our website at www.oxborochiro.com.
