A pound of prevention is worth far more than a ton of cure.
~Unknown~
As a part of good nutrition, it is important to focus on the key aspects in this section as they are the building blocks of a strong foundation for nutritional wellbeing, when properly attended. Our bodies are amazing, but unfortunately once you have a heart attack, stroke, kidney failure, or you become blind, the damage can’t be undone. The good news is that proper meal planning and paying attention to the following key aspects to health can help keep you healthy and prevent health problems from happening later.
Once you have completed the nutritional makeover, you can better understand the key aspects to maintaining overall wellness. When you are educated on the dangers and benefits of “diets”, you can have a piece of mind and a good outlook on life; the rest will fall into place.
Hydration
Proper hydration is important to maintaining good health. Dehydration can lead to build up of toxins and cause health issues ranging from skin conditions, headaches, constipation, dry mouth, acne, repeated UTI’s (urinary tract infections), dry coughs, fatigue, weak immune system, various imbalances and even death within a matter of days. Drinking water is not the only way to stay hydrated, eating/drinking raw fresh pressed/juiced fruits and vegetables will supply a portion of the daily recommended 6-8 cups a day, along with herbal teas, and bone broths.
Blood Sugar Control
Out of control blood sugar levels can lead to serious short term problems such as blackouts or fainting, hypoglycemia, hyperglycemia, or diabetes, which can be reversed, but very difficult; better to prevent it from occurring through good nutrition, regular exercise, and keeping the key aspects of health in check. In the long run, uncontrolled blood sugar can also damage the vessels that supply blood to important organs, like the heart, kidneys, eyes, and nerves. This can occur even when you feel “normal”.
Inflammation
Inflammation is an important part of maintaining health in the healing of wounds. However, excess or chronic inflammation can lead to many health issues including heart disease and arthritis. Chronic inflammation may stem from stress, food, allergies, injuries and illnesses. Fortunately, it can be easily measured through blood testing, and dealt with through good nutrition, exercise, super foods, herbs, stress management, or alternative therapies such as acupuncture and homeopathy.
Detoxification
There are many ways to detoxify the body, taking advice from a health professional and extensive research is recommended to see what is right for you. A good detox program should be cleansing, rebuilding, and maintaining.
It should be done at least once a year, if not more. One simple way to detoxify the body is to eat a raw fruits and vegetable diet for 7-10 days once or twice a year. As a regular diet, raw fruits and vegetables (raw-vegan) alone are missing so many beneficial nutrients so it is not suggested to do this for a prolonged time.
Environmental pollutants and their effect on our health are continuously being investigated. Reports show that toxins may disrupt our hormones and block the absorption of important nutrients. Exposure to heavy metals, PCBs and other pollutants should be minimized, although it is difficult to completely avoid them.Understanding where you come in contact with these pollutants is important so you can make informed decisions.
Hormonal Balance
If an individual’s hormone levels are out of balance, there are some diet and exercise changes that can be made to influence hormone levels. Testosterone, estrogen, progesterone, estradiol, thyroid and others all play important roles in our ability to achieve optimal wellbeing and maintain a steady weight. However, it is recommended that an experienced health professional be consulted to ensure everything that can be done is done. Hormonal balance can easily be measured through a blood test.
Stress Management
Stress comes from many triggers: job, family, financial, physical, injuries, sickness and more. Although stress has been part of life from the beginning of time, we’ve changed the amount and type of stress we face each day. Some people never find a break from the stresses they face each day. The level of stress can impact the ability to sleep. Lack of sleep can increase levels of stress, and the cycle continues. Stress also impacts the foods choices we make. Understanding where stress is coming from and then dealing with it in a constructive manner is critical to health.
Don’t focus on things you want, or don’t have. Take a moment and be thankful for what you do have-right now. One positive thing could be that you are reading this course!
- Good Sleep Habits
One of the best ways to balance a healthy life is to go to bed at the same time every night, and to wake up at the same time every morning. 8 hours a night is generally recommended. However, some individuals may require only 5 or 6 hours of sleep per night. The important thing is going to bed and waking up at the same time every day. You will fall asleep better, wake up easier, your performance will be more consistent, and you won’t be as tired during the day.
Try determining how much sleep that you actually need every night, and spend a few weeks going to bed and waking up at the same time, even on the weekends. Sleeping in late can throw off your body’s rhythm the same as going to bed late.
- Exercise Be Active
The more advanced countries become – the less active their people tend to be. The United States is a perfect example. We are a nation where people fight for the front-door parking spot at their fitness center! That isn’t the case in less industrialized nations.
~Unknown~
In today’s fast paced-fast food environment, it really does take discipline and determination in our choices for a better diet to find nutritional wellbeing. If you haven’t exercised in awhile, consider beginning with five to ten minutes of daily physical activity and gradually increase your activity to at least 30 minutes of physical activity most days of the week. Find what works for you even a 10-15 min dance or exercise video, or a 30 min walk outdoors will suffice, there is no need to join a gym.
A Nutritional Makeover 