6 Ways to Stay Healthy Naturally

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There are several ways we can stay healthy naturally, and do our best to keep sickness from entering our homes and bodies. Waiting until you think you might be getting sick is not the time to figure out how to keep from getting sick though.

6 in 10 adults in the US have chronic disease. 4 in 10 adults have 2 or more chronic illnesses.

Heart disease, cancer, lung disease, diabetes, kidney disease, stroke and Alzheimer’s disease, are some of the top diseases that are the most common.

The biggest cause of these diseases are lifestyle. Lifestyles that regularly use tobacco, excessive alcohol, poor nutrition and are sedentary, are the lifestyles that can cause the above mentioned diseases.

Lifestyle choices effect our health for good and for bad. To try to avoid getting the common cold, the flu, or even more life threatening diseases it is good to follow a healthy lifestyle of wellness.

This is not to say you will never get sick, but the healthier you live your life, the less likely you will be to catch something, or for it to hang around long, if you do!

“Older adults and people who have severe underlying medical conditions like heart or lung disease or diabetes seem to be at higher risk for developing more serious complications from COVID-19 illness.” Center for Disease and Control and Prevention.

If we take care of our bodies and keep them in great shape, we are living a lifestyle of health, strength and wellness.

HEALTH BEGINS FROM CHILDHOOD

Mental, physical and spiritual health all starts when we’re kids. How we are raised shapes our future.

When we take control of our own health as adults, or even as teens, we can alter our health destiny by changing how we live our lives, and the lifestyle choices that we make.

One of the top lifestyle choices that can alter our wellness and health is our nutrition.

SET YOUR CHILDREN UP FOR SUCCESS

If you have kids, what are you doing to set your own children up for success with a healthy lifestyle?

Are they eating fruits and vegetables or mostly sweet, fast or fried foods? What are they drinking? Have you been able to get them on an eating schedule loaded with a rainbow of colorful fresh foods?

As a server, I have personally witnessed parents sitting down to eat with their children. I’ve seen these parents order junk for their kids, while they sit there and have a salad.

Children can eat salad, too. If their taste buds are used to good, wholesome food from the very beginning, they will love healthy foods.

I’ve got 5 of my own children, and from the first time they ate food until they were in their pre-teens, they never tasted a soda, any kind of meat, any sort of pastry or pre-packaged food. I made everything from scratch, whole grain and vegan, and that is what they ate, and still prefer. (Mostly).

What is the future of your children? As an adult, what habits will they have developed from childhood?

BREAK THE CYCLE

Parents raise their children the way their parents raise them. It is a cycle that goes on for generations and it can be a set up for success or failure, depending on the habits taught and developed from childhood.

I am extremely blessed. I was raised a vegan and I am 40 now and have never once had meat.

I’m very grateful for how my parents raised me. And I remember as a kid, them catching a lot of flak for it, too. It wasn’t easy! Especially in the 80’s. I had juice on my granola because soy milk wasn’t readily available.

I feel lucky though, because I never had to give up anything on my plate or change my diet to lose weight or combat years of health problems.

My mom set me up for success, and because of her and how I was raised, I have never had to deal with excessive weight or health problems.

This is what we do for our children when we set them up with healthy habits starting at babyhood.

As adults, if we were not raised with good habits, and want to be healthy, we have to change our lifestyle habits and it will not be easy.

I know that not everybody knows what to do or where to start to make lifestyle changes. And that is why I am here. I want to be there for you as you start your healthy lifestyle journey!

(See below for beginners guides on how to start your healthy adventure!)

1. STAY HEALTHY NATURALLY WITH WATER

Water cleans us out on the inside. If you leave the inside “unwashed”, the likelihood of getting sick is higher. For best results, drink at least 8-12 glasses of water a day. Not fluids. There is a difference. This needs to be actual water.

Let me just give you a quick example of a few health problems that can be turned around with just 96oz of water in your day: Kidney stones, fatigue, lack of energy, bad breath, poor sleep, urinary tract infection, dry splotchy skin, lackluster hair, sore muscles, muscle cramps, elongated sickness, digestive problems, weight gain, and so many more pain in the butt problems, can be kept at bay simply by drinking plenty of water.

If you think drinking 96oz of water a day is impossible, I’ve got a few tricks for you right here! How to Drink 96oz of Water a Day. And if you don’t like water and can’t stand the taste, here’s a little help with that, too. Five Ways to Yummy-Up Your Water.

I am not a doctor, and of course, as always, if you’re not sure, it never hurts to ask your doctor what he/she advises for your daily water recommendations.

2. STAY HEALTHY NATURALLY WITH HERBS

“Herbs such as milk thistle, bilberry, hawthorn, evening primrose oil, garlic, Siberian ginseng and ginkgo are some of the most powerful food grade items medicine has ever seen. These herbs and others are entirely safe and very effective.” Dr. Agatha Thrash M.D. Preventive Medicine.

For more details on why these herbs are so good and how to use them read her article Designer Foods, Herbs & Disease Prevention

When I was in high school, I lived in a dorm, and for some reason this one particular year, I remember getting sick. A lot. Unusually often. One thing that the dean always made for us girls when we got sick was the shot of death. I hated it, but now, I use it for my kids.

It is a combo of grapefruit juice, fresh cloves of garlic, cayenne pepper, lemon juice, honey, and ginger. You blend this up into a shot, and literally shoot it. It burns, but it will take away a sore throat fast.

I grew up on herbs, they do actually work, and a lot of times, in my past experience, are a lot less invasive than going to a doctor and work even better.

It is important to be well educated when using herbs. I suggest doing a lot more reading on the use of herbs if it is something you want to use more of.

3. STAY HEALTHY NATURALLY WITH NUTRITION

One of the best ways to stay healthy is to eat a lot of fresh foods. Not just when you’re feeling yucky, and not just here and there. This needs to be a daily habit.

The saying prevention is better than cure is one I take seriously. And nutrition is the best way to put that saying into action.

Green, leafy veggies are on the top of my list, which is why I have “Green Drink Sunday” almost every Sunday! Habits like this make green things easy, fun and tasty. Even when my kids have friends over, they all get green smoothies or juice. It’s just how we roll!

Stay away from sugary foods like pastries, candy, ice cream, sodas, sweet tea, etc. (This doesn’t include fruit).

Sugar kills white blood cells which are our disease fighters. Increase fresh foods like citrus fruits, red and green bell peppers, kale, broccoli, kiwi, pineapple, spinach, etc. because they are high in vitamin C and they also help to increase production of white blood cells.

5. STAY HEALTHY NATURALLY WITH SLEEP

Proper sleep is essential to keeping your immune system strong and healthy. As soon as you start having late nights, disrupted sleep schedules, and then over sleeping, you’re creating the perfect playground for viruses to grow.

Getting too much sleep and not enough sleep are equally bad for your body. An adult should get at least 7-9 hours of rest per night.

For more on how to get better sleep, read 8 Steps to Improve Your Quality of Sleep. And, 7 Things That Ruin Your Sleep.

6. STAY HEALTHY NATURALLY WITH WEIGHT CONTROL

I realize this is no quick or easy fix, but it has to be done for healths sake.

Weight control goes hand in hand with exercise, nutrition, and wellness. People that are overweight are more likely to have heart disease, strokes, diabetes, cancer, and depression. These are some of the very same diseases I listed in the beginning of this article.

Excessive weight causes so many problems. Aside from disease, it is hard on your joints, your mental health, and your ability to enjoy life.

I have written articles specifically to help you begin your weight loss journey. They show you how to lose and maintain weight naturally and healthfully. Here are a couple articles for starters: Lose and Maintain Healthy Weight with Carbs and How to Maintain Healthy Weight After Dieting.

Sometimes weight loss is just something you need a little extra help with, alongside your nutrition and exercise program. I highly recommend the PhysIQ System, in combination with the Nrf2. I am a vegan so I myself won’t use the whey protein in the PhysIQ System package, but you can purchase the Fat Burn and Prebiotic separately and replace the protein with the Nrf2 for a complete package!

7. STAY HEALTHY NATURALLY WITH EXERCISE

Getting exercise has to happen. Exercise keeps us younger longer, keeps our weight in check and presents aches and pain. It can also help keeps us healthy from disease, depression, and many other things that nobody should ever have to deal with.

“As exercise is increased, degenerative diseases of all kinds are decreased, life span is extended, various minor infections such as colds are reduced . . .” Agatha M. Thrash, M.D. Preventive Medicine

When you exercise, you’re breathing deeper and this helps to flush out your lungs and helps make you more resistant to respiratory infections. Do this outside and it is a win-win!

Exercise also increases white blood cells. Remember earlier how I said white blood cells are our disease fighters?

Exercise balances out our hormones. Including stress hormones. Stress makes us more susceptible to disease. So exercising brings us to a better, balanced state.

Below are some resources for beginners on how to change your lifestyle to one of wellness and health.

Beginners Guide to Healthy Living

Beginners Guide to Weight Lifting and Gym Life

What is a Vegan