Living long and well doesn’t just happen by itself. It requires you to do some things. Eating and drinking well is one. Exercising regularly is another. Avoiding the pitfalls like junk food is a must. Doing positive things that make you feel good and part of your family and community bring a greater sense of purpose to your life.
DID YOU KNOW?
The human genetic potential for longevity is 120 – 140 years old. No less than 5 cultures in the world have people who regularly live to be 120 – 140 years old. Places you find these faces:
- Western China – The Tibetans
- Eastern Pakistan – The People of Hunza (Hunzakuts)
- Western Russia – The Russian Georgians and Abkhazia, Armenians, & Azerbaijan People of Eastern Europe
- South Eastern Peru, Machu Picchu – The Titikakas, by Lake Titikaka
- Ecuador – Vilcabamba Indians , South of Loja in “The Valley of Longevity”
FRESH IS BEST
So what’s their secret? To live a long and healthy life you need to eat a wide variety of fresh organically grown spray free vegetables and fruit daily. Another key to good health is eating fermented vegetables and grains like suaerkraut (cabbage), miso, sourdough or lacto-fermented food like quark (yoghurt).
Fresh whole foods are unprocessed and unrefined. They do not contain added ingredients such as colouring, salt, or sugar. They do not come from Genetically Modified crops and have not been sprayed with man-made chemicals.
Diets rich in whole and unrefined foods
- Fuel your body with vital nutrients and enzymes
- Taste great and are packed with flavour, goodness and high nutrition
- Are life giving and prevent disease
- Keep you clean on the inside by cleaning the body of unwanted wastes.
- Are high in anti-oxidants that protect you from diseases—cancer, heart disease, obesity, high blood pressure and diabetes
THE SCIENCE OF NUTRITION
The science of nutrition is the study of how nutrients from your food and drink affect your body and its development. What you eat is important because every cell in your body is made from, and gets its cellular energy (ATP) from food and fluid intake. It’s important to know what foods provide the best source of fuel for your growing body. And because most of what we eat gets broken down to become part of us it makes sense to build a strong body out of good healthy building material. Things that are usually built out of junk material never last as long as things made from quality material.
To convert the nutrients found in food—such as carbohydrates, proteins and fats—into useable energy and building material, the body requires help from enzymes. In the digestive system, enzymes help break down large food particles food into smaller nutrient molecules so your body can access, absorb and activate all the vital nutrients found in good food.
ENZYMES:
The science of nutrition would not exist without enzymes. Enzymes really are a miracle of nature. They are present in every living thing and without them life would cease to exist. Enzymes are large protein molecules made up of many smaller amino acids which bind together in long chains. These amino acid chains perform the vital function of converting food into energy and new cell building material for your body. In digestion enzymes control chemical reactions in very specific and efficient ways which help to save on energy while also producing a high quality product. There are many types of enzymes and depending on what you eat determines what type of enzyme is used. Fresh and fermented foods are very rich in life promoting enzyems for us humans.
ARE THERE ANY SPECIAL RULES FOR GOOD HEALTH?
Sickness is a sign that your body is out of balance and not getting the proper nutrition that it needs. Armed with the right nutrition and lifestyle habits our bodies are designed to naturally be in a state of health. But having a healthy body and mind does not just happen by itself. Good health comes from taking responsibility for your own health by checking in with what you need and making healthy choices every day. It all starts right here right now with you. Commit to making small changes daily for the better and before long living well will become a good habit that produces good health in you.
By increasing your nutritional know how and body awareness and educating yourself about what you need to be well, you will learn to trust in the feedback from your body and in your ability to look after yourself. You and your body are a great team! It’s important to get to know and listen to each other well, just like being close friends.
If having a healthy body, active mind and balanced emotions are important to you then there are things you can do to improve and maintain your well being. Remember you only get one body that has to last a lifetime so treat it well.
Here are some suggestions to consider in feed yourself right for life:
- Exercise –Regular exercise and outdoor play helps to provide fresh air to oxygenate your blood and brain while also helping to reduce the effects of stress
- Laugh—Nothing beats a good belly laugh to work out your abdominal muscles! Laughter really is good medicine. Share a joke with a friend today, just make sure it’s not at the expense of someone else!
- Food–Eat a nutritious variety of fresh food daily. Brain boosting foods contain magnesium and Omega 3
- Sleep–Get plenty of sleep so your body can rest, repair and revive. Most human bodies need an average of 8 hours sleep a night so they can be at their best during the day.
- Water–Drink pure, filtered water to flush out toxins, keep your cells hydrated and recharge your body
- Be Involved–Do positive creative activities that make you feel good and involve your family and community
- Be Responsible—Learn to listen to your thoughts, feelings and gut instincts. Begin to take responsibility for how you feel and what you need. Then express yourself in an honest and respectful way to others. This will improve your response—ability, your ability to respond to life’s situations in a more positive and empowering way
- Be Strong and dump the junk! Decide with pride and choose healthy foods, thoughts and actions. The opportunity to change begins now. So what are you waiting for? Now’s good! Stop and think before you eat and drink.
By taking charge of your life and choosing good food, you will be rewarded with good health
Signs of good health include sleeping well, having a good appetite, good energy levels, clear glowing skin, strong shiny hair, daily bowel movements, increased stamina, resistance to disease, expressing yourself to others respectfully, being happy and content with yourself and your body and having a good sense of humour.
DID YOU KNOW?
Scientists estimate that you have 60,000 thoughts a day. Ever felt like someone was listening in? Well it’s your immune system and it is constantly eavesdropping on your internal dialogue (or self talk)
Positive thoughts release naturally occurring feel good hormones to boost your immune system, make you feel calmer and help you live longer.
Tapping your Thymus gland in the middle of your chest in time with your heartbeat boosts immunity and is calming too. Try this first thing in the morning before you get out of bed or last thing at night before you go to sleep.
You’ll find more information of how to feed yourself right using real food in the proportions needed by your body in our latest book Grow Me Well