Good Exercise Practices

consistent exerciseExercise is incredibly important to our health. Apart from diet, it is the most critical thing we can do to keep our muscles, fat content, metabolism and circulation healthy. When it comes to exercising in a smart way, there are a few things you can do to ensure that you are getting everything you should get from your workout. There are several basic things to keep in mind when it comes to managing your exercise regimen that will increase how effective it is, keeping you in the best shape possible.

  • The regularity of your workout should be fairly unwavering. Studies have shown that people who commit to a certain time of day are more likely to workout regularly than those who workout at random times of the day. Mornings, in particular, were shown to be the time of day when people were most likely to stay consistent with a workout regimen.
  • Variety in your exercise routine is very beneficial to your body. Following the exact same workout pattern daily is not as good for you as having several different workout patterns to switch back and forth between. This is because a singular workout pattern only works a certain set of muscles, while others are neglected. Switching it up ensures that all areas of your body will receive athletic attention.
  • Cardiovascular exercise is the kind that works the heart and the lungs. This may include activities such as jogging, hiking, aerobics, dancing or gymnastics. These activities get the heart to pump blood fast, which is important to the heart’s health. The lungs are also working harder, refreshing the oxygen levels in the body more rapidly.
  • Muscle toning is a very important part of exercise. As a person ages, it becomes more and more important to their joint and bone health that their muscle mass has been maintained.

Good Mental Health

good mental healthMental health is something we cannot see or touch, and it is very clear that there is a great deal we still have to learn about how it works, but there is no denying that it is an essential part of our every day lives. Our personal level of mental health determines a great deal of how we perceive ourselves and the world around us. In good mental health, the world is full of opportunities and positivity. In poor mental health, we feel like we are trapped in a prison. Not only that, but mental health and physical health have been found to have an incredible impact on one another. It is very important to our general health and wellness that we care for our mental health the way we care for our physical health. So how does a person care for the part of themselves that is invisible?

  • One of the first steps is to engage in positive self talk. Many of the reasons for negative self talk can be traced to a person’s past, which should be uncovered with a counselor, but even before that comes about, it is very important for a person to learn to speak to themselves kindly and be able to forgive, nurture and encourage themselves.
  • Stress management is a very important aspect to good mental health. Stress will always arise in life. There is no avoiding it or outsmarting it. Everyone has to learn to manage stress in their own way, but for some, this is a skill that has to be learned over time.rather than something that comes naturally. Proper stress management requires practice, diligence and perspective in order to navigate.
  • Good decision making is another key ingredient to good mental health. This is another thought pattern that can be considered more of an acquired good habit, because most adults have to continuously work at good decision making rather than just naturally possessing it.

Tips for Your Health

health tipsGood health is probably everyone’s ultimate goal, particularly for people who know what it is like to have their health jeopardized. Here are some tidbits of advice for getting on the right track with your health goals!

Diet:  we now know that food is not just food, but medicine as well. Our overall health depends largely on what we ingest. A few “super foods” you need to incorporate into your diet are kale (good roughage and vitamin source), jalapeno (high in vitamin C), dandelion (cleansing and full of nutrients), avocado (essential fats and oils), fish (more essential fats and oils) and green tea (stimulates metabolism.) Avoid foods that are high in sugar.

Exercise: one of the most important things you can do for your body and your mind is to exercise, yet so many of us find it difficult to make the time. If you struggle to keep a workout routine, it is recommended that you workout when you first wake up. This way, you have not encountered any distractions to throw off your routine. Avoid throwing off your exercise routine to maintain its regularity.

Cold-fighting: this is where the food as medicine philosophy comes largely into play. To kill a cold fast, you want to flush your body by supplying it with vitamin rich substances. A few food items that have been proven to kill colds fast and ease cold symptoms: jalapenos, citrus, organic fruit juice, vegetable soups, echinacea tea, garlic and ginger. Avoid alcohol for immune system health.

Sleep: if you struggle to keep a regular sleep schedule, try cancelling the light in your room with light-cancelling curtains and creating some steady white noise, either through a fan, humidifier or a white-noise machine. Avoid screens and bright sunlight before bed.