5 TIPS FOR OPTIMAL HEALTH

1. AVOID TOXINS

While most of us don’t purposely ingest bug repellent or Drano, we may very well be putting things in our body which are detrimental to our health. Here is a cheat sheet of foods we want to AVOID for good health, as well as for weight loss or weight maintenance:

ADDED SUGAR (cane sugar, high-fructose corn syrup, brown sugar, confectioner’s sugar, Maltose, Dextrose, rice syrup, molasses, caramel).

HIGHLY PROCESSED FOODS (crackers, cookies, cakes, pies, biscuits, muffins, white bread, white rice, regular pasta, ice cream and most dry cereals)

           TRANS FATS (fast food, fried foods, doughnuts, creamer, margarine, vegetable shortening, refrigerated cinnamon rolls, frozen pizza)

PROCESSED SOY (found in many protein powders, nutrition bars and diet foods)

SUGARY DRINKS (such as fruit juice, soda, diet soda, sports drinks, cocktails) dates or celebrations instead of mealtime ones;  explore new activities such as indoor climbing, spinning, hiking or dancing;  play tickle tag with your kids;  park further away at Golden Home Fitness can get you on the fast track to an active lifestyle.

2. STAY ACTIVE:

Fit quality workouts into your weekly schedule;  plan active meetings dates or celebrations instead of mealtime ones;  explore new activities such as indoor climbing, spinning, hiking or dancing;  play tickle tag with your kids;  park further away from where you need to be;  take the stairs instead of the elevator.  The Health Coaches at Golden Home Fitness can get you on the fast track to an active lifestyle.

3. EAT WHOLE FOODS: 

Money-hungry corporations will continue to manufacture caloric fake foods containing obscene amounts of sugar, trans fats, and sodium.  These foods can be tempting until you realize they are robbing you of what you really want:  to feel energized, focused, and more than able to tackle your passions.  Fortunately for us, the world is also full of delicious and nutritious real foods which will keep us full, satisfied, happy and healthy.  Why not explore new ways to nourish your body:  eat a rainbow of colorful fruits and vegetables, try a new type of cuisine or a new way of preparing your favorite flavors, experiment with spices, and find what fuels you best. Why not think of rather than tasty poison. 

Here are some of the almost  infinite HEALTHY FOOD CHOICES you can make:

VEGETABLES:  spinach, brussel sprouts, broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, beets,peppers, onion, garlic, tomatoes, romaine lettuce, eggplant, peas, edamame, mushrooms FRUITS: blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, grapefruit, acai, sour cherries, berries, melons, pineapple, bananas, coconut, apples, oranges, lemons, limes, pears, grapes, figs

PROTEIN: (ideally Organic, free range, cage free, Omega-3 containing, pasture raised, wild caught, or grass fed):Beans (red, kidney, garbanzo, black, pinto),  fish (such as salmon, tuna or sardines),  Eggs, Cheese (Parmesan, Feta, Goat cheese, Neufchatel), Yogurt (with no added sugars), Shrimp, Oysters, Lobster, Crab, Mussels, Clams, Wild Game, Chicken, Turkey, Beef, Pork, Tofu

HEALTHY FATS: avocado, extra virgin olive oil, nut butters, coconut oil, nuts (walnuts, pistachios, almonds, macadamias, cashews)

STARCHES AND GRAINS: quinoa, sweet potatoes, oatmeal, whole grain pasta, brown rice, whole grain bread (such as ezekiel bread), Amaranth

MISCELLANEOUS: 70% dark chocolate, apple cider vinegar, chia seeds, flax seeds, fermented foods (kimchi, sauerkraut, kefir), green tea, WATER (lots and lots of it!)

4. SLEEP WELL: 

Put 7 to 9 hours of quality sleep per night at the top of your priority list.

Here are some tips for improving your sleep:   figure out where your teens are and touch base with them BEFORE you go to bed;  accomplish as much as you can during the day so you are satisfied by the day’s end;  stick to the same sleep schedule every day of the week;  don’t do difficult or draining tasks such as taxes right before bedtime;  find a soothing way to wind down (such as a warm bath or reading);  exercise during the day;  keep your room light and noise free and 60-67 degrees;  write down a to-do list or mental purge prior to bedtime so you can discard distracting thoughts;  limit alcohol and heavy meals in the evening; don’t smoke before bed (or ideally ever).

5. AVOID STRESS: 

Have a plan for your year, month, week and day;  learn to think of problems as challenges that will make you stronger;  exercise;  get regular massages;  give meditation a try;  practice yoga;  find activities that refuel you by relaxing your mind such as reading or writing in a journal;  ask yourself what the true cause of your anxiety is -- if you’re a procrastinator think of the first step to take to get the ball rolling; don’t be so hard on yourself --change negative self-talk to personal encouragement;   have a sense of humor --life is full of mishaps which will eventually turn from a headache into something you can joke about;  and remember that you have survived 100% of your toughest days.

No one is perfect but if you arm yourself with the right information, you will be able to: reduce or maintain your weight;  look and feel younger than your age;  and reduce your risk of getting a chronic disease such as Heart Disease, Cancer or Diabetes.  A happy, peaceful, healthy life is yours for the choosing.  We hope these tips will get you on that coveted path to wellness.

Endnotes

1. Toxins and Sugar:  healthline.com
2. Trans Fats:  WebMD.com;  heart.org (American Heart Association)
3. Soy: health.harvard.edu;  Well&Good.com
4. Fermented foods:  healthline.com
5. Cheese: thehealthy.com
6. Sleep: SleepFoundation.org (National Sleep Foundation)