More Best Life

Put yourself back on the to-do list.  We met Laura Plumber about a year ago.  She took the real age test, and at age 44, she finds out her real age is 60.  She was a non-exercising smoker living a stress filled life.  Well Laura put herself on the to-do list and changed her habits.  She got healthy. And now her real age is 41.  She's exercising; she's eating right; and she's NOT smoking.  Go, Laura; you look great.  You feel great.  She's a great role model for the rest of us who like to give excuse after excuse for not taking care of ourselves.  It's no secret.  You aren't going to find a magic pill here.  She's eating fruits and veggies, not junk.   She's walking and working out.  She is meditating and praying instead of smoking.  Walk; don't eat.  Pray; don't smoke.  And guess what? She has inspired her daughter to take care of herself too.  Inspire others by loving yourself and being healthy.

Dr. Oz says there are steps to getting healthy.  Number one, get a check up.  Find a doctor you trust and is the right doctor for you.  Then get that check up.  Ask yourself why you are worthy of getting healthy this year.  My first gut response answer to that is because I have a lot of living to do.  I have a lot of dreams and goals left to fulfill and I can't do any of them if I'm not fit and healthy.  I have people I want to love and take care of, too.  But I have to take care of myself first.  That's why I'm worthy.  How about you?  Oprah answered by saying she was created healthy and health is the foundation for all other good things.

Next up on the health list is  knowing the 5 ingredients to avoid.  Again, you probably already know this.  How about start living it.  No to high fructose corn syrup; no to sugar (Skinny Bitch, the book, calls sugar Satan); no to "enriched" foods; no to trans-fats; no to saturated fats.  Now add good foods.  Like tomatoes, broccoli, beans, blueberries.  I go organic on many fruits and veggies, especially berries.  Yes, to Omega 3 fats in ground flax seeds, walnuts, salmon, soy, and squash.  Get your fiber too - lots of it: lentils, beans whole grains, peas, raspberries.  You need olive oil too, about a tablespoon a day.  Sometimes I drink a spoonful.  It's not too bad, make it virgin, not processed.  Take a multivitamin everyday; check out Oprah's web site for the best one for you.   Now challenge yourself.  Write down three foods you will STOP buying (um, and then Stop!) and three foods you need to start buying.  Write it down and make it a commitment.  Again, you are worthy.

Your waist size (measured at your belly button) should be ideally less than half your height. For men that's less than 4o inches.  Women less than 37 inches.   Know your blood pressure too.  115 over 75 is ideal.  Keep your cholesterol under control too.  LDL should be less than 100; and HDL greater than 40.  Remember, you need that doctor check up.  Check your resting heart rate too.  Check your pulse at your neck, first thing when you get up in the morning.  You don't want it to be over 83; over 83 means your heart isn't working the way it should be and there is a problem.   Good athletes have low resting heart rates.  That means exercise is good for you in case you didn't get that already.  Be as close to 60 as you can.  Blood sugar levels and Vitamin D levels are also important and should be checked.  You should know your levels.  C-reactive protein levels tell us how much irritation is going on in the body.  It's important to know if your immune system is fighting its own body.  TSH levels check your thyroid.  You need your thyroid to function normally for our metabolism to be working right.   

Oprah found out with her thyroid problem that she had been to four doctors and none of them had even checked her thyroid.  She needed a health advocate.  She got Dr. Roizen, Dr. Oz's partner.  Well, most of us can't get him and/or get a team together to diagnose us.  We must be our own health advocates.  Of course, if you are too sick to do it for yourself, you may have to get someone else to come along side you and do it.  This person can advocate for you.  Get all your records organized so each doctor you see has up to the minute info.  I have a  folder that is filled with my records.  I take a copy with me to any specialist.  Even that doesn't always help, but at least get someone to be your health advocate and get a plan.  You may need it.

Other musts in the health arena: Annual physical; go to the dentist every six months; an eye exam every two years.  Women need annual pap smears and pelvic exams; men need testicular exams.  Women over 35 need annual mammograms while still doing monthly self exams.  Over 50, men and women need echocardiograms and stress test to check the health of the heart. Also get a colonoscopy.  If it's clear, you only need it once every ten years.  Get a skin test once a year.  Keep up with your hearing exams once you hit your 60s.  Women need a bone density test once they get older too and men need rectal exams.  It all doesn't sound pretty, but if you said you were worthy, start taking care of yourself.  Think of the reason you gave for wanting to be healthy and make those appointments.   New year, new you: make it happen.  Make it a way of life.  It's a chance to make a change so you can live your best life.  

Exercise is a big part of your new best life.  Start by walking.  30 minutes a day.  Ten thousand steps a day.  Get your heart rate up for 60 minutes a week.  That means you have to sweat. Stretch five minutes a day, so you won't get hurt when you do exercise.  Do you have five minutes? I mean, come on!! And do some strength training, weights, for 30 minutes a week. Start there and then get even more hard core.  You are worthy.  Small changes made every day will change your life.  

You need to get enough sleep.  If you don't get enough sleep, you may overeat.  You need a routine.  Your room needs to be dark and cool and just for sleeping.  No caffeine four hours before sleep.  No tv in the bedroom (uh, oh).  And you may need more calcium and magnesium. Commit to changing one bad sleep habit this week.  Small changes, people.  Commit to good health and make this your best year ever.  You can have all the material possessions in the world, but it means nothing without your health.  So get healthy.  You can do it.