Dr. Gene's Shortlist to Healthy Living

I often receive phone calls or start new clients looking for advice about what to do to become healthier. Since every person is different and information about what the best diet or exercise program is always changing, I hesitate to give rote advice about what they should or shouldn't do. For that reason the focus of my wellness practice is to help people become more self aware and more in tune with what specific needs they have for their body and their life. With this approach they can navigate health decisions using logical concepts and by listening to their own body's needs.

That being said; there are some general concepts about treating the body well that I'd like to share. The following is a list of ideas that one can consider to enhance their health.

1. Breathe Deeply. Oxygen is the single most important thing that our cells need to stay alive and thrive. It sounds simple enough but the fact is that if you are not breathing deeply enough to open the diaphragm; you are not fully accessing the lower third of the lungs which contain a large percentage of the alveoli. These alveoli serve to exchange oxygen into the bloodstream.

2. Drink More Water. If you experience dry mouth or thirstiness or if your urine is not clear, then you are dehydrated. Some experts say we should drink at least half our body weight in ounces of water daily. One thing to consider is the purity of your drinking water. Since it is likely that most tap water is polluted, you will probably want to drink water that has been run through a reverse osmosis system for purity.

3. Eat More Whole and Raw Foods. There are valuable nutrients and enzymes that are destroyed when food is cooked. Raw foods are easier on our system as well.

4. Cut Down on the Toxins. The least amount of chemicals going into your body, the better off you'll be. There are chemicals in everything from our food to our personal products. Preservatives, artificial sweeteners, pesticides and hormones, drugs, alcohol are among the many toxins. You may not be able to get away from all of them but you can continually work toward eliminating them from your environment. Use natural products and eat organic food whenever possible. It is also a good idea to consider some kind of cleanse.

5. More Good Fats, Less Bad Fats. Make sure you get an adequate supply of essential fatty acids. Every cell in your body requires fats or lipids, especially brain cells. The good fats are the Omega 3 and Omega 6 fatty acids which can be derived from fish, flaxseed and olive oils, avocados, almonds, hazelnuts and pumpkin and sunflower seeds. Fats to be avoided include margarine, butter, cheese, eggs, milk, vegetable oils and shortening.

6. Consider Supplementing. On one hand there's a pretty good chance that even if we eat well, our foods probably don't have as much vitamins and minerals as they used to. The question becomes the quality of the supplement you take and whether you are actually able to absorb and utilize them. Supplementing is definitely something to consider though.

7. Keep your pH balanced. In order to function properly the body must maintain a very specific pH level. High acidity can lead to numerous health problems. Animal proteins, coffee, sugar and alcohol are a few of the things that create an acidic environment in the body. Try cutting down or out the acidic foods and adding lots of greens. Alkaline boosters can be taken to help balance the body pH. You can monitor your own pH using a simple litmus test.

8. Exercise. This one goes without saying but I figured I'd mention it anyway. Exercising decreases chances of high blood pressure, diabetes, cancer, stroke and cardiovascular disease, while increasing energy levels and self esteem. I believe people are much better off engaging in an exercise that they actually enjoy.

9. Take Care of Your Body. Our modern lifestyle tends to create a significant amount of stress that gets stored in our bodies. If you don't take care of your body you can't trade it in for a new one. There are many types of bodywork available to help you release stress and tension from your body. Try some different types and find which of them work best for you.

10. Be Present. In my opinion, this is probably the most important thing you can do. The stress and resulting physiology created by continually replaying the past and worrying about the future is detrimental to physical and emotional well being.

There are probably many other things that can be added to this list and some things that you may disagree with. If you are looking to increase your health then they are worth exploring. It doesn't have to be an all or nothing approach either. Try one thing at a time if that works better for you. And if you need, you can always get help from a qualified natural health practitioner.

Good luck and have a Happy, Healthy New Year!