The Healthy Bucket List

By Editorial Staff

A "bucket list" is a list of things to accomplish, experience, etc., before you die. We can't tell you what to fill that bucket list with; after all, it's entirely personal. What we can do is provide you with suggestions for how to stay healthy long enough to complete your bucket list, however extensive it may be.

Climb a Mountain (even if it's in your own backyard): Fitness and life go hand in hand, and it goes far beyond the health benefits. These days, too many people stay mired in their cubicles, whether literal or figurative, trapped in a sedentary, technology-overloaded existence that leaves little time to enjoy the wonder, beauty and health-sustaining benefits of the Great Outdoors. So make a point to climb a mountain (at least a small one) every day, whether it's the hilly road in your neighborhood or just the flat pavement awaiting your feet. Fitness matters – to your body and your brain; so make it a part of your life.

Laugh a Little (and make someone else do the same): They say laughter is the best medicine, and when you're stressed out, burned out and ready to give up, it can make your day – and someone else's as well. So share a joke, receive a joke, turn lemons into lemonade, and find ways to smile and make those around you smile. Life is too short to walk around grumpy (and there's too many opportunities to be grumpy); turn that frown upside down with the power of laughter and feel yourself soar.

Help a Friend (even if that friend is you): The power of giving uplifts the soul, but we've increasingly become a culture fixated on selfishness. That might make you feel safe and secure at night, but in the long run, nothing beats the feeling of helping someone else – particularly if they can't help themselves. On the other hand, don't forget about you – after all, you can't keep giving without being in a healthy position to do so. Take the time to spoil yourself (See "Time for a Little 'Me Time'" in this issue) every now and then so you're better able to help the ones you love.

Bake a Cake (without using any sugar): Our diets are killing us, pure and simple. Processed, boxed, packaged and chemical-laden foods are dominating the market, and the unsuspecting consumer is eating it up, literally and figuratively. Unfortunately, that's a recipe for an early grave. Added sugar is often the culprit, leading to diabetes, metabolic syndrome and cancer. Commit to eating more food from the earth; leaving more processed foods on the supermarket shelves, rather than putting them in your cart; and preparing more food at home with natural ingredients.

As you can tell, your Healthy Bucket List is a continual work in progress; you can't cross off or complete any of the above items, because they're all intended to be a part of your daily life. The good news is, the Healthy Bucket List enables you to live a long, rewarding existence and have plenty of time to conjure up your own bucket list of things you want to accomplish as part of your healthy, happy life. What are you waiting for?