Whole-Health Fitness

By Editorial Staff

Are you ready for whole-health fitness – the state of fitness that optimizes your body and mind? Everyone wants it, but few achieve it. Fortunately, a few simple changes to your lifestyle can make an enormous difference that will make you feel better, look better, and exist in a state of health that resists illness and disease.

1. Do you move your body every day (beyond walking around)? If you don't go to a gym, search online for videos on how to get a full-body workout in the comfort of your own home. Also keep in mind that certain jobs / activities count: gardening, lifting / moving things, and a whole bunch of other things. The bottom line: Movement is life! Exercise is great for body and mind, helping maintain weight, reduce fall risk (especially important as you get older), reduce disease risk, and release feel-good hormones that elevate your spirit – even on the worst of days.
2. Are you eating your way toward better health? Remember, the foods you eat (or don't eat) have a dramatic impact on your physical and mental health. If you're not already doing it, stock your fridge with whole fruit and veggies, lean meats / fish; your pantry with whole grains and other healthy snacks; and kick the unhealthy stuff out of both: processed, refined, added-sugar foods (crackers, cookies, high-fat, nutrient-absent items – you know what we're talking about). You are what you eat – for better or worse. Make sure it's for the better; and reap the body-mind benefits!
3. How often do you take a deep breath – and not the kind where your chest moves? Deep breathing is a great relaxation technique for your mind; diaphragmatic breathing, in which your abdomen / belly moves, rather than your chest, has numerous health benefits for your body, including improving muscle function and muscle strain during exercise, increasing blood oxygenation, reducing blood pressure and heart rate, and more. Breathe your way to a better you – you're worth it.

Whole-health fitness doesn't require anything other than a commitment to self-improvement. Once you buy in to the benefits, you've taken the first step toward achieving it. Talk to your doctor to learn more.