Health: 10 Simple Steps to Better Health

There’s more to health than just physical health. Our mental health is vital.

The following 10 point plan for good health reflects this as well as our strong belief that prevention is better than cure.

The plan below is deliberately not complicated.  In fact it’s really simple.  Just follow the 10 fundamental steps below and we will guarantee you will be happier and healthier.

As these 10 steps are fundamental to our philosophy for health and happiness we will also have more and more content relating to these concepts as time goes on.

Step 1: Take Control of Your Time & Your Life

The first step in our 10 Point Health Plan is to take control of your time and your life.

Your health will benefit as a result.

Even if you change things in a small way, start making changes to achieve these two things:

  1. Do things you love.
  2. Change things in your life that you don’t like.

You will be less stressed as a result and will have a real sense of purpose and contentment in your life.

There are a few key articles relating to this concept in the life coaching section of this site (Take Control of Your Time, Plan for a Better Life) though, it being such a fundamental and important concept there are many other related articles on our site.

Step 2: Think Less (Yes!) and Enjoy the Moment.

The second step in our 10 Point Health Plan is to think less!

Be present in the moment to experience fully what life has to offer.

Usually when we worry or have times of stress we are over-thinking and often living in the past or too far in the future.

That’s a shame because often, when doing so, we miss what is right in front of us. Plus, as the great philosopher Cicero said in his 6 mistakes of man, one of the 6 classic mistakes we should avoid is that of spending too much time worrying about the things we can’t change.

Practice Mindfulness, breathing, relaxation.

Discover Tai-Chi.

Step 3: Laugh

That simple.

Laugh more.

Laughter is a wonderful therapy and some even say the best medicine.

Laughter is tremendously beneficial and can do all of the following:

  • lower blood pressure
  • ease stress
  • produce dopamine and growth hormone
  • and actually be good for the circulatory system!!!

To read more about it (plus a little joke) check out this article: Laugh More.

Step 4: Get Out and Enjoy the Outdoors

The 4th step in our 10 Point Health Plan is to get out more.

We were made to fit in our natural surroundings.

The sun gives us vitamin D.

Forest therapy (taking a walk in the woods) provides stress relief and lowers blood pressure.

Do you still need more convincing? OK, so go ahead and get out more!

Step 5: Exercise Moderately but Regularly

The fifth step in our 10 Point Health Plan is to exercise moderately but regularly.

20 minutes of moderate heart-raising exercise 3 times a week is extraordinarily beneficial in achieving and maintaining health (helps lose weight, reduce the risk for stroke, cardiovascular illnesses, diabetes, dementia, fractures, breast cancer, and colon cancer, also helps relieve stress and boost memory).

No need to sweat it unless you want to.

Intensity is less important than the net amount of exercise, and intermittent exercise is as effective as continuous activity.

Step 6: Stretch

The sixth step in our 10 Point Health Plan is to make a habit of stretching.

The lack of flexibility in people is now seen to be the major cause of general health problems and sports injury and is also being linked to everything from stress, back pain, and even osteoarthritis.

Stretch before and after exercising.

Make stretching a habit.

If you want to know more about how to form habits effectively, read this series of articles:

You could also give Tai-Chi or Yoga a try.

Step 7. Eat a Variety of Top Food …

The seventh step in our 10 Point Health Plan is to eat well.

… and that doesn’t mean eat lots.

😉

Eat the right food.

For example:

  • Organic brightly colored fruits and vegetables with their skins
  • lean meat
  • oily fish
  • wholegrains (barley, brown rice, buckwheat,corn, millet, oats, quinoa, rye, wheat, wild rice)
  • pulses (chickpeas, kidney beans, lentils, mung beans, soya beans)
  • nuts (almonds, cashew, pine nuts, walnuts)
  • seeds (flax, pumpkin, sesame, sunflower)
  • eggs
  • yogurt
  • olive oil
  • flax oil…

… all delicious and all really good for your health.

Step 8: Eat in The Right Quantity

The eighth step in our 10 Point Health Plan is to take control of your food intake.

Pay attention to portion size and overall diet balance.

(The World Health Organisation suggests at least fifty per cent of calories in our diet should come from complex carbohydrates, no more than thirty five per cent comes from fat and up to fifteen per cent comes from protein. The allowance for alcohol consumption is no more than five per cent).

Step 9. Drink Plenty of Water

The penultimate step in our 10 Point Health Plan is to make sure you drink plenty of water.

If you do nothing else, this simple tip could be huge in improving your general health and your diet.

Drink 8 glasses a day to avoid the symptoms of dehydration (fatigue, headaches, constipation, muscle weakness).

Often when we think we’re hungry, what our body is actually craving is more water.

Read these articles too:

Step 10: Maintain a Good Personal Hygiene and Don’t Forget to Floss

The final step in our 10 Point Health Plan is to take good care of your personal hygeine.

A good personal hygiene is an important step to good health.

Take care of the skin you’re in.

Brush your teeth and floss twice a day.

Visit the dentist regularly.

Don’t put off any regular check your doctor offers.

The Stress of Uncertainty

Life's Too Good Posted on by

Maybe we are at our best when we know where we are going, what we are doing and what we are about. It’s a popular idea that we need to have a purpose, to know or find our (life) purpose. I’ve never thought a ‘life purpose’ is absolutely necessary personally …
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