It’s the things we do each day, the habits and our lifestyle, that lay the foundation for wellness or illness. Here are some nuggets of wisdom I have picked up along the way of my endless pursuit toward a long and energetic life.
Diets
Dieting could be a never-ending vicious cycle, a senseless practice for some but a serious regimen for others.
All diets have one goal in mind: weight loss and better health.
Question is, which diet do you follow? Because there are so many choices, it is best to pick the one most compatible with your lifestyle.
These are among the popular and easy ones:
1) The Apple Diet
The simplest diet! All you need to do is to consume one whole apple before meals. Because apples are high in pectin (which stimulates the body to fight fat) and fiber, the natural effect is diminished appetite. This may sound easy to do, but hard to swallow. But if you enjoy eating apples, then you can delightfully and effectively slim down.
2) Cabbage Soup
A radical weight-loss regimen is the heavy consumption of cabbage soup over a period of seven days, considered a short-term diet fad. It does not require any long-term commitment.
The plan: Consume as much cabbage soup as you can.
Day 1—Cabbage soup and unlimited fruits (except bananas)
2—Cabbage soup plus vegetables and one baked potato with butter
3—Cabbage soup plus fruits and vegetables (no potatoes or bananas)
4—Cabbage soup plus eight bananas and as much skimmed milk as you like
5—Cabbage soup plus 10 ounces (280 g) of beef and six tomatoes
6—Cabbage soup plus beef and vegetables (except potatoes)
7—Cabbage soup, brown rice, vegetables (except potatoes) and unsweetened fruit juice
Individuals who tried this diet actually lost weight but felt weak. There are complaints about the lack of nutrients and flavor in the soup. New versions of the diet, though, now include protein like dairy and protein shakes.
3) Five Small Meals Daily
That’s right, you can eat five to seven meals a day. The portions, however, are small—more or less about 1½ cups of food per meal. The combinations are up to you, but follow a balanced plan—carbohydrate, protein, vegetable.
4) Low-Carbohydrate Plan
This could very well be one of the easiest or the trickiest—a victory or defeat.
The Zero-Carbohydrate Diet is a no-compromise plan where absolutely nothing belonging to the carbohydrate food group should be eaten. That means no rice, bread, pasta, crackers, fruits and yes, even starchy vegetables. But this is always the extreme, don’t you think? And that is why the Low-Carb Plan works best for all concerned. This includes multigrain breads, pasta, crackers, and red/brown/black rice. Only the all-white carbo group is avoided—white rice, bread.
5) ZYM or Zip Your Mouth
This is for people who just eat too much. Going beyond one’s limit will cause indigestion, digestive disorders, weight gain and flatulence.
With a sense of humor, it is recommended to ZYM everytime you see food. In this way, your brain is programmed to say no to just any kind of food your eyes see. The advice is not to eat with the eyes or the mouth (taste buds), but with your brain in control of all your sugar, salt, caffeine cravings.
Of course, it doesn’t mean that you will never eat. It only translates to controlled eating in the end.
6) Raw Revolution
It’s not just a fad. And don’t ridicule its value. This diet is a chosen lifestyle. And every raw food devotee has the clearest of complexions and the smallest of waistlines. But it takes discipline. The true aficionados invest in a dehydrator, a simple, oven-like instrument that dries fruit and vegetables. Dehydrating fruits do not compromise on the taste and reduce the fructose (sugar). Exposure to heat, though, compromises the live enzymes levels.
The rule is simple: Eat nothing cooked.
Most people stick to an all-vegan menu—vegetables, nuts, fruits, oils.
Others will go vegetarian but still eat raw fish (sashimi) and meat (carpaccio) once in a while.
There are no hard and fast rules. These are just basic guidelines.
7) Moderation
Eating in moderation is the most convenient of regimens.
The point is not to continue eating beyond the first burp. Doable? You know the answer to that one.
Exercise
Even just a little will do. Cardiologists recommend anywhere from 20 to 30 minutes daily light exercise to maintain heart health. No time? Then hit the treadmill 15 minutes each day. Or do rebounding trampoline work for five minutes. This ought to wake up the lymphatic system, the garbage collector of the human body.
Still no time? Then make time. No excuses. Either you are just plain lazy or don’t care about your health.
Supplementation
Our bodies cannot produce vitamin C. And that is why we need to take vitamin C supplements in order to boost the immune system. The dosage depends on what kind of lifestyle you live. If you are exposed to many people each day, take anywhere from 1,000 to 3,000 mg. If you do not have much contact with people, 500 mg will do.
Sleep
It probably ranks alongside exercise as one of the best anti-aging solutions.
Brain experts recommend anywhere from six to eight hours of sleep nightly in order to ensure brain and nervous system health.
Sleep, apart from boosting serotonin, allows the brain to recharge and reset. This is according to Eric R. Braverman, MD, author of “Younger (sexier) You.”
Because the brain is the master control center of the entire body, it is vital to anyone’s wellness journey to start right here. Crucial to cell behavior is programming the mind, which feeds the brain. Therefore, one can think her/his way to good or bad health. It may sound like some sci-fi hype, but it’s the truth.
Today, neurologists acknowledge the amazing power of the mind-body connection.
Let’s not waste the precious gift.
Today’s affirmation: “Life is mine.”
Love and light!
(Reference: “Super Mind Super Body” by Jaime Licauco and Cory Quirino, Anvil Publishing, National Book Store)