Reflexology For The Spirit

spirituality of one's health

Easy Wellness: 10 Tips for a Longer Life

Easy wellness is real and is even easier than you think.

JOB STRESS IS A FACT OF LIFE.  There is a correlation between workplace stress and obesity, diabetes, Alzheimer’s disease, depression, gastrointestinal problems, asthma.  It’s no surprise that  people are more likely to suffer a heart attack on Monday than on the other days of the week.

So, what can you do to ease the pressure and experience easy wellness?  Easy wellness techniques you can adopt  are easier than you might think.

Go for a walk on your lunch hour.

Take your phone calls while standing up and moving around.

Play relaxing music.

Skip happy hour and go to the gym instead.

Wash your hands at least five times each day with soap and warm water.

Keep your bedroom clutter and electronics free.

Change your sheets weekly.

EASY WELLNESS  EQUALS  HEALTHY WEIGHT.  Being overweight increases your risk for all illnesses and chronic conditions.  Being underweight prevents the body from functioning at peak performance.

GET YOUR ANNUAL FLU SHOT.  AND, AS YOU AGE, GET YOUR ANNUAL PNEUMONIA SHOT AND SHINGLES SHOT.  It’s estimated that over  40,000 people die annually from the flu.  An annual shot can prevent at least some of  these deaths.

GET NAKED!  Occasionally, inspect your body from head to toe.  Look for blemishes, lesions, rashes, and other body oddities that are new on the scene.  Your skin reflects the state of your entire body.  If you will pay attention to your skin, you can catch the signs of underlying internal disease.  Your body will tell you how well you are aging through skin tone, wrinkles, and color.

Expand the skin care routine you devote to your face and neck to include a skin care routine for your entire body.

GET OFF YOUR SEAT AND ON YOUR FEET.   Easy wellness can go beyond the gym.  Is your job physically intense?  Or do you spend most of your time at a desk?  Find ways to keep yourself moving throughout your day.  Your body will love you for this!

DISCONNECT!  At least twice a week give yourself a time out.  It needn’t be too long.  Try for 20 minutes at a time.  Cut off your phone, your computer, your TV, your radio, your doorbell.   Spend a few minutes enjoying your surroundings without interruptions.  Your body, your mind, your spirit will thank you!

QUIT SMOKING – Okay, this may not be easy to do but, once you’ve done it, you’ll be healthier, more alert, richer,  live longer.  If you can get yourself down to 5 cigarettes a day, it’s easier to quit the habit completely.

GET YOUR HEART RATE UP FOR AT LEAST 20 MINUTES A DAY.    This can be real easy wellness.  One way to do this is to move your body and force your lungs and heart to work harder for 20 minutes every day.  Your entire body will appreciate this effort – including your brain!

COFFEE CAN BE GOOD FOR YOU.  Coffee goes in and out of fashion.  I recommend a reasonable amount of coffee, especially in the morning.  Both coffee and tea have antioxidants which we all need.   Your coffee does not need to include the modern energy concoctions which are overloaded with too much coffee and sugar.  Nor does it need to include any of the fashionable flavors being added these days.

GIVE YOURSELF THE GIFT OF A DNA TEST.  This is easy wellness in action.  You’ll be fascinated by  the information and you’ll also know yourself better.  Results of your DNA test can point you in the right direction for wellness habits.

Results of your DNA test can also point you in a right direction for good nutritional habits.  Through your DNA test, you’ll  discover where you came from.  Eating food in the style of your ancestors can help you nutritionally.  I’ll give you an example.  One of my clients wanted to know what to eat.  He had a DNA test which confirmed that most of his heritage was Jewish.  He had his answer right there!

Another client wanted to know what to eat.  His DNA test confirmed that most of his heritage was Mediterranean.  Well, the Mediterranean diet was a good direction for him to follow.  Sticking with the Mediterranean diet food and cutting out all the other food clutter eliminated a few pounds which he needed to lose.

Thank you for reading this easy wellness article!  Please share it with your favorite social media network.

Thurman Greco

Woodstock, New York

Wellness: 10 Tips for a Longer Life

Longevity depends a lot on  wellness throughout your life.  So, working to prevent disease helps promote a longer life.  There are many things you can do to promote wellness in your life.  It goes without saying that including Reflexology for the Spirit and Reiki Therapy sessions regularly are important.

PREVENTING COLON CANCER has a dietary component.    Dietary calcium,   selenium and vitamin D are important  for your overall wellness.

Another  thing that may can help prevent colon cancer is the regular use of aspirin.

So, beyond vitamins, and aspirin, what can a person do?  Eat a lot of fruits and vegetables !

And, finally, getting the dreaded colonoscopy regularly is important.  Colonoscopies are good for early detection and polyp removal  both of which are crucial.    Some people simply don’t want to get a colonoscopy.  I’ve been getting colonoscopies since I was in my 40’s.  The physician, over time, has removed several polyps and that was important.  Wellness testing is high on the list if you’re interested in living a long, active life.

Colonoscopies  have gotten easier  through the years.  And, the prep has actually gotten to be less dreaded   because my Dr. lets me drink vanilla milkshakes on the day before!  Go Colonoscopies!  I was actually a little tiny bit disappointed when my physician told me I don’t have to have another one for years.  I’m not scheduled for another one until I’m 85.

Not wanting to wait until I’m 85 for a yummy, thick milkshake, I’ve decided I can get a milkshake whenever I have to get a medical test or procedure.  I love that new rule!  Medical testing is much, much easier when followed by a delicious, thick milkshake.

PROSTATE CANCER – If a man lives long enough, he’ll either die with prostate cancer or because of it.  So, prostate cancer is in the future for many men.  Prostate cancer is a lifestyle disease, not a genetic one.

So, what can you do?  Vitamins are important prevention habits – especially selenium.  Seafood instead of beef is a good choice.  Fruits and vegetables are important.  To summarize this, a good diet is necessary for longevity wellness.

NEVER WORK BEFORE BREAKFAST –  A good breakfast, eaten every morning can reduce the risk of heart disease, diabetes, cancer and obesity.  If you’re  interested in wellness, breakfast is on the menu – every day.  First thing.

This is your chance to load up on high-fiber grains, antioxidant-laden fruits,  and whole grain cereals.

A favored breakfast is the world-famous Muesli breakfast.  This will stay with you for hours until it is time for lunch.  And, it’s yummy, too!

BREAST CANCER –  This is a challenge for many women.  Breast cancer has a definite spiritual component.

Reduced to its lowest common denominator, this means  you should do everything possible to keep from running on empty.  I wrote more about this in my book “A Healer’s Handbook”.

A good thing to do is go with early diagnosis and every medical treatment offered whether allopathic, complimentary, or integrative.  Fight breast cancer with every tool offered to you.

Early diagnosis means getting mammograms and breast exams regularly.  No cancelling.  Early detection and treatment is important to your continued wellness.

Keep up with research on cancer preventing diets and exercise.  This means, at the very least, eating lots of fruits and vegetables and exercising regularly.

STRONG LEGS are your best insurance policy for a long, active life.  Two of the best exercises are pedaling the stationary bike and using the leg press machine.

Climb stairs for five minutes every daily.

Balance yourself on one leg daily:  Stand on one leg for fifteen seconds, then alternate legs.

And, finally,  stand up and sit down twenty times in succession.

LOAD UP  – on vegetables, fruits, legumes, and grains every day.  Go for as much variety in texture,  and color, possible.   Avoid processed foods as much as possible.

Try not to eat any foods loaded with chemicals and artificial anything.  Chemical laden foods are not good for wellness.

TAKE THE RISK – Eat cold water fish one to three times a month.  This means you should eat about one serving of salmon, trout, herring,  or sardines per week.  Unfortunately, the accumulated heavy metals make eating the fish more often  a health risk.  However, on the plus side, eating the cold water fish once a week can offer real  wellness health benefits.

Avoid farmed fish if you can.  No doubt some  farms are clean but many are not and you have no way of knowing without visiting.

AVOID ALZHEIMER’S – Alzheimer’s is one disease which we all want to avoid at all costs.  There are some things you  can do to prevent the onset of this disease.

Reduce your intake of saturated fats.

Make physical  activity a part of every day.

Spinach and other dark leaf vegetables are said to help prevent the onset of the disease.

Antioxidant rich foods are important.

Turmeric is an important spice to add to your arsenal.

Maintain an active social life .

Learn new things .

WATCH YOUR BACK –  Statistics tell us  that most of us will experience back pain at some point in life.  This can be a problem for you if you’re not focused on your wellness.

Back pain has a spiritual component which you can’t ignore.   Stress is often involved in back pain.  I wrote about this in “A Healer’s Handbook”.

Back pain impacts on your wellness and longevity expectations when it brings on depression,  immobility, and  disability.

One thing you can do is work to maintain strong core muscles.  Strong muscles in the stomach and back will go a long way to a better recovery if you do experience back injury and pain.

Posture is important.  Take yoga classes with a teacher  interested in your posture.

Maintain a good weight.  Obesity is a strain on your back which you don’t need.

Drink plenty of water to maintain joint hydration.  This may seem like a silly suggestion but your joints  use a lot of water and need you to continually  replenish it throughout the  day – everyday.

The bottom line here is this:  Your longevity wellness depends  on a strong, healthy spine.

EAT LESS MEAT –  I’m certainly not telling you that you have to become a vegetarian, although that may be something that works for you.  However, eating less meat is important if you are interested in longevity and wellness.

Eating  large amounts of meat  regularly plays a part in contributing to diseases you probably want to avoid if your  goal is longevity and wellness.  Meat is implicated in most of the lifestyle diseases found in our culture:  cancer, heart disease, stroke, dementia.

THANK YOU  for being interested in your good health for the long term.  Thank you for reading this blog.   Thank you for seeking a healthier life.  For sure,  a healthier life should make your longevity and wellness plans  a real option.

Please share this article with your favorite social media network.

Thanks!

Thurman Greco

Woodstock, NY

 

 

Healthy Investments

Every day offers new opportunities to make healthy investments in ourselves.   And, for me, the best investment I can make is the investment I make in my good health.

Below, I’ve listed some new things you can choose from to invest in your own good health.  Enjoy!

MOVE FOR 30 MINUTES!  This can be a quick walk during the day, or a trip to the fitness center to hop on a treadmill for thirty minutes.  Or it can mean a bike ride or a dance class or a yoga session.  But, whatever you choose, the important thing is  you choose to move for at least thirty minutes every day.  This healthy  investment  will pay for itself in dividends many times over.

BRUSH YOUR TONGUE for one minute every day.  Your breath will smell better and your mouth will thank you.

KEEP A CALENDAR.  Make a healthy investment in a smoother running day.  The best way I know to get your day organized and your life simplified is to keep an appointment calendar.  It doesn’t have to be large or elaborate.  But, to keep track of where you’re expected to be each day can reduce stress because you’ll be less likely to forget an important appointment.

BREAKFAST IS YOUR MOST IMPORTANT MEAL OF THE DAY.  Don’t skip it.

TAKE A VITAMIN.  Just choosing which vitamin to take each day can be stress inducing.  But, there are a few guidelines which can simplify the job.  For starters, skip the time-release formulations.  They may not be good for you and sometimes they elevate the price.  Select a vitamin which doesn’t have a lot of additives such as sugars, artificial colors, preservatives.  Skip chelated minerals.  Vitamins are healthy investments.

GET ALL YOUR PRESCRIPTIONS AT ONE PHARMACY.  Pharmacists  offer good advice on many illnesses and diseases.  Developing a relationship with your pharmacist is a good healthy investment.  A pharmacist  can be a good source of information for you.  But, only if you get all your medicines from the same place.  Otherwise, the pharmacist may not be completely aware of your situation.

TRY TO HAVE THE LEAST STRESSFUL DAY POSSIBLE.  This means that you begin by promoting a calm attitude.  Can you have a stress free commute?  Begin each day by completing a to-do list for your day.  Be  as specific as possible.  Print this list out on brightly colored paper (so you won’t lose it).

SCHEDULE SOME READING TIME.   Spend at least fifteen minutes each day keeping up with activities in your areas of interest and work.

SLEEP IS ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT THING YOU CAN EXPERIENCE.  Make sure you schedule enough sleep in every night.  I know I keep writing about sleep but, honestly, it’s one of the most important things you do.  When you sleep, your brain, your organs, your skin perform functions that are not done when you are awake.  Sleep is essential and enough sleep is important.  Sleep is a healthy investment.

KEEP HYDRATED.  When we’re stressed, we forget to drink enough liquids.  Liquids keep you awake, alert, refreshed, as well as prevent disease.  So, drink up!  Drink water, teas, juices.  But, mainly, drink water throughout the day.

So, here you have the health lineup for the week.  Hopefully you’ll find things that you can use to be healthier in your daily life.

Thanks for reading this blog post!  Please refer this article to your preferred social media network.

I’ll be suggesting more options for healthy living soon.  Thanks for reading .

FINALLY,  the second edition of “A Healer’s Handbook” is out.  Hope you enjoy it!

Hope to hear from you soon!  You can order “A Healer’s Handbook” at http://www.thurmangreco.com.

 

 

Healthy Results

In this  blog post,  I deliberately chose  lifestyle changes which will offer you multiple health benefits.   This is part of a series of  healthy lifestyle tips  to improve your life.    Here are some new ones for you to choose from.  Try them out.  Some will work for you for a while.  Others will be habits you’ll adopt and live with.  These are all positive changes to improve your life.

GROCERY SHOPPING? – Choose whole, natural foods rather packaged or processed foods.

TAKE YOUR VITAMINS AND MINERALS daily.  Choose ones that you need to supplement your diet.  A nutritionist helps me choose the best supplements for my lifestyle situation, body type, age, and health.  Think of your daily vitamins as a sort of wellness insurance policy.  It’s hard to get all the nutrients we need each day.  Vitamins make the job a bit easier.

SET YOUR ALARM to go off 15 minutes earlier each day.  That way, you can slowly wake up .  You’ll have a few minutes to  stretch your arms, legs, hands, toes, feet, ankles, legs, neck and back.  This will bring extra oxygen to your entire body and get your day off to a good start.

MAKE YOUR MORNING DECISIONS THE NIGHT BEFORE.  That means you choose what clothes you’re going to wear the night before.  Choose what you’re going to eat for breakfast.  The more decisions you make the night before, the easier your morning will be.

KEEP  A TO-GO CORNER where you put all the things everyone is going to need as they run out the door.  This will include keys, wallet, book bags, gloves, hats, and whatever else will be needed.

CHOOSE A SHOWER.  It’s healthier than a bath.

DRINK A LARGE GLASS OF WATER.  You wake up each day dehydrated and you’ve been fasting all night so the water is good for you.

LISTEN TO FIVE OR TEN MINUTES OF QUIET MUSIC EACH MORNING.  You’re probably going to hear people talking all day long.  A few minutes of quiet music is helpful preparation.

KEEP YOUR BREAKFAST ROUTINE EASY.  Healthy breakfasts can include  granola,  whole grain cereals, cottage cheese, yogurt, hard boiled eggs.  Try spreading apple slices with peanut butter.  Don’t forget the blueberries! Substitute peanut butter for butter.

TREAT YOURSELF TO DARK CHOCOLATE AS A TOPPING FOR YOUR CEREAL.

Dark chocolate has lots of antioxidants to keep your arteries healthy.

Thanks for reading this blog post.

Please refer this article to your favorite social media network.

UPDATE:  The second edition of the Healer’s Handbook is officially published and available.  You can purchase it online at thurmangreco.com.

Thanks for your support.  Without your continued support, there would be no second edition of this book!  Thanks again!

Thurman Greco