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
10 Things You Can do to Live a Longer Life
When you establish everyday habits with a goal toward a longer life, you’ll know you are doing your best to get the most out of each and every day. Seeking a longer life is a serious quest because you have to decide not only how long you want to live but also what you plan to do with all those years you plan to have.
SUNSHINE HELPS YOU
Get out into the sun for a few minutes every day. Ten to 15 minutes of sun daily will help you store the “sunshine vitamin” which will help your body use the calcium necessary to stay healthy for a longer life and avoid osteoporosis.
THE FOUNTAIN OF YOUTH
In 1513, Juan Ponce de Leon landed at what is now Saint Augustine, Florida, in search of the fountain of youth. He found it there. And, it still exists. Branches of the fountain of youth can be found today in your neighborhood. They are found on the sidewalk where you walk as you exercise. They are also found in the fitness center in your community.
Exercise is a premiere activity for a longer life. It doesn’t matter much what exercise plan you have. Running? Weight lifting? Self Defense? Yoga? Whatever you choose, you need to like it enough to do it several times a week. For me, regular exercise is the Fountain of Youth in action!
STAY CONNECTED
Be a part of your community. The most important thing is that you develop strong social ties. You can get active in a church or synagogue. Or join a book club. Donate time at a library or food pantry. Collect stamps. Whatever you do, choose something you’ll enjoy and show up regularly. Your blood pressure will go down. Your immune system will improve. Your heart will work better. You will have yourself on a path to a longer life.
DRINK TEA
Take time each day to enjoy a cup of tea or a glass of iced tea. Relax, and refresh.
While you enjoy your tea, know that it will boost your immune system because tea is rich in antioxidants which fight cholesterol and cancer. Tea loves to fight free radicals. W hen you drink more tea, you’ll be drinking fewer soda drinks which don’t have the antioxidants and can’t fight diseases like cancer and cholesterol.
GET RID OF PHYSICAL AND PSYCHOLOGICAL STRESS.
Stress is not a problem in and of itself. Stress is a word describing how you respond to an event causing mental tension and worry. I do not know anyone whose life is not filled with stress. Stress affects your health when it weakens the immune system and contributes to disease.
I’ve written much about stress in my book “Healer’s Handbook” and in other articles in this blog.
Reiki therapy and reflexology are good anti-stress activities.
Exercise, meditation, a positive mental attitude work to support your ability to shed stress.
DEVELOP YOUR STRENGTH
There are many, many kinds of exercise. Choose one that works for your body and your lifestyle. But, whichever one you choose, include strength training. Strength training is every bit as important as cardiovascular workouts because the strength we develop and maintain in our back, core muscles and legs is what is going to keep us upright as we age and live longer. Strength training keeps the spine straight. Strength training prevents falls. Check with your healthcare provider when you begin a strength training fitness program.
My physical therapist, Carolyn Abedor, teaches a weekly yoga class which she calls “Posture”. I attend this class every week and depend on it to help straighten my spine, my core muscles and my legs.
CHOLESTEROL
Do you know your scores? It’s a good idea to learn, if you don’t. Once you know your cholesterol scores, you’ll be more interested in things you can do to make your self healthier for the long haul.
VOLUNTEER
Statistics show us that people who volunteer live longer than those who don’t. Do you have time in your life to give of yourself? If so, choose an activity which puts you in direct contact with people at least an hour every week.
This task is probably mandatory if you are seriously interested in longevity.
GIVE UP A FEW THINGS
Multitasking creates unnecessary stress and the efficiency gains you experience aren’t that much of a plus in your life. This becomes real when you find yourself caught in a trap of serving demanding people and situations which steal your energy.
Your spirit will tell you when it’s time to reduce your To-Do list and learn to say “no” to demanding people. Simplifying your life can become a spiritual process.
HALT HYPERTENSION
Hypertension, or high blood pressure, is the most common cardiovascular disease in America. There are three things to know about hypertension:
For the most part, hypertension is preventable with proper diet and lifestyle.
Many people suffer with hypertension and don’t even know it.
Hypertension leads to kidney failure, damaged eyesight, cognitive impairment, and other situations.
There are four things you can do about hypertension:
Cut down on salt.
Lose excess weight.
Keep moving.
Pitch the cigarettes.
DODGE DIABETES
Diabetes is a disease which, in many cases, can be prevented and controlled. Like hypertension, diabetes is a silent disease for many people.
And, if you are interested in living a longer life, you need to respect it because diabetes can trim 10 years off your life expectancy.
If you think you have diabetes, or if you have diabetes, get yourself on the correct eating plan, get active, and do the things your healthcare provider tells you to do.
Thank you for reading this article! Please share it with your favorite social media network.
Hopefully you found some things which will benefit your search for a longer, healthier life. More tips will follow soon!
Thanks again.
Thurman Greco
10 Easy Ways to Live a Longer Life
Living a longer life is a commitment to a specific lifestyle which promotes good health. Your first step to living a longer life is making this commitment to long-term good health and longevity.
You begin this path to live a longer life and have long term good health when you realize and understand you can’t just blame your genes for your health. Your continued good health depends on developing habits and practicing useful things regularly that support your commitment.
Develop your plan for a longer life now. Plan how your life will be when you are in your 80’s, 90’s, or even 100. Will you be alert and active with friends? Will you be living alone? Will you be mentally alert?
Imagine yourself as a healthy person living a longer life. Focus on this goal. Be ready to make changes in your lifestyle to achieve the results you want.
Make regular reflexology sessions a part of your life.
For starters, review your diet. Are you consuming generous servings of vegetables and fruits? Do you eat lean protein every day? Do you eat whole grain foods, brown rice, nuts, and legumes? (I’ll cover the diet portion of a longevity lifestyle in future posts.)
Meanwhile…
Take care to prevent overeating. If you eat a proper diet in the proper amounts, you should have energy, you will slow the aging process, and you will postpone or prevent chronic diseases.
If you can prevent overeating, your body will be able to handle more types of stress, something that’s important if you are concerned about living a long life.
Develop a daily walking routine. Walking 10,000 steps each day will increase blood flow to the brain resulting in an improved memory. How can you do this? Walk more. Walk during your lunch hour. Take the stairs instead of the elevator. Make it a goal to get off your seat and on your feet. Choose volunteer activities which require walking.
Take your vitamins! But, not just any vitamins. You don’t want to waste your money on nutrients you don’t need. Do some research. Make your knowledge current before you decide which vitamins to take. I’ll share more information about minerals and vitamins in future blog posts. For now, I suggest you look into vitamin D3. Find out for yourself if that’s a vitamin you need. When you take your vitamins, take them with food to promote absorption.
Take an aspirin a day…if your healthcare provider says it’s okay. I believe aspirin in moderation on a daily basis can help prevent diseases such as heart attack and some form of cancer. But, again, don’t take my word on this.
Hope you are enjoying this new series of posts on longevity! If so, please share them with your preferred social media network.
Thanks for reading!
Thurman Greco
10 Easy Wellness Tips to Improve Your Nutrition
A good way to lower your risk for heart disease, cancer, and diabetes is to eat a steady diet of vegetables, grains, legumes, fruit, and dairy products with occasional servings of beef, poultry, and fish. This is good nutrition.
Butter is better. Margarine often has hydrogenated fats which you don’t need. Margarine also has artificial flavors, colors, etc. It’s better to eat moderate to small amounts of butter than margarine.
Want to add iron to your diet? Prune juice is high in iron. As a bonus, it’s also high in potassium. Think of prune juice as good nutrition!
Want to eat nutritious foods? Check out broccoli! Broccoli is low in calories and high in nutrition.
Beans, lentils, and dried peas are good sources of edible fiber. This translates to foods that are good for you if you want to lower your cholesterol level. This translates to better nutrition.
Having a burger? Skip the cheese and the bacon. These two foods add about 250 calories to your burger and add a good deal more saturated fat and cholesterol.
Thinking about your heart health? Eat fish once or twice a week. as good nutrition.
On a diet? You can cut your calories by about half if you’ll eat your chicken without the skin. This will also cut your fat content by about two thirds.
Skip the fruit containing dry cereals. Most of them don’t have much fruit in the cereal. If you want to eat cereal with fruit, add fresh fruit yourself. Your cereal will taste better, look better, and be more nutritious.
Go for the popcorn. Popcorn has fewer calories and fat than potato chips which makes it more nutritious!
Thanks for reading this article! Hopefully you’ll find tips you can use for more nutritious eating.
Please refer this article to your favorite social media network.
Thanks Again
Thurman Greco
10 Wellness Tips to Improve your Fitness
Fitness is a journey. It is a way of thinking, moving, believing, acting. Fitness is forever.
The most important, bottom line, rule about fitness is to Be Active!. There are many, many different kinds of exercise and diet. But, whatever lifestyle you choose, the most important thing is to Move!.
Regular exercise fights physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual decline. Whatever you do, include several brisk walks each week. Over time, this regular brisk walk can improve your fitness and “add years to your life and life to your years”.
Concerned about your risk of stroke? Add a daily walk to your life.
Are you getting too many colds? Exercise regularly and moderately to boost your immunity and improve your fitness.
Whenever possible, take the stairs. You’ll use more calories and build muscles at the same time.
Drink water even if you don’t feel thirsty. When exercising, drink 4 to 6 ounces of water every 15 to 20 minutes.
Do you have osteoarthritis? The best thing you can do is exercise. Check with your physician or physical therapist. Contact the Arthritis Foundation. Then, exercise, exercise, exercise.
Worried about falling? Protect yourself by developing the strongest thigh muscles you can. Strong thigh muscles will reduce the injury you might experience from a fall.
Don’t have time for exercise? Turn your coffee break into 10-minute workouts. These short breaks can offer a lot of fitness for not a lot of work. You can climb stairs for 10 minutes. Or, you can jump rope or have a quick run. Park your car 10 minutes from the office and walk those 10 minutes.
Drink as much water in the cold as in the heat.
Replace worn exercise shoes. Your fitness shoes are worn out long before you see wear on the outer sole or upper shoe.
Thank you for reading this article. Please refer this to your preferred social media network.
Thanks again!
Thurman Greco
10 Wellness Tips for Your Self
There are many, many things you can do to keep yourself healthy. Staying healthy will help you maintain your youth. Many of these wellness tips are so easy you won’t even realize you’re promoting your good health.
Have a cold? Skip the antibiotics. A cold is a viral infection. Antibiotics are only good for bacterial infections. So…save your money.
Looking for a cold medication? This wellness tip can also save you money. Avoid the medications that multi-task. Simple medications cost less and focus on the symptom bothering you most.
Hot tea is good for making your throat feel good when you have a cold. Saline nasal drops help your nose feel better, too.
Don’t spread your cold germs around. Wash your hands frequently and don’t share your eating and drinking utensils.
When you come down with colds and/or hay fever, take the evening off. Climb into bed early and sleep an extra hour.
Don’t store your meds in the bathroom. Bathrooms tend to be too humid and too hot. These two conditions encourage deterioration.
Now might be a good time to quit smoking. Have you tried to stop smoking several times, this time switch to a pipe for a while. But, think of this as only a step toward freedom because pipe smokers and cigar smokers not only suffer from lung cancer but also get throat and mouth cancer.
Don’t take acetaminophen for an extended period of time without consulting with your primary healthcare provider. Long term regular use of these pain relievers can damage kidneys and liver. Occasional use of these drugs are safe for most people.
Make sure your smoke detectors are in working order. Replace any smoke detector that’s more than ten years old. If your smoke detectors are younger than ten years old, get an aerosol spray tester at a hardware store that simulates smoke.
Avoid raking leaves if you have allergies.
Hopefully these wellness tips are interesting and useful to you and your household.
Please share them with your favorite social media network.
Thanks for reading this article.
Thurman Greco
Thanks again!
Your Sleep as a Spiritual and Healing Event
For all that’s written and spoken about sleep, we all know on some level that sleep is a complex, spiritual event necessary to maintain our health and keep the body and soul together.
I was recently quite ill with a “sinus infection of global proportions” as described to me by a healing friend. My first tip off was when I decided on a Wednesday afternoon that I suddenly needed to rest. Fortunately, I followed my body’s demands and crawled in bed. I promptly went to sleep and woke up on Sunday morning.
On Sunday morning, I was quite tired but felt better. I drank a lot of water, ate fresh fruit, and made it to the doctor’s office on Monday to find out what my problem was. Within a couple of hours, I had had enough blood tests, x-rays, and other scans to learn that I not only had the enormous sinus infection but I also had pneumonia.
I also had a physician who was angry at me, a daughter nurse who was angry at me, and several other medical professionals who were angry.
I doubt if I’ll have this experience repeat itself again. And, I’m certain that this sleep, while highly therapeutic, may have needed some breaks for hydration, etc.
Nevertheless, I’m also convinced that, on some level, the sleep helped my situation.
I was fortunate because I fell asleep without trouble. Sleep is not always available to people who are ill or suffering with troubled health for whatever reason.
And, sometimes people are ill and need nothing more than a good night’s sleep to make things better. So, encouraging a good night’s sleep on a regular basis is a good thing. Sleep, experienced regularly, is important for wellness and good health in general.
What provision do you make for a regular sleep schedule which includes enough sleep every night? Are you able to include enough hours to offer therapy to your self and lifestyle?
Is your pillow adequate for the job?
Truthfully, I’ve blogged many times and will blog many times more about all the things a person can do to get enough sleep. Keep after your sleep until you are able to support your physical, mental, and spiritual health.
The first step involves honoring your self and your need to sleep well in order to live well.
Thanks for reading this blog post. Please refer it to your favorite social media network.
Thurman Greco
Artwork provided by Jennette Nearhood
Healthy Sleep-
SLEEP WELL
Some of us sleep well. Some of us wish we could sleep well. And, some of us battle sleep and try to improve it. And, for some, this is a lifelong endeavor. Sleep simply eludes us .
Even though I sleep well, I fall in the category of those who try to improve my sleep. Through the years, I’ve developed some techniques that give me a successful night’s sleep not just once in awhile…but most nights.
Sleep is a priority with me. And not just a decent sleep, either. I want and need a good night’s sleep every night.
An important step I take each evening before I get into bed is establish a sleep intention. I do this every evening because I want my sleep to be restful and serene. I want to sleep throughout the night because my goal is to wake up rested and ready for the coming day. This is the intention I set each evening before I get in my bed.
CAFFEINE…OR NOT
I begin preparing for sleep each evening in the morning before I leave home. My caffeinated drinks are exclusively early day beverages and I taper off the caffeine as the day goes on.
One way I do this is limit my coffee to no more than five cups a day. Even though five cups is my limit, often I never even get to five cups. I enjoy unsweetened iced tea so I may drink more tea than coffee.
As midday rolls around, I switch to a latte. I may occasionally have a decaffeinated coffee in the afternoon. But, not often.
Most of the time, my afternoon drink is a large unsweetened iced tea.
TV TIME
When I’m home relaxing, I resist the temptation to watch “just one more program”. And, I limit my email time after dinner. And, neither my TV nor my computer can be found in my bedroom because they can interfere with my sleep.
A SLEEP SCHEDULE
I try to maintain a sleep schedule so that I go to bed pretty much the same time every evening and I get up about the same time on weekdays.
A PERFECT BEDROOM
My bedroom is the most serene room in the house. The walls are a pale cream color. The carpet is a quiet brown. I have several pieces of art on the walls which make me feel calm and positive. Sleep comes easy in this room.
And, my bed is perfect! I love it. The mattress is sooo comforting.
Are your sheets comfortable? Some people love cotton sheets. Others prefer flannel sheets. I’m on the flannel sheet side of the argument. I love the feel of the flannel sheets every night of the year.
When you buy sheets, carefully check the labels to be sure that you get what you pay for. Be sure your sheets are good enough quality that you can wash them in hot water and put them in the dryer.
Is the sheet fabric tightly woven enough to keep away dust mites, pet dander, and other allergens.
Whatever you choose, make sure you have sheets and blankets that you like. You need to like the color. You need to like how the fabric feels when you touch it.
And finally, you need to feel your bedding is inviting.
THE TEMPERATURE
Is your bedroom too hot or is it too cool? The last thing you want is to sweat or shiver throughout the night because when you’re shivering or sweating, you are not sleeping.
YOUR APPLIANCES
Your sleep doesn’t need to be disturbed with computer, smartphone, TV, and other appliances beep. So, they don’t belong in your bedroom.
CLEAR OUT THE CLUTTER
Clearing out the clutter in your bedroom really helps. An uncluttered space is calming, inviting, serene. Go for it! Try clearing out the clutter about fifteen minutes a day until the room is all cleaned out. You’ll feel better and sleep better for it.
When I started clearing out the clutter, I felt things would look better in my bedroom but I was unprepared for the wonderful difference an uncluttered space made in my sleep.
MOVE YOUR HOME OFFICE TO SOMEWHERE ELSE
Ban your office from your bedroom. When you bring your work to your bedroom, you make it harder to unwind as you think about tomorrow’s problems before you try to go to sleep.
There are a kazillion other things you can do to improve your sleep. I’ll be discussing them over time. Some of the suggestions I’ll bring up may not interest you. Try what seems good to you. As you discover what improves your better sleep, you’ll benefit from the changes.
You may find you look better, feel better, and think better. It’s worth the effort to change your habits and environment.
Thanks for reading this article! Please refer it to your favorite social media network.
Thurman Greco
Healthy Kitchen
Our lives are often over full with too much going on. We’re all busy. Working. Caring for children. Running errands. Studying. Volunteering.
Where is the time to shop for and prepare a leisurely, healthy meal?
Food can often be therapeutic. But, sometimes it’s hard to serve a healthy, healing meal to someone. when everyone is overworked, underpaid, short of time, and out of space.
BUT…
there are things that can be done to make your kitchen healthy and the meals easier.
Begin by making your kitchen a place where you want to be. Are the walls a color that you like? Is music that you like available in your kitchen? Do your utensils work?
If the answers to your questions were “no”, it’s time to try to make your kitchen a place where you want to be. Tackle one thing at a time and the room will soon be your favorite place.
Review your recipes. Do you have a few recipes for meals that are nutritious, delicious, easy to prepare, and fun to eat? If not, be on the lookout.
What you need is an arsenal of easy-to-prepare meals which you can rely on. Start with a few slow-cooker recipes which you can use during the week. This way, you can load the slow-cooker with ingredients before you leave for work, turn on the cooker, and return home at the end of the day to a delicious meal.
Do you have a favorite casserole recipe? Prepare this dish on your day off and then have it ready to eat the next evening.
Eat together as a family at least three times a week…more if you can. Make eating together non-negotiable.
Get your family members to help with the meal. Setting the table, washing the dishes, taking out the trash can all be done by family members.
I’m living proof that it is possible, even easy, to cook and serve healthy, nutritious, delicious, clean food that is easy to prepare and doesn’t cost a fortune.
When you work at this, you’ll soon have a kitchen that everyone enjoys. Your food will be delicious, easy to prepare, inexpensive, and fun.
Thanks for reading this post!
Please share this article with your favorite social media network.
Thurman Greco















