5 Ways To Live A Healthy Life Style

"The body is your temple. Keep it pure and clean for the soul to reside in."

–B.K.S Iyengar

Everyone can admit to wanting to live a healthier lifestyle. Over 95% of the world’s population has health problems.With an ever changing world, it's now easier that ever for you to jump onto the health ban wagon. Just remember to take it slow, change doesn't happen overnight, one step at a time.

 Here are 5 easy suggestions to follow to improve your health and promote happy feelings:

1. Exercise -  It's important that we exert ourselves psychically in some way. Jog for 10-20 minutes 2 a week, if that's not possible, brisk walking for a mile is just as good. Regular cardio (at any speed) can help keep the body healthy, and the mind happier. The chemical of happiness, Dopamine is released during exercise. A study done by Researchers at Vermont University, proved that the benefits from 20 minutes of exercise can last up to 12 hours. 

2. Yoga -  This goes along with Exercise, but is much less intense than jogging a mile, but offers many similar benefits. Yoga, improves your muscle strength. After your mind has been racing and multitasking all day, it's healthy to give it a break and slow down. Yoga involves breathing exercises, which can reduce stress and increase inner focus. It has been proven to increase your levels of happiness, aid in digestion, improves memory, and heightens focus for studying. 

3. Sleep - Don't skip out on this step, at the end of the day, your body needs time to process the day and regenerate your body's cells. A majority of these are brain cells.Practicing good sleep hygiene will make it easier to fall asleep. When it's time to sleep, make it dark, stay away from electronics for a half an hour before you are expected to sleep. Your sleeping area should be used for just that, sleeping.  

4. Meditation - This might be a foreign concept, but it's not as complicated as mantras and attaining enlightenment. There are many forms of meditation. Listening to music or simply closing your eyes for 20 minutes and letting your thoughts drift away. Feeling your breath naturally rise and fall without effort. Becoming the observer of you as a being can be a powerful tool. The result will be relaxation and often heightened senses. Similar to Yoga, its good to slow down and give the busy mind a break once in a while.

“When meditation is mastered, the mind is unwavering like the flame of a lamp in a windless place.”

5. Healthy Food and Drink - Dieting is tricky, but let's keep it simple. Drink plenty of water and tea. Cut out sodas, and other sugary or caffeinated beverages. Limit your meats, there are many other ways to get your proteins. Avoid processed foods. Farmers markets offer a wide variety of local fresh food. After all you are what you eat. Food is the fuel for the body. Limit your Dairy intake. Increase your fruits and leafy green veggies.

Here is a nice chart to follow:

Life expectancy would grow by leaps and bounds if green vegetables smelled as good as bacon.

Doug Larson

Living a healthy life style is doing things that make you happy, and stay positive, don't let every day baggage bring you down. You deserve to feel and be great! I believe in you! :)