Ten steps to living longer and healthier … now!
When looking at our increased rates of obesity, diabetes, heart disease and cancer to name just a few, it’s becoming more and more obvious that we’re not as healthy as perhaps we once were. But it doesn’t have to be this way. In fact, we all have the power to influence our health and well-being through the choices we make every day, and I would like to help you realize these powers.
By following these 10 easy steps, not only will you protect your body against disease and slow the aging process, you will enjoy the healthiest, most vibrant and energetic daily life you deserve, naturally:
1. Give THANKS
Begin all meals with a reflective “grace” or “thanksgiving”: A simple reflection before your meal helps to generate a feeling of healthy cohesiveness, which often lasts the rest of your day.
2. Eat as if your life depended upon it!
Eating is a very intimate and important process. Consider each food before you eat it. Also try to eat a diet that contains 75% alkalizing foods and 25% acidifying foods. This will keep your body chemistry in perfect balance and therefore able to operate at peak performance. Have a green drink like greens+ daily. It is a convenient alkalizing ‘superfood’ containing a variety of phytonutrients, antioxidants and more.
3. Exercise daily
Exercise is life supporting. Our bodies were meant to move in a natural, neurologically coordinated way. Walking in particular, is a high quality locomotive movement we should engage in each day. It has a harmonizing effect on the entire central nervous system.
4. Drink water
Aim for 6 to 12, 8-ounce (250mL) glasses of pure water a day: Clean water is one of the most important things you can give your body. To help digestion and for extra flavour, try adding freshly squeezed lime or lemon juice.
5. Go organic!
Eat 10 servings of organically grown fruits and vegetables, as well as whole grains and sea vegetables every day. Whenever possible, purchase foods that have not been exposed to pesticides, herbicides, fungicides and ripening-retardant chemicals. Be alert to the new wave of bioengineered foods and foods that have been irradiated. Avoid chemical-laden and overly processed foods containing MSG, excess sugar, and hydrogenated oils.
6. Balance your foods
Eat low-fat proteins, quality fats, and low-glycemic, complex carbohydrates at every meal: Eat lean cuts of meats and remove all visible fat before cooking. Try to eat salmon, mackerel, sardines and trout two to three times a week. Only consume fat-free dairy products and eat free-range eggs when possible. If you are vegan or vegetarian, try to incorporate nutritional yeast, spirulina, chlorella, and soy isolate protein powder.
7. Reduce stress — naturally
Breathe deeply and reduce stress naturally: Conscientious breathing revitalizes the body with both oxygen and energy. Each morning and each evening take five minutes to breathe calmly and perform breathing exercises.
8. Let the sunshine in
Expose yourself to sunlight and fresh air: Expose your skin without sunglasses, glasses, or contact lenses to the sun for 10 minutes in the early morning and/or 10 minutes in the late afternoon. This limited and gentle sun exposure naturally promotes the production of Vitamin D in your body, while helping your skin build a natural tolerance.
9. Remember your good fats
Take fish oils: Best known for the prevention and treatment of cardiovascular disease, skin conditions and arthritis, there is now exciting research showing the positive impact of Omega-3s on brain health and function. Unfortunately, there’s been a radical shift in the Western diet over the last half-century leaving a nutritional void that can easily be filled through proper supplementation. Look for fish oils derived from small, wild and clean sources such as anchovy, sardines and mackerel.
10. Sleep well
Get sufficient sleep: Determine the number of hours of sleep you require to regenerate awake feeling rested and refreshed and aim to get this amount every night. Some people rejuvenate quickly with a 20-minute “power nap” during the day. Practice your breathing and meditation prior to falling asleep to both relax and deepen yourself. Honour your sleep requirements by keeping a regular bedtime and waking time schedule.
By incorporating these 10 steps every day, not only will you feel more energized and full of vitality on a daily basis, but you will also reap the rewards that come with a natural, preventive approach to health and healing such as reduced risk for disease, improved stress management, immune protection and more.
Remember, your health is won or lost each day at the cellular level and only YOU have the power to make the right choices. Eat wisely, feel healthy, live long and be happy — naturally!
About Sam Graci
Since first introducing Canadians to greens+ in 1993, Sam Graci has remained one of North America’s leading experts on nutrition, specifically focusing on the importance of eating healthy, fresh foods for achieving optimal health. Sam is a true believer that eating well and living well go hand-in-hand. And through Sam’s expertise and inspiring educational approach, he is on a mission to inspire all of us to lead a more energetic, vibrant life.
Without question, the award-winning and research-proven success of greens+, based on over seven years of intense research, helped make Sam a natural leader in the development of a whole new and dynamic category of products known as ‘green superfoods’. Continuing on this path, Sam recently used his expertise to develop two new green formulas: greens+ extra energy and greens+ daily detox. Working together with Genuine Health (the company that makes greens+, proteins+ and other leading health supplements), these new formulas enhance the original greens+ blend to meet your specific health needs.
Always a source of healthy inspiration, Sam is uniquely recognized for his endless energy and vitality. He is regularly featured as a guest speaker at a number of consumer shows, in addition to his popular appearances on a variety of television and radio programs. Sam continues to write many informative articles on nutrition and health for magazines and newspapers, and has authored two books: The Power of Superfoods (1998) and The Food Connection (2001). His new book The Path to Phenomenal Health: An Inspirational Journey to Vitality and Wellness is due out in September 2005.
