Page 14 - FlorenceBookletJune2018
P. 14

What is health and what constitutes it? Is health the ability to run 3 miles?
Is it the perfect socioeconomic status? Is health the absence of stress or is it
the absence of disease? How do we define health? Health is a broad term that
encompasses many different aspects of the human being. It is worth more than
anything else in life to most. If I were to ask you.. would you rather be rich,
good looking, talented, or have your health, what would your answer be? I
would choose “health” above all. Health is not just one thing; It is a compilation
of many different aspects of a being. The combination of Physical, Mental and
Social wellbeing, sometimes referred to as the health triangle, are just a few
of the major facets of this elusive term. But for the topic of this discussion,
let’s talk about the portion of health that is most visible, physical health. We
can look at a person and get an immediate impression of their health. If you
saw someone whom was overweight, you may think they are not very healthy.
Or if you see a person who is slim and muscular, you may initially think they
are healthy. To a certain extent you may be right, but what causes this outward
appearance and what are we doing that affects it? In this article, I will touch on what physical health is and the 4 major things that we can work on to optimize it!
Nutrition is first thing that comes to mind when I think of physical health. What are
you putting in your body? To be healthy physically, you must first give your body the right building blocks and fuel. Have you ever heard the expression you are what you eat? Well, this phrase is true. Our bodies use the foods that we eat to rebuild ourselves day in and day out. As muscle breaks down, it is rebuilt with the proteins that we consume in our diets. Not only do foods help to rebuild our bodies but they are also involved in preventing or contributing to heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, and many
other diseases. You really are a product of what you eat! Focus on eating foods that make sense, it really is just common sense. Get grilled or baked foods instead of fried. Do a vegetable instead of a starch. Drink water instead of a soda. It simply comes down to making healthy choices most of the time. Notice that I did not say all the time! Making healthy choices 100% of the time is probably not healthy for your sanity. Everyone needs a good piece of pecan pie every once in a while, and all of us need to enjoy a messy ice cream on a hot day with our favorite little kid or grandkid.
Physical health is majorly affected by how active we are. Do you have a desk job, or do you do physical labor? Are you an every day jogger or a weight lifter? Or are you a once a month gym goer? Most studies suggest that some form of physical activity for at least 30 minutes a day, that can increase heart rate and work up a sweat, is beneficial for nearly every aspect of your health. Just 30 minutes a day, for a stronger heart, a leaner physique, and a clearer mind. Wow, what a tradeoff! And the fact of the matter is, you don’t have to go overboard with this. A brisk walk around the block or a leisure bike ride is enough to start seeing benefits in your physical health. As we add exercise to our daily regime the effects are profound. In just a couple of weeks you will notice increased energy level, a greater sense of well being and greater capacity to do every day tasks! Find your way to stay active. It could be walking, jump roping, swimming, using an elliptical, kayaking, or boxing! It doesn’t matter, just move!
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