Health and Fitness

The human body is still the most intelligent, beautiful, sophisticated, and perfect masterpiece of all creation. No genius will ever be able to fully comprehend this miracle. We still remain baffled about the working of the human organs and cells. Year after year we stumble across new discoveries.

The human body is the channel through which most, if not all your dreams will be realised. Failing to keep it at its peak will reduce your effectiveness drastically. To live a healthy life is a medicine in itself because many sicknesses are directly linked to our eating habits.

If we break the natural laws of the human body, we will suffer the consequences, for the proverb still remains, "You reap what you sow." If you wish to live longer, be happier and feel really great about yourself, you must be healthy. The following nine major considerations are listed for your benefit.
 

Healthy Eating
Energy
Air
Lack of Sleep
Train Others
Harmful Substances
Illnesses
Exercise
Relaxation

If you cannot control your eating habits, then you cannot control the development of your body. Many of us are sending ourselves to an early grave because of our eating habits. You don't have to be a doctor, or a health expert to know that wrong eating habits causes us to be ineffective and reduce our life span. Eating to the body is like petrol to the car. Too little and we only go so far, too much and we overload. Most of us go through life without ever knowing the damage and hard work that we put our wonderful bodies through. Our bodies should function perfectly, but doctors tell us, "this is not the case". What is happening inside of us?

Imagine a battlefield with hundreds of people fighting and killing one another. They use all kinds of weapons: guns, knives, swords, nuclear weapons, gas, fire, acid and poison. Imagine also the pain, noise, wounds and different kinds of casualties. Those that are dead, injured and well are sharing the same environment. Lastly, imagine the smell!

You think this picture is sad, you're right but this is exactly what is going on inside many of us. Our body is fighting against unwelcome substances while at the same time we continue to load them inside. Eventually something within us breaks down then something else breaks down, then another, until finally the body gives up.

Lack of energy equals lack of life. The more energy you possess is the better you feel and the more productive you are, making it easier for your body to ward off minor sickness. You are more vigilant, self controlled, sober minded, creative, alert and fun to be with. When your energy has reached its peak you are capable of unleashing unlimited potential. In running training seminars, I have discovered that after lunch is the most demanding for delegates. Why is this? Their energy has been called upon to the most demanding task of food digestion. This is also the reason why many employees become tired and ineffective after lunch. If they had eaten the right combination of food, they would have felt energetic and ready to go. Instead, they fight for hours against tiredness while their energy is been used up to digest what they have just eaten.

To conserve energy, I only eat fresh fruit from the time I awake in the morning until 1 pm. A traditional breakfast would take away the energy that I need to perform at my best. Some people like myself operate best in the mornings, after they have fully rested during the night. Wisdom demands that you only eat food that take up almost no energy at all to digest. The answer is fresh fruit for breakfast. During lunch and evening meal eat 70% high water content food, such as vegetables and salad with the correct food combination. Never eat before you retire for bed because while you are sleeping your intelligent body is working overtime throughout the night to digest the meal. Eating before you go to bed is one of the best ways to put on weight.

Many who practice breathing exercises regularly, especially singers will share with you how healthy they feel. Controlled breathing helps to cleanse the lungs completely from stale air and more importantly it re-oxygenates your blood cells. Breathing techniques also help to calm you down when you feel tense or nervous. On a regular basis, at least three times a day, try this well known breathing exercise.

Breath in slowly for 4 seconds
Hold it in for 8 seconds
Then breath out slowly for 12 seconds

When you have mastered 4, 8, 12 try 5, 10, 15, then 6, 12, 18.

Lack of sleep amongst many professionals is common place and one of the major problems of ill-health. If your body suffers from lack of sleep it will not function efficiently or effectively. Some who do not sleep properly believe to themselves that they are more productive and get more done. What a foolish idea. How productive and effective can you be when your body is tired and stressed? Sufficient sleep rejuvenates the whole body providing it with energy to tackle the challenges that it faces daily. Lack of sleep contributes to illness and reduces longevity. Driving whilst tired is as dangerous as driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol.

Wouldn't you be embarrassed to be stopped by the police for lack of sleep. That is what happened to me one Friday evening whilst out shopping with my family.

You cannot train others on the effectiveness of a healthier lifestyle until you have first educated yourself. I make it my duty to warn my family, friends and others of the danger and benefits of a healthy or unhealthy lifestyle. Some things in life are too important not to share and this topic is certainly one of them. Cry out and shout it from the mountain top, for great is the benefit of a healthier lifestyle. Do not give up, if they refuse to listen find more creative ways to communicate. Let them know that you are doing this for their longevity and because you love them. Do not be harsh or force them, lead the way, gently, patiently and by example.

A harmful substance is something that will injure or kill you. There are many harmful substances on the market which we take into our bodies that hinder us from achieving our full potential. Why does the Government allow harmful substances to reach the consumer? Why do we allow it? Why do we take it and give it to others? The large majority of the population has no knowledge of the overall workings of the human body, how it functions or what is best for it. We purchase items from the shops without knowing the dangers and feed it to our loved ones. Because of lack of knowledge we ignorantly feed harmful and poisonous substances at an uncontrollable rate into the most magnificent thing on the planet, our body. Would you throw water, a harmful substance into any electrical appliance? No, you say! Well, your body is far more superior than any electrical appliance. Stop harmful substances from destroying it, it is your responsibility. Three of the most deadliest substances are smoking, alcohol and drugs.

To write all of the other harmful substances would take another book. I recommend that you read, Fit for Life by Harvey and Marilyn Diamond. You cannot afford not to read this book. My family and I are indebted to the Diamonds. The conclusion of the whole matter is that you are accountable for your body and lack of knowledge is no defence. You owe it to yourself to know your body and what it will or will not take to live. As I was educating my third daughter, Phanta, about the eating of crisps and chocolates, she responded, "The thing about them is that they taste so nice." What seems nice is not always good for us. Eat to live, do not live to eat. If you knew the intelligence, beauty, miraculous workings, and the power of your own body, I could almost guarantee that you would never allow harmful substances to enter into it. This knowledge should make you take a different look at yourself.

Bulimia nervosa is one of the psychological illnesses often found in combination with anorexia nervosa. Bouts of compulsive eating are followed by self induced and ultimately involuntary vomiting. Do you suffer from compulsive overeating by always having food in your mouth throughout the whole day and at times feel embarrassed, so you hide and eat? Compulsive overeating is a condition that causes some people to hate themselves, even to the point of committing suicide. Many people with eating disorders also suffer from poor blood circulation, backache, knee problems, heart strain, tiredness, nervousness, breathing problems, poor sleeping and more.

Is your body storing up waste faster than it is getting rid of it, or are you using up more energy than you have got by overworking your body? To overwork or store up waste in your body could lead to toxaemia, which is blood poisoning. More people die from heart disease and cancer which is related to what we take into our body than any other illness. The death rate from natural causes is so small it is not worth mentioning.

Regular and consistent exercise will make you healthier and at the same time relax you, relieve depression, tension, acute stress and more. When you exercise you are exercising your heart and sending a fresh supply of oxygen throughout your entire body. Exercising is of tremendous benefit and cannot be ignored if you wish to be healthier and add a few more years to your life. I play squash, run around the park once a week and use the exercise facilities in my home almost every day. Ask yourself this question, if you knew that exercising every day would add ten more years to your life, would you exercise every day? Why not devise an exercise plan for you and your family. Do you wish to be around for all your grandchildren's happier moments? I do.

Some people find it extremely difficult to relax. They believe that every minute must be spent doing something towards their high priorities. Relaxing and doing nothing is not a waste of time because the body was made to relax. If you overuse your body it will burn out and breakdown. If you do not maintain your car how long do you think it will last? You must maintain your body if you wish it to go the distance. Relaxing your body refreshes it and helps to keep it at peak performance. Take a break, go on holiday as often as possible with your family, friends or by yourself. Relax or burn out.