This year, millions of Americans will have visited their doctor for their annual health exam. They will have one or more screenings with “normal” results and mistakenly believe that “normal” test results equate to being in good health.
They will then continue eating various versions of the Standard American Diet, exercising irregularly, and getting less than 8 hours of sleep each night and hope to get the same test results next year. This is not a proactive approach to health and wellness! This is called “waiting for a diagnosis”, which will certainly come sooner or later.
I urge everyone to educate themselves about whole foods nutrition and wellness and to make optimum health your family’s top priority. Below I outline four steps you and your family can take to get on track toward a path to optimum health and wellness.
1. Start by getting all the JUNK out of your house. Read the food labels on every item in your pantry or refrigerator. Everything containing Partially Hydrogenated Oils, Palm Oils, Refined Sugar, White Flour, High Fructose Corn Syrup, Artificial Food Colors and Flavorings, MSG, Preservatives, and Genetically Modified Organisms. You can put a red sticky note on these items and phase them out of your diet as the containers are emptied or donate everything to a local food bank. Reserve treats for special occasions once or twice a month and opt for organic versions. Consume more plant foods and your cravings for junk food will start to diminish.
2. Invest in your family’s Wellness! Investing money in your family’s wellness today will save money in the long run spent on expensive prescription drugs and hospital visits.
- Spend money on organic fruits and vegetables or fresh produce at local farmer’s markets. The bulk of your food budget should go into a wide variety of produce.
- Invest in supplements that have peer reviewed scientific research to back up their claims. FDA approval means nothing. Plenty of popular prescription drugs have been FDA approved and then later recalled.
- Spend money on a gym membership and schedule your workouts in a day planner. A gym membership does you no good if you don’t schedule workouts and keep those appointments like you would a doctor’s visit or haircut!
3. Create a family Wellness Plan to keep the family heading in the same direction together towards the goal of Optimum Health. 4. Chose a family practitioner or doctor whose values and ideas are in line with yours. If you don’t believe in taking prescription drugs until you have tried natural solutions, make sure your doctor agrees, or else find another doctor! Don’t put yourself through the stress of arguing with your doctor or feeling powerless at each visit. Your health is YOUR responsibility, not your doctor’s. You should never feel like you are being “taken care of” by your doctor, rather you are “working with” your doctor to keep yourself in good health.
I hope this information encourages a proactive, preventative approach to your family’s health and wellness. Take a step in the right direction today, stay consistent and you and your family will see results in a short period of time.
