Healthy as a Dinosaur
By Donna Stark
It’s the start of school where I live and some of my friends are posting pictures of their kindergartner’s “What I Want To Be When I Grow Up” posters that were made in class during the first few days. Some of these kids, wow … they really have their future planned better than I do … and others? Well, they still want to be a flying-dinosaur-rescue-hero that can eat pizza upside down. The posters are really cute and unique, but I noticed something that was similar to all of them. Not one child wrote that their dream was to be in poor health when they grew up.
When Do Our Dreams Stop?
When I look back on my childhood, I can vividly recall my mom telling me to eat what’s on my plate, get to bed on time, and go outside to play. Basic commands for a child? Of course, but we all know that a mother’s wisdom is truly never-ending. So here’s a reminder for us thick-skulled adults why mom is always right and why perhaps, even we, should stick to the basics.
- Healthy foods - When you give your body the right type of fuel, amazing things take place. So take a balanced approach to your diet and be intentional with eating the required amount of servings from each food group every day. Remember to include lean proteins, plenty of vegetables and fruit, and healthy carbohydrates and fats in your meal planning each week and avoid the processed, refined foods and takeout meals as much as possible.
- Quality sleep - You may think the reasons for cutting back on your sleep are valid, but depriving yourself of quality rest actually does more harm than good. At least seven hours of sleep are usually recommended for optimal health. Adequate sleep can help reduce stress, strengthen the body’s immune system, recharge the brain, maintain weight, and boost your energy.
- Exercise - Exercise helps to improve the body’s immune system, reduce stress levels, support joint health, and prevent complicated future health issues. But don’t start panicking over the thought of working out at the gym for hours on end because a moderate amount of exercise (20 to 30 minutes a day) is all it takes to maintain good health.
Be That Dinosaur
If you don’t make the time to take care of your health, your health will end up taking time away from you in the long run. Can you imagine what kind of world we would have if that happened to everyone? Not only would good health be missing from our lives, but there certainly wouldn’t be any upside-down, pizza-eating dinosaur heroes as well … and how sad would that be?
To learn more about your health, wellness, and fitness, see your local chiropractor at The Joint Chiropractic in Brookfield, Wis.