Tag: health

Healthcare vs. Sickcare: 5 Things You Can Do Today To Stay Healthy

Healthcare vs. Sickcare: What can you do starting today to keep out of the sickcare system as long as possible.

We do not live in a country with a healthcare system. It is a “sick-care” system. We go to the doctor when we are sick. We take a pill when we don’t feel well. We go to the hospital when we are injured.

Of course we want to have the best system possible when we need it. Everyone deserves that.

But think if you could keep yourself out of the “sick-care” system!

You are in control!

Here’s the best news of all. You are in control. You can make changes to your life right now, starting today, that will have a significant impact on your future health. Challenge yourself to make just one small change and you will be amazed at the results.

The smallest act of kindness is worth more than the greatest intention - Kahlil Gabran

So what can you do?

  1. Get up earlier. Use your time more wisely. Get up 30 minutes earlier every day. And use it productively. Limit your screen time during the day (and especially at night).
  2. Meditate. Mindfulness meditation can be a powerful habit to add to your life. It can lower stress, improve focus, and much more. I know it has worked for me and it can for you too.
  3. Eat smarter. Make sure that what you put in your body is something it needs and deserves. This may mean eating less; but by selecting the right diet you will be adding years to your healthspan. Good nutrition can also include supplements – natural ones – that have been proven to help people. Do you really need that next bowl of ice cream before bedtime?
  4. Lose weight. This is important for many of us – but maybe not all. For me losing 40 pounds was an incredible boost to my everyday well-being and for my physical health.
  5. Get plenty of sleep. Okay if you are getting up earlier this means that you will be going to bed earlier, right? So much research shows that sleep is critical to our immediate and long-term health.

This is just a start. I can keep going.

Make the decision to get healthier

But the most important thing is for you to make the decision today, right now, that you will be making a conscious decision to make your life more healthy.

No one else can do this for you. You can enlist the help of people in your life to support your goal of getting and staying healthy for as long as possible. But it is all on you. And that is a good thing.

Consider a “reset” on your health

Check out our video on why you might consider “resetting” your health.

A reset is just what it sounds like – taking the time to change up your system to start living healthier. A good way is to start is with a “cleanse”.

What is a cleanse anyway? Basically, it is taking some time away from your current diet and giving your system a chance to “reset”. The typical format is to limit your diet to fruits and vegetables for a few days. Is it easy? Probably not. Is it worth it? Probably so.

Learn More: Check out our video!

Sound like something you are up for?

Contact me for more information.

It is never too early or late in life to make a difference in your health. One of my favorite sayings is:

“The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The second-best time is right now.”

Fast Food Nutrition

Americans – and people around the world – are obsessed with “fast food”

Almost 40% of Americans Eat Fast Food on Any Given Day

Time magazine reported this amazing fact last year. Younger people and men were more likely to be consumers of fast food. Other demographics also played a role in the results.

But should we be surprised? Probably not if we examine our own behavior.

What is fast food?

Wikipedia describes “fast food” as a commercial term limited to food sold in a restaurant or store with frozen, preheated or precooked ingredients, and served to the customer in a packaged form for take-out/take-away.

Fast food has revolutionized the way we eat – making food more convenient than ever. The time-saving aspect has tremendous appeal. However, they also document that “Eating fast food has been linked to, among other things, colorectal cancer, obesity, high cholesterol, and depression.”

Does this mean we shouldn’t be eating fast food?

Of course not. We need to be realistic with our busy lifestyles. But the key to good nutrition is moderation. As well as being smart in our choices.

A balanced diet is just that – balanced. So we shouldn’t feel guilty about occasionally eating McDonald’s or KFC. But it shouldn’t be a daily activity.

Recently many fast food chains have been offering healthier options on their menu. They also want people to feel good about eating what they have to offer.

Read the fine print

Almost all fast food restaurants provide nutrition information on their fare. You can even check it out online beforehand giving you more time to make smart choices. Check out things such as the sugar and sodium content as well as the calories. Calories from fat can be especially important to minimize in your diet.

how can i feel good about eating fast food?

The best approach is to create a solid foundation of key healthy ingredients to your diet. Especially important can be a multivitamin to offset the “empty calories” you get from most fast food. And with a nutritional source of protein you will be well balanced.

So you can have your cake (fast food in this case) and eat it too!

NEXT STEPS TO TAKE IF YOU ARE SERIOUS ABOUT your nutrition

If you would like to know more about the plan that has helped me create a solid foundation for my health, let me know. I don’t feel guilty stopping once in awhile at In-N-Out! You can:

I hope to hear from you soon.

Tom Leonard

Tom Leonard

Keeping Nutrition Simple

Making healthy food choices every single day can be hard

Did you know that up to 90% of Americans are lacking key nutrients in their diets? With busy lives and food choices that are less than ideal, it can be challenging to get the essential nutrients we need for good health. Countless research studies and health experts agree that supplementing with key nutrients provide a good nutritional foundation.

With our incredibly busy lives sometimes the most important things can be left out. Our health for example.

And the key to long term good health is to include the essential “building blocks” necessary for our bodies to survive. And thrive.

The two key building blocks are nutrient vitamins and protein

While many of us might think that we get all of the necessary nutrition from our diet, that may not be the case. In fact to do that requires serious work on knowing what we need. And where we can get it.

The challenge can be made harder because over the years there has been a 38% decline in the nutrient content of crops.1Center for Nutrition Research, 2011. Past generations actually had it easier!

Just researching what our daily requirements can be alone is a daunting task.

So how can we make this easy?

Science has provided us with information about what we need to live younger longer. Best of all there are proven programs that can cover you.

Just by adding a multivitamin and a protein shake can make a huge difference in your life including benefits:

  • Level of energy
  • Heart health
  • Digestive health
  • Immune system support
  • Bone and joint health
  • Muscle function
  • Healthy blood pressure
  • Healthy hair, skin, and nails
  • Healthy aging

solution

The solution is actually pretty simple. Take care of the two basic building blocks to your health (multivitamin plus protein) everyday and your body will take care of you!

NEXT STEPS TO TAKE IF YOU ARE SERIOUS ABOUT LIVING YOUNGER LONGER

If you would like to know more about the plan that has helped me create a solid foundation for my health, let me know. You can:

I hope to hear from you soon.

Tom Leonard

Tom Leonard

Healthy Aging: 6 Reasons Protein Drinks Are Right At Any Age

Are protein drinks just for the young? Think again.

Mom and Dad

Protein drinks are common these days. And for good reason. They can be a source of balanced nutrition, improved health, and even for losing weight. But what about if you are getting older? Should you consider adding protein drinks to your  diet?

Questions to Ask

Here are 6 questions for older adults – and their children or caregivers – to ask:

  1. Am I getting enough nutrition? As we get older we need to make sure we are getting all of the nutrition we need. And that can be challenging. Many older people get into the habit of eating what they have always eaten – when they might have been more active. Or eat too much: especially of the wrong thing. Or sometimes they just don’t eat enough. By including a well-balanced protein drink, they can be assured of getting the needed nutrition.
  2. Am I eating less because I just don’t want to take the time to cook? Cooking can be a young person’s activity. Older, less-active adults may decide that it isn’t worth the time and effort to prepare meals. So they may skip them or prepare what is quick and easy. That approach can sometimes result in eating “empty” calories that only add on weight at a time when you need it the least.
  3. Do I have trouble shopping? Depending on your situation it may be less convenient to do grocery shopping than in the past. Maybe you have a caregiver or family member who can help you out. (Good for you if you are in that situation!) As shopping becomes more of a chore when older adults become less active they sometimes rely on simpler, less nutritious alternative.
  4. Am I spending too much on food? Protein drinks are not always cheap. Especially when you want to make sure you are getting high quality. Protein drinks as meal replacements can run around $3 per meal which is not an expensive alternative. Now we don’t recommend that older people only consume protein drinks for all of their meals just based on cost. And for other reasons. But there is no reason to exclude them from you diet just because you think they might be too expensive.
  5. Do I have trouble feeding myself? Now this is a tricky one. Many older adults may find it difficult to use eating utensils. No one wants to rely on others to feed them from a plate. (I know I wouldn’t.) Because protein drinks can be drunk through a straw, it can be a good solution.
  6. What would my doctor say about including protein drinks in my diet? You always want to include your doctor in any discussion that can impact your health. And your diet is one of the key factors to staying healthy. I have found that doctors support including protein drinks in an older adult’s diet as long as it is part of a well-balanced nutrition program.

How do I know so much about this? Because my parents in the picture above have been including protein drinks in their diet for years. And they have talked with several dietitians and doctors over the years and have always heard that the drinks were good for them.

If you would like to know more about what program has been so successful in helping my parents stay healthy as they get older, send me a message from the contact page. Or you can also send me a message if you are on Twitter. I am @2healthylife on there.

Have a healthy week!

Tom

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