Eight Health Laws/Update

Today as I packed up most of my summer stuff, I had mixed emotions. You see, since I have decided to change my lifestyle - I am sure that by next summer these clothes will no longer fit. By that time, I will have found someone to bless by giving these clothes to. Why would I be sad? Well I have worn some of these clothes for the last couple of years and I like some of them quite a bit. But I am so much happier with taking better care of myself and I know in the long run I will be extremely happy that I made this choice.

Yesterday my husband and I ran into a very sweet couple who used to be our neighbors and also went to our church. My heart went out to the wife. She would start a sentence and then she would forget what she was going to say. And she shared with us that she had been having this problem for a while. She said that she had seen some people during her visit to our area that she knew but could not think of the name. That would be so hard to handle.

At church this last week end one of the members of our class shared about the difficulty that he and his wife were going through...she had been diagnosed with Alzheimer's 6 years ago. He said that being with her 24/7 was just to overwhelming and that he needed a break. Several people in class offered to go to their home and sit with her for a few hours each week to give him a break.

There are so many health problems and I just think that it is SO important for us to take control of our own health and make the choices that we know are the best for us. Yes - we may have genes that give us a bigger chance at sickness and disease but that is not a free pass to do ...what ever we want because no matter what I do I will be sick...(said in an Eeyore type of voice.)

So many times sickness and diseases come to us because we have neglected to take care of ourselves.

Here are Eight Health Laws that I like to live by:

1. Eat a healthy diet of nutritious food. Try to get plenty of fruits and veggies and eat at least some raw fruits and veggies each day.

2. Exercise adequately - at least 30 minutes - 1 hour everyday -if you can not exercise this much at one time split it up into 3 sections of time of 10 minutes at a time. Something IS better than nothing.

3. Rest properly. (7-8 hours of sleep is ideal)

4. Try to get at least a little sunshine each day - when the sun is out.

5. Drink at least 8 glasses - or more of water each day.. sodas and coffee are actually a diuretic - which means they can not be included in the 8 glasses.

6. Get plenty of fresh air every day.

7. Live a balanced life

8. Trust in God. Good Spiritual health really does contribute to good physical health.

One more bit of information for those of you trying to lose weight. You have to learn how to eat nutritiously without starving yourself. When you starve yourself - you will eventually go back to eating like you were. AND even if you DON'T - since you cut way back your body will get to a point that you can continue to eat less but you will still gain the weight back because you had cut back so far and your body has slowed down the metabolism. This is the secret to being able to lose the weight to YOUR ideal weight. Notice I said YOUR - that means that just because a chart says that you should weigh such and such does not always mean that is the best place for your body. Now in a couple of years - if for some unexpected even - I actually get to what a chart says I should weigh then I will try to remember to get back on here and retract my words. I am saying that because I have always weighed more than what a chart says I should weigh - and some of those times I looked pretty good. So my goal this time - is not a certain number on a chart - I am leaving it up to God. He knows where I am suppose to be and I will just make the choices to take care of me the best to my ability - and let Him take care of the rest.

That way I do not get frustrated - like the last couple of days - I have lost a total of 15 pounds! I am thrilled with this. I feel so much better. I am getting so much more done. I am thinking clearer. So many good things to say, but when I weighed the last 3 mornings- my weight has stayed on a certain number and has not budged down one bit. Now yesterday I was a little discouraged - not only because of the number not moving downward but also because I had divided up the clothes that I have into sizes and had found that it did not seem like I had much in the way of jeans/ Capri's for the next size down. And I really do not want to pay for stuff(even at Goodwill) because I only plan on being in that size for a few month - or how ever long it takes me to get to the next size down. Anyway So I was discouraged and as I was putting some shoes away in my closet I noticed a bag at the bottom of my closet and in this bag was a couple of pairs of Capri's and a pair of jeans. So I do not have to buy any pants - unless I find a great deal on a pair of black jeans(don't have any of those) or Capri's! I was thrilled! It was like a blessing from God letting me know that things were going to be OK.