The key to living a long, healthy and happy life

'The key to living a long, healthy and happy life'

Enjoying a full, healthy and happy life doesn't take that much; it's all about the little things that make an incredible difference.... For more, read below.

Following are a few small deletions or additions to make to your daily life that will not only make you healthier but will also make you happier.

1. EXERCISE: Exercise is vital to human health and exercising today can be the key to your later quality of life. Pace your exercise program to your health, in times of illness, range of motion exercises will insure you maintain as much movement as possible. When you are healthy, exercise will help build muscle or aid in lung and heart health. Listen to your body and pace your exercise program by what it dictates.

2. REST: Rest is a form of therapy and it is essential for your body to have when you are under physical or emotional stress. If you need it then don't fight it. Try to lay down each day for a 20 minute total rest period. Total rest meaning that you do absolutely nothing during this brief lay down. Although you do not need to sleep to receive the benefits of this rest period it is amazing the amount of energy that it will replenish you with.

3. ALLOW YOUR BODY TO SWEAT: In today's world of deodorants and air conditioners we don't sweat enough. Like the kidneys excrete waste from the body so does the process of sweating allow our bodies to rid itself of harmful waste. Sweating helps reduce the accumulation of heavy metals such as lead, mercury and nickle and also serves to secrete toxins such as alcohol and nicotine residues from our bodies. Sweating reduces bacteria in our bodies and can actually strengthen our immune system. When you sweat profusely, just remember to add additional water so that dehydration does not occur.

4. REDUCE THE POLLUTANTS THAT YOU ARE EXPOSED TO: Be aware of the pollutants that you are exposed to and take the appropriate measures to reduce that exposure. If you smoke; find a way to quit. If your water system is an older one than it may contain lead and other contaminants. Most water purifiers are very reasonably priced and can be purchased at your local department store. With the amount of water we ingest daily it is very important to insure that it is as pure as it can be. If you live in a very polluted community consider a move to a cleaner environment. Eliminate the use of as many plastics as possible and instead switch to glass, wood, cast iron or steel containers and surfaces. Do not use non-stick baking utensils as the coating currently contains a toxin which leaches at high temperatures. Reduce the amount of electricity that you are exposed to. Evening and night is when you are most likely to be home and exposed so simple things like throwing out the electric blanket, reducing the amount of lighting you use, removing the electric clock from the bedside ( or better yet replacing it with a wind-up one), sitting back from the T.V. or computer and reducing the amount of time you spend doing those activities. Instead spend more time outdoors.

5. DETOXIFY YOUR DIET: Eat foods rich in antioxidants. These combine with those dangerous free radicals in your body and serve to strengthen your immune system. Reduce sugars and starches, chemicals and preservatives, also fatty foods such as french fries and red meats. Eat a diet rich in fruits and vegetables. Switch from fatty red meats to leaner white meats, or no meat at all if you can. Minimize alcohol consumption. If necessary add vitamins from a natural source, such as the blue-green algae E3Live, to supplement your diet.

6. REDUCE YOUR STRESS: Stress can cause irreparable damage to the immune system which leave you open to all kinds of future illnesses. Stress kills! Reduce it any way that you can.

7. BE PROUD OF WHO YOU ARE: We each have our own unique qualities and these are our gift to this old world that we live in. Be proud of all those special qualities that make you......you. Also know that sometimes changes in your life can alter who you are and require you to set new attributes and goals for yourself. Always push yourself to be the best that you can be but also understand that there are times when you just need to hide away and recuperate.

8. SMILE: When you put that sweet little grin on your face your brain does an amazing thing and it releases a little chemical known as "endorphins". These endorphins are the body's natural pain killer and will reduce feelings of emotional or physical pain. The more that you smile, the more often that you will find yourself smiling, without your even thinking about it. Then without knowing when it happened, you will discover that you have actually become, a much happier person.

9. LAUGH: You may have heard the saying that, "Laughter is the best medicine". Well this is a fact. Laughter is one of those things, like smiling, that makes you feel good. It is also a great form of exercise with all the same great variety of health benefits for your body that exercise will give it. Find any reason that you can to laugh, the more that you practice laughing, the more often that you will find it occurring naturally.

10. LOVE: Love with all your heart and soul. Don't be afraid to give freely of yourself and your emotions to as many living creatures as you are able to. The kindness that you give will not only make you more content with your life, but it will create a wave of kindness, that stretches out far beyond what your eyes are capable of seeing.