I always told my students, "It's not bad dying but getting sick is the pits.
" To keep yourself healthy, there are some things that you really want to avoid.
1.
Stress It can kill you.
Stress will take its toll on you and may actually shorten your life if you don't know how to use it.
Stress can be your ally or nemesis.
2.
Smoking Tobacco use remains the most preventable cause of death in the United States.
Smoking can rob you of years of life.
If you get cancer or lung disease, such as emphysema or cystic fibrosis, you will find out how important your lungs really are.
In Chinese Medicine, the emotions that go with the lungs are sadness and grief.
By smoking tobacco or exposure to smoke, in general, it can cause irreparable damage to your physical body and emotional state as well.
Quit smoking and your body can bounce back sooner than you would imagine.
In fact, blood pressure and circulation improve the quickest after quitting, and you can significantly reduce the risk of cancers.
3.
Stop eating processed foods When I was a child, my grandmother seemed to always be in the kitchen and so was my mother.
They canned fresh fruit, made jelly, put up tomatoes, pickles, peppers and relishes.
Over the last 30 or 40 years, there has been a shift to consuming more processed foods by large multinational corporations.
Along with processing come an increase in added sodium, more saturated fat, more sugar, and less fiber.
The results are more cardiovascular disease, cancer, and diabetes.
4.
Sitting on your butt too long Exercise, exercise and more exercise.
The more you use your car, the quicker it will wear out.
But the body is different.
"Use it or lose it!" When we exercise just 30 minutes a day five days a week, you can extend your life by years.
Studies show that just 15 minutes a day can increase your life span by another three years.
So get on your bike, put on your roller blades, go to the gym, take a walk and do something physical daily.
5.
Anger Anger will cost you years off your life.
Levels of stress hormones go up when you're angry and cause havoc on your heart, metabolism, and immune system.
In the Chinese system of health care, the wood element which rules the liver and the gallbladder has 2 emotions: the negative one is anger and the positive one is kindness.
Be kind to your liver and become a long liver.
6.
Being a hermit Meet, greet, visit friends and go out to eat! Being social is a great longevity booster.
It boosts your immune system and keeps you strong, while being a hermit can be boring and put you in a negative frame of mind and at risk of depression and even heart attacks.
Go out and have fun! But, remember, moderation is the key to balance.
7.
Letting fear scare you to death Fear can make your entire body contract, causing kidney problems, heart trouble and more.
Chinese Medicine tells us that the opposite of fear is gentleness.
Exercises like, Yoga, Tai Chi and Qi Gong, can change your outlook and put a smile on your face.
These internal exercises will soothe your spirit, bring more gentleness into your life and keep you alive longer.
8.
Not sleeping A good night's sleep can be worth big bucks.
Getting a good night sleep can affect your lifespan.
Not getting sufficient sleep or disturbed sleep will affect your heart, cause stress, depression, and even heart disease.
Relaxing music and meditation exercises can set the stage for a good night's sleep.
I try to get to sleep before 10 o'clock at least 2 nights a week, and for sure, before midnight for the rest of the week.
9.
Good genes doesn't always equate to a long and healthy life Having parents and grandparents who live into their nineties and beyond is a blessing, but it's only a third of the longevity secret.
Our environment and lifestyle are other key ingredients to our longevity.
If you're a party animal, as you get older, you're going to be a sick dog.
Other factors like our diet and exercise, exposure to toxins, and the way you handle stress play a big role in your health, the way you look, and the way you act.
Staying healthy is as challenging as you get older, and if you are still doing any of the 9 no-no's, it's time to wake up and start working on yourself before it's too late! You can change your health in no time at all and enjoy a quality life.
I have spent much of my life helping people turn their health around for the better.
It's a blessing to be healthy but you must work at it! Health is a privilege! Work on your health and avoid the 9 poisons.