Self-Care Strategies

Self-Care Strategies for Your Busy Lifestyle

According to Jack LaLanne, who still works out for two hours a day and eats at least 10 fresh, raw vegetables daily, "Exercise is king, nutrition is queen, and if you put them together you build a kingdom!" Here are a few ways you can build your own "kingdom" even in the midst of your hectic, stressful life.

Challenge Your Body
Higher levels of physical fitness reduce the risk of heart disease and early death. Try to achieve a burn rate of greater than 10 calories per minute. If you go to the gym two to three times a week and spend 30-60 minutes per session, you can focus on 10-minute high-intensity sessions on your off days.

Feed Your Body
Nine servings of vegetables are recommended per day. (If you can do 10, like Jack does, go for it!) Boost the health benefits by eating different colors of produce. This is called the "technicolor" plan.

Additional healthy eating suggestions:
1) Eat more cold-water fish like salmon for the benefits of omega-3s.
These lower the risk of heart disease, lower blood pressure, improve mood and concentration, and are good for the brain.
2) Drink red wine or eat grapes.
The resveratrol in dark grapes is being studied for its effect on extending life, which it seems to do for almost every species studied.
3) Eliminate sugar.
Sugar's effect on hormones, mood, immunity, weight, and possibly even cancer cells is enormous - and it's all negative. To the extent that you can remove sugar from your diet, you will be adding years to your life and life to your years.

Rest Your Body
Insufficient sleep depresses the immune system, making you susceptible to colds, upper-respiratory infections, low energy, weight gain, a tired appearance, and other complaints like feeling irritable. Proper sleep hygiene involves getting uninterrupted sleep, in the dark, without the television on, in a relaxing environment.The overall goal is to get you in the best shape of your life without spending considerable time doing it - because after all, how much of that do you have these days?