Natural Ways to Live Longer

Would you like to live longer and feel healthier? Based upon a California study, Dr. Brestow identified seven health habits that would improve health and increase longevity:

1. Control your weight, so that you are neither over weight nor underweight.
2. Enjoy a hearty and well-balanced breakfast.
3. Refrain from the use of alcohol.
4. Establish regular eating habits with no snacking between meals.
5. Stay with a moderate and consistent exercise program.
6. Treat yourself with seven to eight hours of sleep every night.
7. Don’t not smoke.

          According to this study, “The researchers discovered, among other things, that people aged 45 who practiced at least six of these health habits would normally live 33 more years; those who practiced only one or two of the habits could expect to live only 22 more years. That means a 150 percent return on the investment and better enjoyment of life as well.          These seven health habits will definitely make a positive impact on the quality and longevity of your life. But the eight golden laws of health will help you life even more healthily, and longer. These eight natural remedies are: Pure water, Fresh air, Rest, Temperance, Sunlight, Exercise, Nutrition and Divine Power.Pure Water

          Did you know that water is the single most important part of a proper diet? Our body uses 40,000 glasses of water each day to take nutrients to each cell as well as carry away waste products. God has designed our body to recycle almost all of that, but some water is lost and needs to be replaced. The average adult needs 6 to 8 glasses of water each day. The best time is between meals, half an hour before a meal, or 2 hours after a meal. Fresh Air

          Today, more and more people are concerned with the quality of air they breathe, and with good reason. It has been shown that even nonsmokers who live in high air pollution areas suffer with the same kind of symptoms that smokers do. The pollution in the air decreases the amount of oxygen that can actually get to the blood. A prevalent ingredient in polluted air, carbon monoxide, actually binds with the oxygen in the blood, making it ineffective. If people live and breathe long enough in city smog, the usually contract some disease that will eventually kill them.So what can we do?

1. Exercise
2. Good posture
3. Drink enough water
4. Purify your air

Rest

A vital part of a healthful lifestyle is getting the right quantity and quality of sleep. The following are some ideas that may help you to be more restful:

1. Vigorous exercise during the day in the fresh air and sunshine will aid in restful sleep.
2. Adopt a night time routine which may include a warm bath, doing some quiet reading, or drinking a cup of herbal tea.
3. Avoid stimulating things such as television and stressful or negative conversations.
4. Do not over eat or have a heavy evening meal. When the stomach is not empty before sleep the digestive process continues during the sleeping hours and this result in unpleasant dreams.
5. Refrain from tobacco, nicotine, caffeine or alcohol.
6. Have regular hours for sleeping. As they say, “Early to be and early to rise.”
7. Have an abundant supply of fresh air in your bedroom while you sleep.

Temperance

          Temperance is strict adherence to that which promotes health. Temperance is the elimination of such harmful things as alcohol, tobacco, drugs, caffeinated drinks, fatty foods, and refined sugar.Sunlight

          Most of us would be amazed at how beneficial sunlight can be in the treatment of high blood pressure and  cholesterol, and in the prevention of cancer. Sunlight is one of the most blessed healing agents that God has given to man.          However, sunlight has been given a lot of negative press because of the high incidence of skin cancer. Some of this is due to overexposure. But another factor is the amount of fat in the diet. Fat creates a basis for the formation of those unstable free radicals. Of the 450,000 people that are diagnosed with skin cancer every year, most of these cases are caused by vitamins A,C,E, and selenium, which are found primarily in plant foods.Exercise

          There is a saying that goes, “if you can’t find time for exercise, you will have to find time to be sick.” Let’s look at a few reasons why this saying is true.

1. Exercise will reduce your risk of heart disease by improving the strength and efficiency of the heart and it will lower your blood pressure.
2. Exercise improves the strength of muscles and bones as well as ligaments, tendons, and cartilage.
3. Exercise increases the Basal Metabolic Rate, helping us burn off many of those extra calories.
4. Exercise strengthens the immune system. Research has shown that people with active lifestyles are less likely to get cancers of many kinds. Exercise increases the number of white blood cells called lymphocytes, which are the cells that fight disease.

          At least three times a week is recommended, but certainly every day isn’t too much. An exercise program should start with a simple walking after checking on your doctor, for your health information. Walking uses the 206 bones and 660 muscles of your body; it has so much impact and requires no skill to practice.          Pick a time of the day that is best for you and keep that exercise appointment as if it were a business appointment. Start out walking slowly to let your body arm up for 5 to 10 minutes. Then, do a few stretching exercises. Always stretch with a slow, steady movement. Then walk 20 – 30 minutes at a brisk space, brisk enough to increase the rate of your breathing, followed by 4 to 5 minutes of slower walking and more stretching. The stretching is important to avoid soreness and to enhance your flexibility. But remember, your aren’t in competition with anyone so don’t push beyond your tolerance.Nutrition

          Studies have shown that a diet lower in fat and protein and higher in complex carbohydrates decrease one’s risk of disease. Here are few suggestions to help you get off to a good start on a healthy diet:

1. Bake, boil, or steam foods, rather than fry.
2. Eat raw foods at every meal, either fruit or vegetables. Use a little lemon juice on salads instead of salad dressing high in fat.
3. Eat fresh fruit, melon, or dried fruit for a healthy dessert, instead of sugary donuts and pastries.
4. Avoid snacks between meals. Snacking shuts down the digestive process to start another one. Consequently, digestion of previously eaten food is hindered.
5. Avoid foods that have hydrogenated fats. Hydrogenation changes the chemical structure of oil by adding hydrogen atoms which saturate the unsaturated fats.
6. Do not eat too fast. This disallows proper digestion, which begins in the mouth, and tends to lead us to overeat, because the taste buds are not satisfied.
7. Set schedule for your day with a specific time to eat, exercise, rest; and then do everything you can stick with it. Once you are doing this for a while, your life will seem less stressful and you will feel better.

Divine Power

          True physical healing begins with the cleansing of our thoughts and feelings. All good and bad actions that affect our health have the mind as their source. If we continue to crave unhealthful foods and entertain other unhealthful practices we will increase our risk of disease.