Never too old to start......

Yesterday I was encouraging my mom to purchase raw sugar instead of processed white sugar. She asked the question: "Does it really make that much difference at my age?" Good question. I had to think about that. If you have made it to 80, do you really need to follow ALL those "rules" of healthy eating? Or have you earned a "pass"? Lets look at this: If what you are eating makes you feel bad, then it has diminished the quality of your life - at any age. Healthy living is important at all ages. Being able to enjoy good health into your 80s and 90s is a gift you have given yourself with a healthy lifestyle. Changing the little things like sugar will make a difference in how you feel and increase the quality of your life now. So Mom, yes, it does make a difference!  If there is something unhealthy that you enjoy, and the enjoyment outweighs the ill effects, than by all means ENJOY! (once in a while)

Chew your Food

Chew your food!!!

Digestion is a very demanding task for your body, requiring a great deal of energy, especially if forced to digest improperly chewed food. Chewing properly allows your stomach to work more efficiently and break down your food faster. The chewing process serves as the first step in your digestive process. It takes time (generally about 20 minutes) for your brain to signal to your stomach that you are full. Saliva contains digestive enzymes, so the longer you chew, the more time these enzymes have to start breaking down your food, making digestion easier on your stomach and small intestine. This "predigestion" that starts in the mouth make digestion in the gut so much easier on your body. (This is one reason juicing is suggested for people who are ill and need to conserve their energy for healing.) So give your body a break, slow down and chew your food slowly until it starts to liquify. Remember, you only have one set of teeth in your body and this is your only chance to chew your food! Such a simple change that makes a world of difference in how you feel. 

Exercise

As a rule, I put the most attention on the nutrition side of health. I guess because that is where my interests lie. But if truth be known, EXERCISE gets more points in the overall scheme of things. What you put into your mouth is very important, however, you will get just as much (ok, maybe more) results from adding more exercise to your daily routine. Exercise equals movement. Thirty minutes a day is recommended, however small spurts of exercise throughout the day can be just as beneficial. Our lifestyles have become so sedentary. We sit for longer periods of time. Studies are showing that sitting for long periods is the worst thing you can do. Taking just 1 minute 40 seconds every 30 minutes (yes, someone did a study to come up with that number) to do a little exercise will increase your productivity, clear your brain, increase your circulation, lift your mood and prolong your life. Pretty good return on a couple of minutes! Set the alarm on the phone you never go anywhere without for every 30 minutes and add joy to your day and longevity to your life!

One minute 40 second Exercise: stretch arms high...stretch left, then right. Bend at waist and reach to the floor (just as far as is comfortable). Hang out there for a few seconds - blood to the brain is a good thing. Do this 3-4 times. Squat like you are going to sit in a chair and up - do this 10-15 times. Walk in place, knees high, about 30 steps (or find a flight of stairs!). Hips in place, swivel arms around to stretch behind you - both sides. All that should take over a minute. Find the routine that works for you and get that heart pumping a bit.

As always, get the junk food out of your life, put whole foods into your body, and MOVE! Understand that something is always better than nothing!