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It's not just about Healthy Living, but Living Health

Take a moment. Think about your day up to this point, or, think about yesterday. Think about every movement you’ve made. We all have a normal daily morning routine. Just pick that routine and imagine each muscle that you move to do those things.

What if I asked you to remember every person you crossed paths with, would you be able to remember something about them? What were they wearing, color of hair, or the shape of their nose or body?

Now think about every bite of food. You may remember what you ate, but do you remember every bite? Just try to remember every bite of your favorite food you’ve had most recently.

What if I asked you to remember every breath? Did you sigh or blow out in frustration (demonstrate)? Did you constrict your breath or growl because of stress or anger? To live health, you need to challenge yourself, physically, socially emotionally, AND spiritually every day. I mean… when was the last time you got out of your box, altered your norm, even drove home a different way?

Many fitness craves, so many day fixes, diets, DVD’s, YouTube videos, blogs will tell you that their formula for health is the BEST! I am here to tell you that they are! They are the BEST way for their creators to sell their wares. I am not here to sell you a program, nor am I here to tell you the program that is BEST. I am here to help you live health.

To live health is to be conscious of it at all times and in all ways. Every movement is an exercise. Every gathering is social. Every bite is nutrition. Every breath is meditative. Every day we can challenge ourselves in all ways.

Here are some facts:

The American College of Sports Medicine says…

“Engaging in regular exercise and reducing sedentary behavior is vital for the health of adults.” Exercise is defined as doing physical activity, “beyond activities of daily living,” (Garber, et. al. 2011). In other words, in order to reap the benefits of increased health and decreased disease, the individual must do things other than what they do all day.

FACT:

Cardiovascular training: 20-30 minutes, 5 or more days a week, intensity according to health.

Flexibility training: 60 or more sec (2 30-45 sec) stretch on all major warmed muscle groups,, 2-3 or more days per week, intensity to feeling “tightness or slight discomfort.”

Neuromuscular training: 20-30 minutes, 2-3 or more days per week, activities that challenge balance, agility, coordination, gait.

Buddhism touches on the reality of our social life with this lovely fact…

FACT:

“There is happiness in life, happiness in friendship, happiness of a family, happiness in a healthy body and mind, ...but when one loses them, there is suffering." Dhammapada, (San Francisco State University, n.d.).

Proper nutrition is offered by many, many, maaannny diet programs. According to the USDA guidelines, caloric needs change with age and activity level, but, a specific number of calories are needed for the human body to function optimally, (nih.gov, 2013). Too little is not enough. Too much is more than enough. We all know too much cake is too much cake, but a little is ok. (Laughter…I hope).

FACT:

Normal range for adult females is 1600 to 2400 calories daily.

Normal range for adult males is 2000 to 3000 calories daily.

Meditation may seem a foreign word to some, (especially after the Buddha comment) but my definition of a meditative practice is a place, time, or thing that makes you feel calm, peaceful and restored. The Harvard Business Review magazine had an article in 2015 titled, How Meditation Benefits CEOs, (Seppala, 2015). It lists these benefits to meditation.

FACT:

  • Meditation builds resilience – “a sense of control over” and “filled…with…calm”

  • Meditation boosts emotional intelligence – “maintain my peace of mind” and “not responding in an emotional manner”

  • Meditation enhances creativity – “Relaxed state of mind opens for AHA! moments”

  • Meditation improves relationships – “Boosts your mood” and “increases connection” and makes you a “more compassionate person”

  • Meditation helps you focus – “curb our tendency for distraction” and “strengthens focus” and “boosting memory”

Now we all know the definition of the “right” amount of exercise and belong to a “right” social group, (like a local church or social establishment, or both...or one is both!) We now know the “right” amount of food. We may even have a “right” meditation practice, (like prayer, a mantra or a walk in the woods). But remember, ANY amount of change in movement “beyond activities of daily living” is exercise? To maintain health we need to exercise. So here’s the idea…….. consciously think about every movement, every interaction every bite, every breath to challenge ourselves LIVE HEALTH ALL DAY EVERY DAY!!