I love when a commercial comes on for a medication. They take their time, play pleasant music, and have a person talking about the benefits of taking their medication. I’m dating myself here, but do you remember the micro machine guy? He would talk so fast you could barely understand him, rattling off a ton of information in a very short period of time. That is what they do in the medication commercials. Often the side effects that they list are worse than what you are trying to treat in the first place. Why does the FDA approve them? I won’t go on a rant about the FDA, but let’s just say they aren’t always looking out for us like they make it seem. Anyways, what if there were a better way? What if you could get the benefits of the medication WITHOUT the side effects?
A recent study looked at 4 common treatments.
- Prevention of heart disease
- Stroke rehabilitation
- Treatment of heart failure
- Prevention of diabetes
I want to point out that this was not a small study. The study involved over 300,000 people. 15,000 of them received physical intervention (exercise), while the rest received drug treatment. The results are AWESOME! With prevention of heart disease and prevention of diabetes, there was no significant difference between the two groups. With stroke victims, exercise was actually MORE EFFECTIVE with extending mortality. The only place that the drugs were more effective was with treatment of heart failure. This makes sense because the damage is done and you may not be able to handle the exercise.
One of the most common questions that I get from people is, “What is the best exercise to do”? The answer is simple. The best exercise is the one that you will do! It doesn’t matter if every study showed that one specific exercise was the best in the world. If you are not going to do it, it doesn’t matter.
IMPORTANT! – If you are currently taking a medication, DO NOT STOP without talking to your doctor first!
Look at the health problems that are facing the world these days. The vast majority of them are caused by lifestyle decisions that we make. We do not eat right, and we do not exercise enough, if at all. Exercise and proper diet are not just a great way to help heal your body, but they are the ultimate preventative maintenance. Don’t worry, it is not as complicated as you may think to start living healthier.
Here are some changes that you can make to start improving your health.
- Put down the soda and drink some water. Actually, drink lots of water. Think about it like this. Most of your body is made up of water. If you are not drinking enough of it, your body is unable to perform everything that it needs to. That results in problems, all sorts of problems.
- Limit your coffee intake top 2-3 cups/day. A small amount has great benefits. Coffee is loaded with antioxidants, and caffeine (in moderation) helps stimulate brain activity. Too much starts to cause problems!
- Start moving around more! OK, maybe you aren’t ready to start a 3-5 day/week 30-60 minute per day workout routine. How about walking for 30 minutes 3 times/week? Do something! Start moving around more.
- EAT FRUITS AND VEGETABLES!!!!!! When is the last time you ate the recommended amount of fruits and vegetables in a day? Have you ever? Fruits and vegetables are incredibly beneficial for our bodies. They help prevent a vast variety of diseases, including cancer.
- Try A Beachbody Challenge Pack! Beachbody’s Challenge Packs are a great way to start living a healthier life. They include a fitness program and a month supply of Shakeology (known as the healthiest meal of the day). You can learn more about Shakeology By Clicking Here. Basically Shakeology is 70 + fruits, vegetables and herbs thrown into a blender. The challenge packs give you a reduced (VERY REDUCED) price over ordering a program and Shakeology separate. Also, if you decide that you would like to share Beachbody with others to help them live a healthier life, you can become a coach and the $40 coach signup fee is waived. You have 30 days from when you order the pack to take advantage of that deal. By combining exercise with the incredible nutritional benefits of Shakeology, you may just find yourself getting into the best shape of your life!
CLICK HERE TO ORDER A CHALLENGE PACK
I always tell people that you can approach your health in 1 of 2 ways.
- First, you can live an unhealthy life and pay for it later. You will pay for it with money (lots and lot of money), poor quality of life, and potentially a shorter life.
- Second, you can pay now to stay healthy. This will require money and time, but results in a higher quality of life, and a potentially longer life.
It always blows me away that people will spend $100/month for cable TV, $4/day (which is about $120 month) on coffee or lattes, and don’t get me started on how much smokers spend on cigarettes. Start investing in your health, not into things that are harming your health. If you can’t afford a program or Shakeology, that doesn’t mean that you can’t be healthier. Find something that you can do! Water is readily available from your faucet, although I do suggest some sort of filter. Personally, I use a basic pitcher filter. Walking is free, although you should have a good pair of shoes. Start moving around and eating healthier. You don’t need to be a nutritionist to know what foods to stay away from. Avoid fried foods, and stop eating white pasta and bread. Reduce (eliminate if possible) your soda intake. Use common sense, it’s a great place to start! Look at the top right hand corner of this page. You can sign up there for my free health and fitness tips. It is a great place to start!
