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Is There a Secret To Living Long?
People often ask me what my “secret formula” is to maintaining a healthy lifestyle. More than likely they’re asking because they want to lose and keep off weight. Or they’re looking to avoid major illness.
They don’t always love my general answer: Eat REAL food, exercise, detox regularly, use health-promoting supplements and essential oils while embracing a non-toxic lifestyle.
But the truth is that unless you do all of these (not just one), you can be short-changing yourself.
Lifelong Health
Our overall health and vitality depend on many factors including:
- Nutrition – nutrients are required by organisms and cells to stay alive
- Physical activity – aim for at least 30 minutes of physical activity every day (I’m a huge fan of using a rebounder)
- Weight management – for young and middle-aged adults, a BMI of 18.5 to 24.9 is within a healthy weight range.
- Rest and stress management – poor sleepers and those who don’t handle stress well actually have a greater risk of heart attack or stroke.
- Reducing our toxic exposure – answer these questions to see if you’re have too many toxins in your life. Click here for my video, Cleanse Yourself: Detoxification in a Toxic World.
- Incorporate certified pure, therapeutic grade essential oils – these small molecules are safe, cheap and effective plant-based medicine that can be used for targeted wellness goals.
A long life full of vitality and healthy aging begins with providing your cells with essential nutrients and metabolic factors to help them perform optimally.
Nutrition
One of my favorite quotes from Michael Pollan is “eat plants not food made in a plant”. Here are some examples of real food that will assist you in living longer:
Avocado – Avocados are a great source of anti-inflammatory fats, vitamin E, protein, magnesium, B vitamins. Not to mention that they taste great and have incredible health benefits.
Nuts – There are so many benefits of nuts. They reduce inflammation, they are great for heart health, brain health and for regulating your weight. Bonus: they prevent food cravings!
Dark Chocolate – Another superfood that tastes great. Dark chocolate lowers blood sugar, lowers blood pressure and improves circulation and digestion (it improves the good bacteria in your gut).
Red Wine – The resveratrol in red wine is shown to slow the progression of Alzheimer’s. And the tannins – what makes wine the color red – contain procyanidins, which are known for protecting against heart disease. Keep in mind, that moderation is the key.
Fatty Fish – Wild Alaskan salmon, tuna, sardines, mackerel, and trout are considered “fatty fish” because they are full of omega-3 fatty acids. They are also a good source of vitamin D, protein, some B vitamins and selenium.
Nutrients for Lifelong Health
Here are key nutrients that are important for optimal vitality and health:
- EPA – also known as fish oil, which may slightly lower the risk of dying of heart failure.
- DHA – required for healthy brain functioning, also enhances cardiovascular health.
- ALA – also known as alpha lipoic acid, it increases the availability of antioxidants to cells, reduces cellular damage, promotes health, and targets cancer cells.
- SDA – stearidonic acid is a shorter long-chain omega-3 fatty acid and is a protector of cardiovascular health.
- Astaxanthin – protects the eyes, skin, joints and central nervous system, as well as boosts immunity, reduces risks of cancer and prevents heart disease.
- Lutein – protects against cataracts and macular degeneration.
- Lycopene – a powerful antioxidant that may help to prevent heart disease, atherosclerosis, and even breast and prostate cancers.
- Vitamin C – another strong antioxidant that may reduce the risk of chronic diseases.
- Vitamin D3 – helps the gut absorb calcium, which ultimately promotes strong and healthy bones. Also is helpful in reducing inflammation and boosting immune function and cell growth.
- Vitamin K – essential nutrient that is necessary for responding to injuries, as it regulates normal blood clotting. Vitamin K may also be helpful for bone health.
- Folate – creates more red blood cells, preventing hearing loss, and preserving the brain health of infants.
- Vitamin B12 – an essential vitamin that is used for memory loss, Alzheimer’s disease, to slow aging, and to boost mood, energy, concentration, mental function, and the immune system.
- Pantothenic Acid – a vitamin also known as B5 and has a long list of health benefits, including preventing allergies, heart issues, low blood sugar, depression, Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis and more.
- Iron – a mineral vital to the proper function of hemoglobin, a protein needed to transport oxygen in the blood.
- Zinc – a mineral used for boosting the immune system, for treating the common cold and recurrent ear infections, the flu, upper respiratory tract infections, preventing and treating lower respiratory infections, and more.
If you were to purchase and take these daily, that would get expensive and you’d be spending most of your day swallowing pills. Which is why I choose to get them from doTERRA’s Lifelong Vitality Pack which gives you all of these whole-food nutrients.
What do you do to improve the quality of your life? I’d love for you to share below. And if you’d like a 15 minute free consultation, click here to schedule something with me.
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Disclosure: this post contains affiliate links.
