From personal experience, I know that health naturally deteriorates. No one’s health gets better by accident or by neglect. Rather, it is maintained and nurtured by daily care.
The age at which your health begins to suffer depends on many different factors. That is why I believe it is never too early to begin caring for your health.
Car owners take good care of their cars by insuring them against damage or collisions, washing them regularly, vacuuming out the insides, changing the oil, and making sure there is enough fuel. Cars are not cheap, and it’s important to keep them running well. No one wants to or plans to break down on the side of the interstate, get in a collision, or have their car vandalized.
On the other hand, some of the same people that take meticulous care of their cars (or houses, pets, you name it) will neglect their health. I was one of those people, and I write this article from that perspective.
As a lifestyle trainer, my main job is to raise awareness because that is what I lacked til a few years ago.
Here are four ways I learned almost too late about ruining my health.
1. Neglect eating fruits and vegetables.
After all, they spoil quickly, require washing and cutting, and aren’t so convenient to have around. On top of they are not the cheapest foods to buy. Why buy a pound of strawberries when you can buy those fruit snacks that are on sale and have a rebate on top of that?
Perspective change: realize that unprocessed foods have the most nutritional value, in spite of what the “nutritional information” on that box of fruit snacks says.
2. Choose the faster, easier option for eating.
Rather than washing vegetables and chopping them for a salad, you can just stop by a drive thru and get your food–fast and easy. This fast and easy option can actually turn into a very expensive health disaster in a few years. Fast food has chemicals in it that make you want to eat more. You’ll also want to eat more because there is very little nutritional value in that food. Yes, I know from experience.
Perspective change: Realize that the time you spend in the kitchen cooking is an investment in your health. List three long-term benefits of cooking from scratch more often than you are right now.
3. Consume sugary beverages.
As a former lover and huge consumer of fruit juices, I can tell you how much my blood sugar was affected by them! I was constantly thirsty because fruit juices often have sugar added to them. Yes, that is in addition to the natural sugar from the fruit. My reasoning was that it was healthier than eating a donut. Well, now I look back and wonder how much healthier it really was, especially when you consider the chemicals added to most commercial juices.
Iced coffee, carbonated beverages, and sports beverages all have sugar in them, and that sugar is very detrimental to your gut and dental health.
Perspective change: Think of how much extra money you would have for healthy food if you drank good, filtered water instead of sugary drinks. Your teeth will thank you too!
4. Clean with harsh chemicals.
When I was a staff member at my alma mater, a girl who came from a home where only natural cleaners were used mixed two chemical cleaners. Even with a breeze going through that hallway, the smell was unbearable!
Have you considered why your cleaners are labeled as toxic? And why does a glass cleaner need ammonia in it? Seriously! My mirror gets splashed with water and toothpaste and no much else! Surely it does not take ammonia to clean off toothpaste.
Perspective change: Realize that you are breathing the chemicals that you are using for cleaning. In addition, those chemicals are being dumped into the lakes and rivers in your area and farther.
This is just the beginning of the list. If what I have written to you motivates you to make some positive changes in your life, I’d love to hear from you. Email me right now using this form, and I will get back to you to schedule a time to chat to see if the work that I do would make sense for you. During this call, I will listen to your health concerns and will give you a plan to get rid of those concerns naturally.
I look forward to your email!
Luba
