Our recipe for good health

Nothing in life is better than when you genuinely feel your best. Our approach to good health is pretty simple, which helps make it achievable. Best of all, it works!

Here's the recipe we follow:

Eat well.

It starts with what we put into our bodies. Making good food choices is the foundation of good health. You are what you eat.

In today’s world, it’s hard to know what is truly healthy. You hear from everywhere things are healthy. But what is healthy? There’s too much info and it’s hard to know what’s true.

Have you ever asked yourself, “Why do I eat?” I ask you because some people learned something believing it’s true and now it’s just a habit. Perhaps it’s a bad habit. We need to eat, but do we need to eat all the time and everything or do we need to focus on what our bodies really need?

Another question: How many diets have you tried before? Why did you try them? To lose weight? Because of health issues? To follow the current trend or perhaps do what your friends are doing?

Did your diet work over the long term? Diets are not a lifestyle: They’re designed for a limited time with specific goals. Afterwards, did your success last? How many times in a year do you need to go on a diet to maintain your success? Or do you go on one at certain times, like “beach body” season?

What do you think – wouldn’t it feel better if you were always happy with your body?

When you diet, it doesn’t mean that you’re not hungry. Not every diet gives you a guarantee that you won’t be hungry. Yes, you may lose weight but it’s easy for the pounds to come back because your body is missing key vitamins or minerals the diet doesn’t provide.

Going on a diet is not the same as changing your diet.

I don’t know how old you are or what your physical condition is. From my experience, I’ve seen young and old alike change their diet, their lifestyle, and they are healthier, happier and feel (and look!) younger than they did before making the change. If anything, they are sorry they didn’t start earlier. 

The good news is it’s never too late to change your lifestyle.

There are two sides to this change. 

One, lifestyle changes are not easy. Why? Often, there’s limited support from those closest to you, e.g., family members, friends. Not everyone likes to cook. Old habits are hard to break. Often people focus on what foods they can no longer eat and feel sorry for themselves.

On the other hand, it may be easy to change. You have a specific reason a lifestyle change could help; for example, an illness for which you’re seeking some relief. In today’s world, there are more opportunities to find the foods that fit your lifestyle. There are websites and social media groups who can help you on your quest.

I understand everyone needs to discover the lifestyle change that meets their needs. We all have different preferences and tastes as well as beliefs. In our case, we prefer the paleo lifestyle and have had only positive experience from changing to it more than 10 years ago.

Why? Because this diet helped reduce inflammations (allergies, etc.), we aren’t hungry (it’s naturally low carb), and we eat less than we used to since the food is so vitamin and mineral rich. We’re believers and recommend you give it a try.

Switching to truly healthy food does not mean the food is boring or tasteless. After giving up highly processed foods loaded with sugar, you can enjoy the real taste of the food you eat. And believe me, we can live without commercial doughnuts. 😊

Keep moving.

We are mobile creatures, and movement is a key part of healthy living. A daily walk is good for the body, mind, and soul.

Not everyone aspires to be a bodybuilder. Sometimes the goal is simpler – to be able to stand erect or bend over to tie your shoes. 

A little movement – fresh air, walking – helps. Don’t overwhelm yourself thinking about weightlifting or running a marathon. Consider smaller intervals of light movement. Not everyone has access to the same opportunities, like a gym or fitness class. Take advantage of what’s available to you. Stretching is free and working in the garden benefits both you and the garden!

Seek movement that you can manage multiple times a day without finding excuses for why not to do it. Do something you enjoy – it’s easier to continue if you like what you’re doing! If you like it, it’s not an obligation, it’s a choice and you’ll be happier as a result. 

Consider this: What did you do when you were a kid? What activity did you enjoy? Can you still do that? Or how can you adjust for where you are today?

Adding movement to your daily routine doesn’t have to be a big deal. What can you manage? Start small and build from there. Perhaps a 15-minute walk daily? Walking does wonders for your body, mind, and soul. The important thing is to not sit all day – and then all evening – but to move some.

Stay curious.

Staying curious with a lifelong passion for learning keeps us young.

So, are you curious? What does being curious mean to you? 

Today, we frequently accept what someone says just because we want to believe it. It’s normal, but is it always a good decision?

We often forget that during the time when we grew up, we heard a couple of rules, but we never questioned them, we just accepted them since they came from someone important to us and we are certain that person wanted to give us the best advice.

Is it sometimes better to be a little skeptical and check to see what’s real? What is the truth?

Maybe we need to investigate if this was sage advice? For example, can we truly not live without grains or is there another solution?

Or, when you have a headache - and before you reach for medicine - do you ask yourself whether you've had enough water today? Or did you get enough sleep last night? Or do you need to take a minute for some deep breaths to relax? 

So, then, if you’re really curious, you know what’s real. For example, being curious about why your head hurts, or what healthy food is, or what does “keep moving” mean.

We are lucky because we have the Internet and I’m pretty sure the question in your head has been asked before and someone, somewhere, has found the true answer. It’s not always a lot of work or time to find answers – we’re living in the 21^st Century!

I’m also sure you have an interest or hobby that you like to do more than other, less interesting, things. Are you curious about how you can improve your knowledge or skills in this area? Just look for the answer and I’m sure you will find it.

Final thoughts.

Do you know how things become a habit? If each day you spend a little time on something on purpose, the time comes when you don’t need to focus on spending time on this, it’s just part of your daily routine. You just need to be patient with yourself. When a baby learns how to walk, she falls all the time and then gets up and tries again, moving forward. You have more experience than a baby, so you know it’s worth it to keep going.

A lifestyle change is the same process. You start, trying different things; some things work, some don’t, and you adjust. It’s a learning process. You learn more and more and then you are knowledgeable about this.

It’s impossible for a lifestyle change to be easy for everyone: if it was, we’d all make the change immediately! Maybe you are the person who understands it’s worth it to try and change your lifestyle even if you have no idea how long the journey will be because that’s not what’s important.

What is important is for you to enjoy this journey because in the end you will be proud of yourself. It’s worth the effort. You will get your reward.

Our recipe is simple: eat well, keep moving, and stay curious. Trying any one of these ideas will bring positive change to your life; embracing all three will help facilitate a healthy, rich, and engaging lifestyle that will serve you for many healthy years!

I hope these thoughts inspire you to start your wellness journey! And never forget, you are never alone on this journey. Many people are with you, including me!  ❤️