Nancy's Key Health Concepts

Rainbow over a meadow

Do you want to overflow with vibrant health? The more healthy living strategies you incorporate into your day, the more energy you'll have to live the life you're called to lead.

After looking at this list, you'll probably feel like you're not taking care of yourself as well as you'd like. You're not alone! This list represents the ideal and no one lives up to it 100% every day.

So be gentle with yourself. Start with small improvements and work up. Celebrate any steps you take towards better health. Focus on the progress you make, not on how far you have to go.

    The Right Fuel: Healthy Eating

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    1. Adding high-fiber, nutrient-rich foods to your diet will do wonders for your health

    Start with fruits and vegetables. They give you the most nutrients per calorie, so you fill up and cut calories at the same time. Every day, eat salad with all the colors of the rainbow. Work towards eating 7 to 9 servings of fruits and vegetables daily. One serving is a piece of fruit, 1 cup of greens such as lettuces or spinach, or 1/2 cup chopped fruit or veggies. Once you start eating your fruits and vegetables, you will improve your immunity so you can fight off infections better, increase your energy, get to a proper weight, look great and feel wonderful about yourself!

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    2. Add a small amount of healthy fats to your diet

    Avocado, olives, unsalted raw nuts and seeds, flax and olive oils all provide the special fats your body needs for optimal brain function, hormone function, nerve function, transport of fat-soluble vitamins, reducing inflammation, and more.

    Woman deciding between chocolate and apple

    3. Jettison the junk

    Stop putting toxins in your body! When you fill up on refined, processed foods you have no room for the healthy foods. So avoid soda, white bread, pasta, bagels, donuts, chips, pretzels, candy, cakes, ice cream, processed meats, anything with Monosodium Glutamate (MSG), artificial colors, flavors, or preservatives. Instead eat delicious fruits, vegetables, whole grain breads and pastas and brown rice. Make your own home-made treats with whole wheat flour and less sugar. Cut out cigarettes, alcohol, drugs, and any other toxic temptations.

    Woman deciding between chocolate and apple

    4. Drink Water

    You need plenty of it to keep your body well lubricated and running at its best.

    The Right Maintenance: Healthy Rest and Exercise

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    5. Get moving!

    Work towards investing thirty minutes a day, five days a week in a mixture of weight-bearing exercises and aerobic/cardio activities.

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    6. Get your rest!

    Work towards sleeping 7 to 8 hours on average per night. With proper rest, you can improve your metabolism, your energy and your immune systems.

    Formulate a Forward Focus

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    7. Keep a positive attitude

    Ask yourself what you really want in life. Make goals and include why you want to achieve them and how you will feel when you do. At the end of each day, ask yourself, "What did I do well today?" "How can I do better tomorrow?" If you make a poor choice, that's okay-no one's perfect. Get back up on the horse as they say, and keep going. Learn from your mistakes; they can teach you what you need to do to avoid stumbling in the future. Then focus on doing better tomorrow.

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    8. Get support

    You become like the people you are with most of the time. So think about what they're like. Do they love you? Are they helping you become the best you can be? Find a friend or family member who also wants to improve their health and work at it together. No scolding or put-downs allowed; just positive, "yes, you can!" encouragement. Listen to motivational messages such as those from Zig Ziglar or read books like, The Purpose Driven Life by Rick Warren. Get spiritual support that nurtures your soul.

    Woman deciding between chocolate and apple

    9. Support others

    We grow the most when we give of ourselves. Find someone else who needs a friend, a coach or mentor, a big brother or sister, a Grandma, a Dad or just a helping hand. If you're like most of us, you'll find great joy and fulfillment in serving others, and even the motivation to become your best so you can help them even more.

Your Next Step

No doubt you're eager to feel better and want to start living in a healthier way. Here at Healthy Living Strategies, we want that too.

As you consider making these healthy changes in your life, you might feel discouraged. You might be worried about pressure from friends and family, the seeming impossibility of breaking longstanding habits or simply the feeling that you cannot do it alone. But you don't have to do it alone! When Nancy is your personal coach, she educates and encourages you. She helps you choose which steps to take so you experience success and stay positive and motivated.