Body wellness is the key to looking 40 at 70, or 50 at 80. Who doesn’t want that? It is very achievable if body wellness is something you value, and put the effort into making sure you take proper care of yourself. The reality is, only a small percentage of Americans have much concern regarding their body wellness. The numbers don’t lie, as 2/3 of Americans are overweight or obese. That is a staggering number that has many negative effects.
There are a number of components to body wellness:
- Heart health
- Skin health
- Circulation
- Teeth
- Healthy weight
- Blood pressure
- Healthy diet
Keys to Body Wellness
From the list above, there are a lot pieces in the puzzle of body wellness. The good news is, that even though the list is long, you only need to focus on a few priorities to cover them all. If you get these keys to body wellness correct, the rest will take care of itself! Here are the keys to the castle of wellness:
- Healthy Diet
- Exercise Daily
- Eliminate Bad Habits
- Protect Your Skin (especially your face)
- Have a Healthy, Positive Mindset
If you follow that blueprint, you will have a healthy and happy life. It won’t be perfect, but it will be solid. And more solid than 90% of others. Because although it is simple, it is not easy. But the rewards are 100 fold worth the effort. And once you start down the road to body wellness and see positive results, you will build momentum. The key is getting started!
Healthy Diet
Eating a healthy diet (most days) is the key to a body that runs efficiently, and protects against sickness and disease. Unfortunately, most Americans eat a very unhealthy diet, which greatly impacts a person’s health. Again, it’s simple, but not easy. Here is a very healthy sample menu with meal options:
Breakfast
- Egg Whites
- Oatmeal
- Whole Wheat Toast
- Blueberries
- Strawberries
- Low-fat Yogurt
- Protein Bar (quick and easy)
Lunch
- Chicken Salad (no croutons, cheese, or bacon)
- Grilled Chicken (white meat, no skin)
- Grilled or Blackened Fish
- Whole Wheat Turkey Sub (no mayo)
- Grilled Chicken Sandwich
Dinner
- Lean Steak (Sirloin is a great choice)
- Grilled or Baked Chicken Breast
- Turkey Breast Wrap
- Salmon with Olive Oil
Snacks
- Avocados
- Protein Bars (low fat, low carb)
- Celery
- Peanut Butter on Low-carb Wrap
There are thousands of recipe options built around these healthy, staple foods. And the link below is our health grocery list download.
Daily Exercise for Body Wellness
The number one thing you can do for body wellness is a healthy diet, but a close second is daily exercise. Yes, daily exercise! Daily is best because once you form a daily habit it becomes part of your routine, and your lifestyle. This makes it much easier to maintain and follow on a consistent basis.
Keep your exercise simple. Most people lose their way because things get complicated and they lose interest with the busyness of life. Exercise daily, with this simple, magical formula:
- Cardio 5 days a week
- Resistance Training (Weights) 2 days a week
And exercise is not just for losing weight, as the benefits exercise reach far beyond your waistline. It does not have to be hard-core cardio or weights either. A simple walk around the block on a consistent basis is a very good first step.
Some great exercise options are as follows:
- Brisk walk for 20 minutes
- Stationary bike for 20 minutes
- Jog-Walk for 20 minutes
- Treadmill for 20 minutes
- Jog for 20 minutes
And then as your fitness improves, it is good to progress to more intense cardio to get the heart rate racing. All cardio is excellent for your body wellness and overall health.
Kick the Bad Habits for Body Health
Eliminating bad habits can be one of the most challenging things a person can do. If you’re like most people, you can’t even fathom giving up your guilty pleasure!
Quitting Smoking for Body Wellness
But if you smoke, or drink excessively, you are setting yourself up for trouble down the road. The statistics on this are as clear as they are daunting. It can be done, and the most important part is the first couple of steps. And once you get past a few weeks, the physical connection rapidly disappears. Then its just getting past the emotional connection.
But at this point (after a few weeks), you will be feeling so much better about your health, your life, your future, your relationships, and more. There are thousands of stories out there of people who got their life back by ridding this poison from their life. Most ex-smokers and ex-drinkers will tell you…they rarely, if ever, think about their old habits. (1)
Alcohol is a Carcinogenic
Many people are well aware of the damage that alcohol can cause to your liver. And everyone has heard of what is considered the “worst case” when alcohol is abused: cirrhosis of the liver. However, many people are not aware that alcohol also causes cancer. The science is now clear that excessive alcohol use is a known cause of a number of cancers: mouth, throat, colon, rectum, breast, voice box, and esophagus. The American Cancer Society has accumulated decades of data to clearly identify the link between alcohol abuse and cancer. See the details here. (2, 3)
Protecting Your Skin is a Key for Body Wellness
It’s never too late to protect your skin from the sun, especially your face. Men and women should wear a daily sunscreen, even if you don’t have an outdoor job. Neutrogena offers many great options for daily skin protection. (4)
And you can look at a 65 year-old man or woman and tell pretty quickly if they protected their skin the last few decades. Neutrogena has wonderful skin creams with Retinol, Vitamin C, and SPF protection. Wear daily and you will not only protect you skin against future damage, but also improve the skin you have!
So whether you are relaxing at the beach in a super comfortable Tommy Bahama beach chair, or you’re putting in a long day at the office, always wear facial sunscreen. It’s one of the very best things you can do to protect your skin and reduce the effects of aging.
At 20 you get the looks you’re born with.
At 50 you get the looks you deserve!
Taking Care of Your Teeth
This is one we all know, but many of us get lazy and don’t take proper care of our teeth. So make sure to floss daily, and brush your teeth twice daily. The negative effects of not taking care of your teeth have been well documented, and here are some of the problems as outlined by the CDC. (5)
And so many people do not invest in a true “game changer” when it comes to proper teeth care – an electric toothbrush! It cleans your teeth 10X better, or probably more! It is a true powerhouse for properly cleaning your teeth, and makes all the difference. Once you try and use an electric toothbrush, you will certainly never go back!
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David Williams
A diet and fitness enthusiast, David Williams is an ex-Army Airborne Ranger and Infantry soldier with decades of fitness and wellness experience. A West Point graduate with a degree in engineering, he focuses on technical research related to fitness, nutrition, and wellness. He loves the beach, and spending time with his wife and daughters.
References
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2020). Adult Oral Health. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/oralhealth/basics/adult-oral-health/index.html.
- Anti-Aging Skincare Products, Treatments, Causes, & Concerns: NEUTROGENA®. Anti-Aging Skincare Products, Treatments, Causes, & Concerns | NEUTROGENA®. (n.d.). https://www.neutrogena.com/skin/skin-agingskin.
- The American Cancer Society medical and editorial content team. (2020). Alcohol Use and Cancer. American Cancer Society. https://www.cancer.org/cancer/cancer-causes/diet-physical-activity/alcohol-use-and-cancer.html.
- Mayo Clinic Staff. (2021). Cirrhosis. Mayo Clinic.
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/cirrhosis/symptoms-causes/syc-20351487. - Martin, T. (2020). Health Benefits to Expect in the First 3 Months After Quitting Smoking. Verywell Mind. https://www.verywellmind.com/quit-smoking-benefits-two-weeks-to-three-months-2824387.
