The start of a new year is the perfect time to renew your commitment to better health. Here are the most valuable steps you can resolve to take to put yourself on the pathway to healing in 2011.
1. Maintain a Healthy Weight
Part of being healthy means achieving and maintaining your ideal weight. Obesity has been linked to several serious medical conditions, including: heart disease and stroke; high blood pressure; diabetes; gallbladder disease and gallstones; osteoarthritis; gout; breathing problems, such as sleep apnea and asthma; and even cancer. Furthermore, the more obese a person is the more likely he or she is to have health problems.
Even people who are 20 percent or more overweight can gain significant health benefits from dropping a few pounds. A modest weight loss of 10 to 20 pounds can bring significant health improvements, such as lowering one's blood pressure and cholesterol levels.
Exercising regularly, following a Mediterranean diet, planning ahead for meals, monitoring your progress, and if needed, taking specialized supplements can all help you achieve your weight management goals.
2. Exercise Regularly
Incorporating regular exercise into your routine can not only help with #1, but has a host of additional benefits. It may lower your risk of cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, osteoporosis, sleep problems, musculoskeletal pain and macular degeneration. Exercise also boosts energy, immunity, brain power, mood, and self-image.
Most of these benefits can be achieved with 30-45 minutes of aerobic activity – such as walking, biking, swimming, dancing – most days of the week. Incorporating flexibility and strengthening exercises would provide numerous additional advantages.
3. Follow the Mediterranean Diet and Drink Green Tea
The Mediterranean diet has been shown to have numerous health benefits, including reducing the risk of heart disease, prostate and breast cancer; fewer problems with menopause, inflammation and obesity; and even reducing mortality from all causes.
The Mediterranean diet is very similar to the diet outlined in Genesis1:29 and 9:3, and features daily consumption of olive oil; whole grains such as dark breads, brown rice, bran cereals, whole wheat pasta; raw fruits and a variety of dark green, orange and cruciferous vegetables; nuts; low- or non-fat dairy such as yogurt and cheese. Fish, skinless poultry, eggs, and beans (navy, pinto and kidney) are also eaten 2-3 times per week, while lean red meat is eaten only 2-3 times per month. Refined sugars and flours are eaten only sparingly.
In addition, add green tea to your diet. Green tea has been linked to many health benefits, including fighting cancer and heart disease, lowering cholesterol, burning fat, preventing diabetes and stroke, and staving off dementia.
4. Take a Daily Complete Supplement
Ongoing research confirms how His healing often flows through a program of natural supplements. One out of three of God's original health laws addressed nutrition, and we are blessed to have in our midst all the foods we need to form and maintain our bodies. Today's natural supplements provide concentrations of those life-giving foods – in fact, recent medical studies consistently show that people do better when taking nutritional supplements
The need for supplementation is clear. Soil depletion; increased exposure to pollution, toxins and stress; longer transport and storage time for foods; diets high in refine, processed foods; and the increased use of pharmaceutical drugs all compromise the quality of nutrients and our ability to use them.
There are seven essential categories of 63 basic elements or groups that you need to put into your body every day:
1. Vitamins and Basic Antioxidants
2. Minerals
3. Essential Fatty Acids
4. Fruit and Vegetable Extracts
5. Super Antioxidants
6. Enzymes for Digestion/Absorption
7. Brain, Cell and Nervous System Complex
5. Address Specific Health Concerns
If you are at risk for or currently have specific health conditions, such as diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, arthritis, digestive disorders, cataracts, etc., do what you can in the natural to address them now.
Beginning with steps 1-4 above can provide a great start, but for additional benefits try a targeted supplement program (such as Blood Sugar Support, Cardiovascular Support, Joint Support, Vision Support, etc.) and following guidance for your condition. In this website, search by key word such as "cholesterol", "arthritis", "diabetes" or others to find articles, Dr. Cherry radio programs or videos related to the topic.
6. Pray for Guidance and Healing
Ask whatever you will in Jesus' name and He will answer you. Apply Philippians 4:6,7 KJV: Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
Here are five effective way to pray for healing.
• Pray for openness to hear God's voice.
• Pray to know how to pray.
• Pray for correct understanding of Scripture.
• Specifically target your prayers against your disease
• Pray for your own individual pathway to healing.
Incorporate these steps into your daily life, and enjoy a healthy New Year!
Dr. Reginald B. Cherry (drcherry.org) is a member of the American Medical Association, Texas Medical Association, Harris County Medical Society, and the American College of Preventive Medicine. Dr. Cherry has authored numerous articles on Preventive Medicine, emphasizing nutrition and exercise. He also speaks extensively on these topics nationwide and conducts numerous seminars for various groups and organizations. Currently, his weekly television program reaches 80 million homes. www.thepathwaytohealing.com
