“Your health is not entirely dependent on your genetics. When you choose to take control of your health, you quit gambling with your life. You’re playing to win.”
March is Women’s History Month. In our last blog, I shared the signs of heart disease and life-saving information that teaches you how to prevent it. There is no cure; once you have it, you learn to manage it. I figured what better blog to start the month out with than one that deals with the topic of the #1 disease that affects and kills women, heart disease. Studies show that it is common for 1 in 16 women to have heart disease by the age of 20 and not even know it (Dr.axe.com). Over 300,000 people suffer repeat heart attacks every year. Clearly, something is wrong with the information and treatments patients are receiving. We’re missing something.
This week, I want to hone in on preventative care. You are surrounded by myths and trends that keep you sick. From diet to lifestyle habits to mindset, mainstream culture has it all wrong. Various stickers and stamps on your food packaging make it look “healthy”. You perceive sleep as an act of laziness, carelessness, and selfishness. You rake in hundreds of thousands of comments and opinions every single day thanks to social media, radio, television, advertisements, and the natural world around you.
Diet
I will always recommend adding more whole foods to your menu. Food is medicine.
Maintain Healthy Blood Pressure
- Pomegranate Juice
- Spinach
- Beetroot Juice
- Coriander
- Olive Oil
- Dark Chocolate
- Tomatoes
- Flaxseed
Manage Cholesterol Levels
- Onions
- Cabbage
- Broccoli
- Almonds
- Gluten-free Grains
Increase Fiber
- Passionfruit
- Avocados
- Pears
- Apples
- Sweet Potatoes
- Dates/Figs/Apricots/Prunes
- Peaches
- Carrots
- Macadamia Nut
Remember not to separate these foods from their skins. That’s where the fiber is packed! The avocado and macadamia nuts are completely between you and your creator. I’m not suggesting it.
Increase Omega 3s and Fatty Acids
- Fish Oil
- Cod Liver Oil
- Salmon
- Egg Yolks
- Walnuts
- Chia Seed
- Albacore Tuna
- Brussels Sprouts
Lifestyle Changes
You have probably been told that because an illness runs in the family, you’re doomed to go through the same struggle. Your genetics are only a part of a large wheel of factors involved in your health journey. What common decisions did your ancestors make that might impact their health? Did you all eat the same way? Did you all live in the same environments? Do you all think from similar perspectives?
How is your sleep life? Is it a priority? After reading this, it might be.
Lack of sleep brings about:
- Higher blood pressure
- Memory Loss
- Stress
- Weight Gain
- Brain Damage
- Depression
- Heart Attacks
- Strained Immunity
- Delayed Repairing in the Body
Proper Sleep reverses almost all of those symptoms and treats you to some added benefits like balanced hormones and a longer life expectancy.
Proper rest is not selfish and should be a priority. Late nights should not be a normal occurrence but an exception.
For a good night’s sleep, try:
- Turning off all LED screens and wifi 2 hours before bed
- Play white noise (rain, thunder, wind, fan) or ambient music overnight
- Take 200 to 400 mg of magnesium citrate an hour before bed
- Avoid foods high in sugar, especially later in the day
- Stretch, but don’t rigorously exercise before bed
- Get 20+ minutes of daylight every day. (Vitamin D helps metabolize sleep hormones)
- Avoid pharmaceutical medications that help with sleep (Melatonin included)
Mindset is another powerful tool in your health journey. What you expect will come back to you and ultimately determine how you feel. As a lab tech, I used to draw blood from muscular men twice my size who were covered in tattoos. They would pause and get nervous when the needles came out. Quite a few of them gave me the disclaimer that they passed out at the sight of a needle. It blew my mind that these same men could easily sit for hours, getting stabbed repeatedly, and think it was euphoric in a different setting. Expectation controls the outcome more than we realize.
There are many benefits to having a positive mindset. Here are a few according to Welldoing.org (welldoing.org)
- Increased longevity
- Reduced risk or symptoms of depression
- Lower levels of distress and anxiety
- Greater resistance to the common cold and immunity in general
- Better psychological and physical wellbeing
- Reduced risk of cardiovascular disease
- Better coping skills during times of stress and hardship
- Greater resilience and resourcefulness
- Better communication and relationships with others
- More happiness, fulfillment, and meaning in your life
- A greater sense of purpose in life
- A greater sense of connectedness to your fellow human beings, and spiritually
Can you use a few of these benefits? I think we all can.
As always, thanks for tuning into the blog, and I look forward to coming to you next week with some of the most influential women in my life in honor of Women’s History Month.
Bringing the family back to the table,
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