Today I want to tell you about 8 changes to improve your health which although very simple will be life changing. These are helping me personally and are part of my larger plan to return to good health after a period of long term illness.
My life was dramatically changed following my first retinal detachment. It affected everything. No longer being able to work on the gym floor as an instructor or personal trainer forced me to follow a different career path. It was natural for me to begin writing on healthy lifestyles living and personal development. After all that’s what my professional qualifications were in as well as being my passions. Hence I began writing this blog Healthy Lifestyles Living back in 2009.
I have continued writing and blogging ever since. It’s been nearly seven years. I have had a roller coaster ride during this time particularly when it comes to my health. In the last 5 years I have had far more issues to contend with then during the rest of my days on this earth.
“A healthy body is a guest-chamber for the soul; a sick body is a prison..”
Francis Bacon
My second retinal detachment nearly 16 months ago brought an incredible decline for me health wise. Constant fatigue, headaches, breathlessness, abdominal pain, severe back problems consumed my life, together with the emotional stress of coming to terms with my vision loss. Then there’s the shadow on my lungs and strange cells in my blood which has so far resulted in two cancer scares. The overall effect of this had left me very weak, overweight and energy less.
Now my new favourite saying is no more. I have the knowledge and skills to bring about a full recovery. My life from this moment forward is going to travel the path from illness to wellness. I’m going to be helping not just myself but others who have found their lives totally affected in a negative way by their health.
I may be visually impaired but I have a vision in my mind of the life I intend living. It’s not one plagued by ill health. I want to be myself again. That’s my definition of recovery. Can it happen? Of course it can.
It’s not uncommon to struggle with establishing a healthy lifestyle, particularly after ill health. It takes a little extra effort, but that doesn’t mean it’s impossible. If you’re motivated enough, you can do it.
Do you want to be healthy and happy? It’s more than just dieting or exercise! It’s about introducing small changes to your life which will make a difference.
These 8 changes to improve your health will help you lead a healthier, happier life as they’re starting to do for me.
“To keep the body in good health is a duty, otherwise we shall not be able to keep our mind strong and clear.”
Buddha
1. Detox Diet
Having suffered from ill health for a while it’s time to get charge over my body. I have been feeding myself badly and this will have had a detrimental effect internally. So many toxins and crap are probably clogging up my systems. To make sure I cleanse myself internally I am doing a 28 day detox diet which in the main consists of drinking juices made from vegetables, greens and fruit. I assure you this is a great first step to begin getting yourself back to good health.
Here is another example of a great detox diet I’ve written about previously – A Good Body Cleansing Diet
2. Begin Walking
Time to stretch my legs and get my body moving. Cardiovascular exercise is a must do for anyone, and walking is in truth as good as it comes. I would start with a 20 minute brisk walk, and over time build it to about 50 minutes of fast walking. I will benefit in so many ways from doing this, as will you. Moving your body, putting it through its paces, waking it up is one of the best things you can do for yourself. It will have a really positive, profound effect on you.
Check out this article – Physical activity improves quality of life
3. Time for Relaxation
Taking care of my physical self and my mental self through progressive muscular relaxation and stretching. Getting back to flexibility, waking up all my muscles and giving time to relaxation is so important for good health. Check out my free download including audio recordings teaching you how to do a variety of relaxation exercises.
Check out this article – 8 Relaxation Techniques That You Can Use Daily
4. Calm your Mind
Totally calming my mind through meditation. Stress can affect your health in many ways so it’s really important to manage it effectively. Just slowing down, giving yourself 10 minutes to calm yourself brings many great benefits.
Check out this article – Relaxation Technique Three: Meditation
5. See my success through visualization
So often we start to do things in order to achieve a particular end result, but don’t actually believe we can achieve it. This type of attitude ensures you will fail. Not only is it important you believe you can make a full recovery after ill health but you can imagine how different your life will be. You need to be able to cast your mind forward seeing yourself fit, in great shape, full of energy, and incredibly well.
Check out this article – Visualize Your Life As Though It Was Perfect
6. Get control over my thoughts.
Banish negativity only allow positivity. One of the worst things we do to ourselves is allow our minds to become absorbed with negativity. This is one of the worst toxins we can allow to pollute our body. We need to begin banishing these negative thoughts, noticing them as soon as they come into our minds, deliberately stopping them, and replacing them with a positive alternative.
Check out this article – How To Change Your Life In A Week
7. Get at least 8 hours of sleep a night.
Sleep has so many benefits and is crucial for good health. Getting enough sleep keeps your immune system strong and recharges your body. One of the things we know is important when trying to recover after ill health is to take things slowly and make sure we get as much rest as we need. Our body and mind will let us know when it needs sleep.
Check out this article – Sleep Your Way to a Healthy Lifestyle
8. Drink Water and Green Tea
As part of an overall detox its best to stop drinking coffee and sodas. I have to be honest I drink way to much coffee and having stopped for 2 weeks I already feel the benefits. I now drink water and green tea and no coffee, dam did I really give it up. My first drink every morning now is lemon water which helps to cleanse your liver and many say is a great drink to start your hydration with.
I’m writing this while on the children’s ward at the RVI Hospital in Newcastle. My grandson was brought in last night with a dreadful cough. Watching him coughing struggling to breath with tubes attached to him from three different machines is heart breaking. I know he is going to be fine. It’s just another message to me that health is paramount and living a healthy lifestyle and considering the key elements of wellness is essential. More on these and my grandsons progress next week.
So there you have it 8 changes to improve your health. I will be sharing more health articles, healthy eating inspiration, fitness posts and much more to help you be healthier particularly if recovering from ill health.
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Hi Larry, great article! Thanks for sharing. Stop drink sodas is a must, drinking it could lead to a variety of chronic health conditions, including diabetes and heart disease… Also, I would add 9: The health dangers of a sedentary lifestyle – A study published in a 2012 edition of the British Journal of Sports Medicine found that those who watched six or more hours of television per day shortened their life expectancy by nearly five years when compared to those who watched no television. Helen
A great point Helen. A sedentary lifestyle can literally be a killer. In this modern world it is so common for people to spend an excessive amount of time in front of computers, TV’s or tapping away at their mobiles. I have a simple saying, we were born with 2 legs and are meant to be using them