The Cost of Health

How much is your health worth to you?
In real terms, place a monetary value on your health. Consider all the aspects of your health that you value: energy, weight loss, cardiovascular fitness, disease prevention, freedom from pain, sleep quality, and even emotional state.
Really think about your health, the only asset you will control over the course of your entire life and the only factor that determines how you are able to spend your time. The most valuable asset you have is your health.

I love to read magazines about all of the hottest trends in society. I find it interesting and entertaining. The one thing I notice time and time again is that people will spend money on maintaining the illusion of health before they will spend money to maintain real health. By this, I mean botox, hair removal, skin dermabrasion, plastic surgery, diet pills, and thousands of dollars of supplements that they do not even need. People are more willing to dedicate hours of their time to pursuits that yield external modification with little internal change. I am not advocating against any of these techniques, in fact, I fully support people doing things that help them feel more beautiful, powerful, sexy and happy. However, doing entirely external modifications without working to enhance your health and beauty from the inside does not make sense. For a time these modifications may help maintain an external appearance of perfect health, yet do nothing to promote internal health.

How a body ages is directly proportional to how the body is treated while aging. Nutrition is the number one factor in anti-aging medicine, yet few people seem to understand good nutrition. Some think that artificial sweeteners, diet foods and low carbohydrate, packaged foods are the ideal recipe for long term health. Others consume vast quantities of fast foods, hydrogenated oils and other junk as long as their figure supports the consumption. Eating in these ways will give you minimal nutrition and can cause great harm. For example, artificial sweeteners found in most “diet” products are actually neurotoxic to the human nervous system. This means that consuming them can cause harm to the nerves that support sensory and motor functions of the body.

Nutrition should be common sense. I tell my patients all the time to first think of food from the perspective of where it comes from. Eat foods as close to the sun, that is, recently harvested, and as close to their natural form as possible. If you sit for a moment and think about what this statement means, you could easily identify foods that you regularly consume that do not come close to fitting the criteria. We all can.
Here is where you start. Foods that are close to their origins and close to the sun are full of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and essential fats. These are the substances that promote graceful aging, weight loss, and mood enhancement, prevent heart disease and help sustain a long life.

Second, you need to consume at least five servings of fresh fruits and vegetables a day. This is not punishment; it is a reward full of great options, taste and potential. Many people don’t eat fruits and vegetables because they have always bought the wrong ones or ones prepared in the wrong way. For example, canned and over-cooked vegetables often become brown and mushy, losing much of their flavor and the majority of their nutrients. Many children have never been offered peaches that did not come from a can in which they had been soaked in corn syrup. Not only does this ruin the true flavor of the peaches, but it creates the false impression that peaches taste like processed sugar.
In addition, I strongly disagree with those who claim that there is no difference between organic and conventional fruits and vegetables. I have purchased organic for twelve years now, and overall I have found that organic foods are stronger in flavor and have a much better appearance than conventionally processed foods.

Third, you need to drink water. Skin that is dehydrated becomes saggy and loose. Many people never come close to drinking enough water to satisfy their tissues. The correct formula is ½ your body weight in ounces each day. This ensures that all your cells are maintaining correct osmotic balance and that your body is able to eliminate waste effectively.

Fourth is practice prevention through treatments such as acupuncture, massage, chiropractic and general medicine that encourage a healthy body, relaxation and overall immune and cellular health.

Think about the value that you place on your health, and then set a plan, find a practitioner, and get going to look better, feel younger and enjoy aging.