BE Healthy

A few things to consider with regard to your health...

(1) INFLAMMATION: My integrated medicine doctor at Memorial Sloan Kettering emphasizes to me each time I see him that inflammation in the body is very, very bad for you. He is referring to chronic inflammation that can result of an untreated infection or injury, or from something as common as seasonal allergies. Apparently, being in a state of chronic inflammation dramatically increases your risk for developing many diseases (see chart below) and so it's something all of us need to be mindful of. So, what can we do? Well, the good news is that inflammation can be reduced dramatically if you exercise, eat healthy, and eliminate certain foods from your diet like: sugar, trans fats, refined carbs, MSG, casein, aspartame, and alcohol. In addition, I highly recommend talking to your doctor about taking a tumeric-based, anti-inflammatory supplement. I know I don't want to suffer with any of those illnesses below, so I plan to continue my journey of healthy eating and exercising. I hope you will too!

(2) DON'T WAIT: Whenever I have a cold, especially at night when I’m trying so desperately to sleep despite the soreness in my throat and the stuffiness in my nose, I often think- WOW, I do not appreciate enough how great it is NOT to have a cold. We tend to completely un-appreciate our health until it is too late. So, this month I’m going to encourage you not to wait until you get a cold, or get diagnosed with diabetes, heart disease, or cancer to make major changes to your lifestyle. We only get one shot at life and if you aren’t healthy... literally nothing else matters. Commit to making some changes today and you will avoid having regrets later. Check out THIS article (YES, it is from AARP 👵🤣) for some great suggestions. And, if you need more inspiration…check out BE Habitual and BE Present for two ways I changed my physical and mental health this summer!

"Don't wait until death shows up before you start learning how to live." Joe Black in Meet Joe Black

(3) EAT FRESH: I’m going to remind you of this every fall!! Certain fruits and vegetables are harvested and therefore ‘fresher’ each season. And, it’s a no brainer that eating food that is freshly picked, rather than frozen or preserved with chemicals, is much healthier for you. So, before you do your menu planning and food shopping for the week google 'what's fresh this month'! September happens to be a great month for a lot of good produce (see chart below) and check out THESE delicious recipes from Lexi's Clean Kitchen specifically for September harvested foods. Healthy eating = healthy YOU!