I left the clinic armed with quality information and decided to make a NEW START. This is an acronym for Nutrition, Exercise, Water, Sunshine, (fresh) Air, Rest and Trust (in God). This was introduced to me some time ago before I had the first heart attack. I dismissed it because I thought I was healthy. After the first attack, I went to a natural healing clinic, where the same principles were introduced again! I started implementing the lifestyle but reverted to the bad habits. Along with that, and pressure from my doctor and insurance company to take statins, I suffered the second heart attack. Now, I am prepared to follow this lifestyle. I will start with Exercise since Nutrition is so extensive. Lack of exercise is the most common barrier to great health! Consider the faulty thinking of the person below!
- If walking were good for your health, the postman would be immortal!
- A whale swims all day, eats only fish, drinks only water and is fat!
- A rabbit eats only vegetables, runs and hops all day long and lives only 5 years!
- A tortoise doesn’t run and does nothing energetic, yet it lives for 450 years!
- And you tell me to exercise! I don’t think so. I am retired. Go around me! (adapted)
Walking is extremely good for you! It is better than running on a regular basis. Many researchers agree that walking between 15 and 30 minutes per day, 5 days per week, will improve your health significantly!
Exercise actually stimulates neurogenesis, the ability of the brain to generate new neurons. “What we found so fascinating was that exercise had its beneficial effect in specific areas of cognitive functioning…. the implications are that exercise might be able to offset some mental declines that we often associate with the ageing process” Dr. James Blumenthal Journal of Ageing and Physical Activity” January 2001
Exercise also increases the chemical Nitric Oxide, which keeps the blood vessels supple and healthy. Some researchers are suggesting that it may help treat erectile dysfunction, and manage type 2 diabetes. Being physically active cuts your risk of heart disease by half because exercise:
- Lowers blood pressure
- Increases HDL cholesterol which transports fat away from the arteries and back to the liver for processing
- Improves circulation by preventing blood clots which can lead to heart attack and strokes.
- Helps with weight loss
- Builds muscle mass
- Reduces stress by releasing feel-good hormones called endorphins
New research published in The Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, shows that exercise reduced or eliminated the detrimental effect of aging in mice that had been genetically programmed to grow old at an accelerated pace. According to Dr. Tarnopolsky “The researchers were surprised by the magnitude of impact that exercise had on the animal’s aging process”
Dr. Rudel Davis
The best time to exercise is first thing in the morning before eating. I usually do my walking in the mornings on the weekends but in the evenings after work during the week days. Just keep the body moving! A sedentary lifestyle is one that will ultimately cause illness and disease!
Edward Stanley, Earl of Derby,(1873) said that “Those who think they have no time for bodily exercise will sooner or later have to find time for illness”
“There is no drug in current or perspective use that holds as much promise for sustained health as a lifetime program of physical fitness.”
American Medical Journal
Look Young, Stay Fit And Heart Healthy 