Ask Dr. Michael: Being Healthy And Balanced

How can I help myself to stay healthy and balanced?

By Michael Kowalski, A.P., Dipl.Ac.
@ Acupuncture & Holistic Health Center, Jacksonville, FL

Leading a healthy lifestyle can positively impact your health and balance, not just physically but mentally and emotionally as well. Let’s look at the most powerful tools you have to keep yourself healthy.

Positive Thinking

The awesome power of our mind to influence our body has been well researched and documented. By focusing our thoughts in a positive direction, we feel happier and less stressed, which helps our bodies become healthier.

Thinking positively can be a challenge at times. It takes awareness and vigilance. As humans, it seems that negative thinking is part of our nature. Rather than judge ourselves for having a negative thought, we can accept our “humanness” and redirect our thoughts. For example, if something happens to us that we consider to be bad, we can look at what we can learn from the situation, or how we can turn it into something better. There is always a silver lining and, if we earnestly look for it, we will find it.

Diet

We truly “are what we eat.” If we feed our body junk food, which is processed with a variety of chemicals we were not born to digest, it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to understand that our body will eventually become overloaded with toxins. While our bodies are built to detoxify, an abundance of these toxins is too much for our bodies to cope with, and eventually can cause harm to our physical health.

Eating processed meats has been shown to increase the risk of cancer. Many fruits and vegetables are sprayed with pesticides that get inside the flesh of the foods that we eat. Eating a “clean” diet is essential for our good health. Organic foods may cost more to buy, but what is the cost to our health if we eat foods tainted by toxic chemicals?

Overeating or eating too many sweets can lead to uncontrolled weight gain. Carrying extra weight not only stresses our joints, but also strains our cardiac and endocrine system. For every 10 pounds of extra weight, you are more likely to develop “metabolic syndromes” – diabetes, high blood pressure and high cholesterol. These problems can lead to more weight gain, creating a vicious circle. Limiting our calorie intake and avoiding foods with added sugar plays a very important role in maintaining and improving our health.

Exercise

Another equally important factor in our health is that we get regular cardiovascular exercise. Did you know that regular “cardio” exercise sensitizes your body tissues to insulin, which helps to prevent diabetes?

Cardiovascular exercise can be defined as aerobic, meaning you breathe harder. It can also be measured by a heart rate that is at least 120 beats per minute. Once your heart rate is up to 120 beats per minute, continue exercising at that pace for 20 minutes and you will achieve a good cardio workout. Choosing a low impact exercise such as biking or an elliptical machine is easier on your joints than running on pavement. Repeat some version of this workout at least three times per week for best results.

Another gentle but effective way to exercise is to practice yoga or Tai Chi. These exercises are relaxing for our body and mind, and are safe at any age. The bottom line is that you need to find what forms of exercise work best for you. Then do it often.

The Chinese understood centuries ago that we acquire energy (which they call Qi, pronounced “chee”) from our food, respiration and exercise. From our food we derive “Nutritive Qi.” Our aerobic exercise, combined with our Nutritive Qi, causes us to make “Gathering Qi.” In this way, we can replenish the energy we expend, and even build up our energy reserves.