24 Mar Let’s keep this simple…7 rules for a happier life!
Follow these tips for more health and happiness…because you really can have more of both!
by Alena Hall via the Huffington Post
Sometimes, when you're looking to make some new healthy changes to your life, the last thing you want is another calorie-counting food journal or specific list of exercises that tone each troublesome body part. Instead, a simple mantra or two will do.
The New Health RulesThat's the premise behind The New Health Rules, the latest book on living well from Frank Lipman, M.D. and Danielle Claro. Their combination of single-page yet comprehensive health tips and photography that would inspire anyone to get moving with the coordinating rules create a new kind of health guide that focuses on sustainable healthy living instead of short-term (and overly specific) solutions. For those who know they want to lead a healthier life but don't know where to start, any page of this book offers an entry point.
From nutrition and exercise to mental health and lifestyle, The New Health Rules provides a variety of tips for leading a better life that begin with small steps rather than big (and typically more difficult) changes. Rarely do we find one-size-fits-all methods for achieving personal health and wellness, but these broader strategies can apply to everyone — as well as remind us of life's beautiful truths we often forget.
If you're ready for a little positive change in your life, here are seven health rules to live by that are as simple as they are effective.
Eat the colors of the rainbow.
Vegetables (and some fruits) in a wide range of deep colors should make up most of your diet. Intense color indicates loads of phytonutrients, biologically active substances that protect plants from viruses and bacteria—and offer similar benefits to humans.
Exercise like kids play.
Our bodies are not built to run long distances for no reason at all. We’re built to chase down prey and then stop. To run from danger and then stop. That’s what feels best and works best to keep us in shape—short bursts of intense exertion interspersed with periods of leisurely movement. The long-held belief that we need to elevate the heart rate with 30 minutes of sustained activity is being replaced by this plan—often referred to as interval training. You don’t need a specially designed workout or a personal trainer to apply this. When you’re running, sprint for a minute, then walk or trot for five. In the pool, swim one fast lap, then do three at a leisurely pace. This system is organic to many yoga classes (you practice kicking up into handstand for two minutes, then you follow up with a restorative child’s pose). But with some workouts it’s up to you to adjust. Worried you won’t burn enough calories? With interval training, you’ll actually burn more…
…keep reading the full & original article HERE