The Importance of Good Health and How to Achieve It

The Importance of Good Health and How to Achieve It
By: Debbie Piltin

Probably the most important thing in live is good health. Without good health we may experience debilitating diseases and an unnecessarily short life span. It's fairly easy to achieve good health, but it involves certain changes in your life style that are sometimes difficult to do at first. The most important to remember is to begin slowly and try to make small changes at first.The most important facet of good health is adequate exercise. Exercises help us achieve good health by strengthening our cardio-vascular system, strengthening our muscle mass and reducing the affect of stress on the body. To ensure that exercises do not appear to be chores, it is best to find exercises that you enjoy doing rather than those that you dread. For those who prefer to be outdoors, trekking, hiking, jogging or running may be the appropriate exercise to take up. On the other hand, for those who enjoy swimming, membership to a local pool may be the answer.There are many alternative forms of exercise that you may find beneficial. Yoga is a very popular form of exercise that helps to strengthen your body, helps you lose weight, and is great as a stress reliever. Pilates is also very poplar and deals with the core strength of your abdominals. No matter what your interests are, you are sure to find an exercise that interests you.Poor eating habits are a precursor to poor health. Healthy eating is very important in achieving and maintaining good health. Those who have poor eating habits should slowly change by taking steps such as adding a small salad to your dinner, or a piece of fruit for dessert rather than ice cream. The aim is to slowly change the eating habits by making sure that the bulk of what you consume is nutritious and full of vitamins and minerals. Moderation in what ever you do is the key to success.Staying away from over-processed foods is a great idea. Many people love the convenience of pre-packaged frozen foods that they can just pop in the microwave for a few minutes and have a "complete" meal. A healthier approach would be to make several nutritious meals on Sunday night and freeze portions of it. This way you still maintain the convenience of fast meals but you also know what ingredients are used in the preparation. By making small changes to your life you can be eating healthier in no time.Excessive smoking or drinking is certainly detrimental to your good health. It's okay to occasionally imbibe, a few drinks once in a while are fine, and small amounts of red wine are actually good for you, but there is no such exception for smoking. If you smoke, go talk to your doctor to discuss a smoking cessation program. Smoking endangers your health and the health of those around you. The sooner you quit smoking, the faster your body can begin to repair the years of damage.It is easy to achieve good health. All it takes is making some changes to your diet and lifestyle. Start by taking the stairs at work instead of getting in the elevator. Or switch that favorite lunchtime meal of hamburger and fries for a wrap and a salad. Small, easy changes are the best way to start. By making these changes now you can enjoy good health well into your golden years.