WELLNESS Summarized

God’s Eight Ways to Wellness in your life!

Water – every day you need to drink 1 ounce of water for every 2 pounds you weigh. This means that you need to drink even when you don’t feel thirsty, and your urine to be clear by noon. If you have congestive heart failure or kidney failure, you need to talk to your doctor first, because it can be dangerous to drink this amount of water. This may change after you significantly change your diet and exercise patterns.

Exercise – current guidelines state you need about 150 minutes (2 hrs 30 min) moderate intensity exercise (meaning you can talk while you are exercising, but you cannot sing) weekly. Walking is the best exercise, except if you have severe joint degeneration or foot problems. In that case, you can use a stationary bicycle or swim and do water aerobics to exercise. As those conditions improve with diet and exercise, then you can transition to walking. Start slow and work up to your goal over 1-2 months time. Any exercise you do in addition to what you already do will give you additional health benefits, so start today, even if it is a little.

Live Temperately – this means to avoid those things that are harmful and to use sparingly those things that are good. This means to not eat, drink, or otherwise use or consume anything that I know is bad for me. Some things to absolutely avoid include alcohol, tobacco, street drugs, and caffeine. This means to limit the amount of salt, sugar and fats that I consume. It also means that I need to not overeat those things that are good. If I overeat it is not good for me even if what I am eating is healthy. If I eat or otherwise over-consume or over-use anything that is good for me, it becomes bad for me. I need to consume that which is good for me in moderation, not over-doing it.

Lots of Fresh Air – Fresh air helps to promote many healthy functions in the body. Try to keep the windows open in your house to allow for fresh air to ventilate through the house on a regular basis. It is best to exercise outside so that you can get that fresh air and sunshine on a regular basis. This will help your lungs and health in general.

Nutrition – Eat largely of ripe, raw fruits, vegetables, grains, nuts and seeds. Avoid all cheese and meat. Avoid highly processed foods (white flour, refined sugar, etc.). Eat foods more like they grow. Have ½-1 cup beans with breakfast. Breakfast should be large, lunch medium and supper small. Don’t eat anything between meals and only drink water. Don’t eat within 3 hours of going to bed. Try to limit or stop all dairy (milk, butter, eggs). Limit your use of fatty foods (oil, butter, etc.). Taste buds change every 30 days, so stick with it!

Entire Trust in God – This is the most important aspect! Many of us deal with stress on a daily basis, and there is no better solution for stress than trusting in a God who is greater than we are who is willing to help us with our daily troubles. It is only by cooperating with God—as He gives us His power to change—that we can be able to make the changes noted above and maintain that change. We may attempt to make changes in our diet or exercise or temperance, but those changes will not remain permanent unless we have God’s help to maintain the change.

Sunshine – The minimum amount needed is 15 minutes daily on hands and face. Sunshine helps you make vitamin D, improves your immune system, improves your mood, and helps modulate your wake/sleep cycle.

Sleep/Sabbath Rest – You need about 7-8 hours of sleep every night. To do this, you will need to plan your evenings so that you get to bed in time to get that amount of sleep. It is best to have a regular routine before going to be that does not involve eating, or exercise. Make sure you do not eat within 3 hours of going to bed and do not exercise within 2-3 hours of going to bed. Have a regular relaxing bedtime routine—reading a book, taking a bath/shower, having worship, etc.—and keep going to bed about the same time each night, so your body gets used to the routine. Also, make sure you take 1 day a week for a Sabbath rest. God made our bodies to function on a weekly cycle, and our bodies need one day a week to rest from labor.