I’m sure we’re all familiar with the quirky Suzanne Somers who played Chrissy on Three’s Company. I used to watch re-runs of that show all the time! Back in the 70’s Suzanne was quite the icon of Beauty, and she still is today. I recently picked up one of her books titled-Breakthrough, to read what the woman of hormones has to say. I’m more than half way through her book, and I’m quite impressed. This is a woman who has done extensive research on hormonal imbalances and nutrition. Her daily routine for injecting bioidentical hormones, constant visits to her doctor for intravenous therapy; this is all alittle much for the average person, and I assure you, there are other ways to balance hormones and get your body into ‘check;’ a subject I will touch on at a later date. But for now, here are some tips to get you on your way to health and wellness. These are 7 tips touched upon in Suzanne’s book, that I’ve chosen to elaborate on.
1. Avoid Chemicals and Detoxify Your Body- It is true that we are what we eat, and even more importantly, we eat what we are!! If we drag through the day feeling lifeless, we tend to eat foods that are lifeless! Avoiding chemical laden foods and eating more organically, we can lessen the toxic load on our bodies. MSG, nitrates, hydrogenated oils; all of these cause imbalances in our bodies and can be…should be avoided!!
2. Take Nutrition Seriously- When I eat my meals, I think of how the food is meant to nourish my body, not fill me up! Each meal you consume gives you the opportunity to build a healthy ‘internal’ environment, so choose your food wisely!
3. Create a Healthy GI Tract- Our Gastrointestinal tract is like a second brain! Digesting food, killing bacteria, assimilating nutrients, eliminating foods- that’s alot of work! Most of us abuse our digestive system by eating too fast, drinking with our meals, eating on the run, eating when stressed, overeating! Slooooow down! Enjoy your meals, chew your food properly, drink no more than 1 cup of water with your food and eat sitting down. These tips alone could make a world of a difference.
4. Avoid Pharmaceuticals Unless Absolutely Necessary- Becoming educated about your health is the best thing you can do. If you have high blood pressure, or diabetes, understand why this has happened to you in the first place and take the natural measures first to heal yourself, before popping a pill! Homeopathics, supplementation, colonics, energy medicine, all of these modalities can be very effective treatments for many pathologies.
5. Supplement your Diet- Supplements can be effective for getting your body into balance, especially since our soil is so depleted of minerals. There are many reasons to supplement your diet, for example, vegetarians may need to supplement with B12 since they don’t eat meat, or include a brown rice protein shake if they aren’t getting enough protein in their diet. One important vitamin we could all benefit from is vitamin D. Considering our Canadian winter is so long and cold, we are lacking vitamin D from the minimal exposure we have to sunshine. Studies show that supplementing with vitamin could protect you against breast, colon, and prostate cancers.
6. Exercise Regularly- Get loose and limber! Walk, jog, swim, play basketball, do something that will get you moving and do it frequently. We all know we need to exercise, but most of us can’t seem to make it a priority! You’ll be more likely to stick to a workout out regime if you do it with a friend or do an activity that you really enjoy. Lifting weights should also be part of your workout routine, since it helps to build lean muscles, gives your muscles that beautiful definition, and stimulates bone growth.
7. Get proper Sleep- In order to be healthy, you must sleep. In order to keep hormones balanced, you must sleep. In order to be happy, you must sleep! I think you get the picture! Getting 7-8 hours every night of sleep is VERY important. Don’t fall asleep on the couch, don’t eat right before bed, don’t bring your laptop into bed with you. All these habits…bad habits…will effect how well you sleep.
I hope you’ll take these tips into consideration, and make it a priority to get healthy!!
Until next time…..
Samantha Gladish, R.H.N
