Written by: Dr. Robert Neposlan
We are creatures of habit. If we want to grow, we must change.
Change. The very word itself causes some people to tremble. These are people who like status quo, day in and day out. They like routines. They like to know what to expect and when to expect it. And God forbid if someone suggests that they should make a change.
They say the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again, expecting a different result. If you keep on doing what you’re doing, you’ll just keep getting what you’re getting!
We’ve shared in previous articles that 70% of modern disease is a product of lifestyle choice. We simply do not eat, move or think the way we were genetically “engineered” to. This year, try changing it up a bit. You can start small with some of the suggestions below. You’ll note, that each of the suggestions revolves around one of our 4 pillars of health (Living, Eating, Moving, and Thinking Well). I realize that for most of us, looking at the subject of some of the past articles represents significant lifestyle changes. Taking little baby steps each day can amount to significant improvements over time. Pretty soon, momentum kicks in and possibilities that you never dreamed of become reality.
- Try walking the stairs instead of the elevator. At work, school or at the store park at the farthest parking spot and walk a few extra steps. Introducing the concepts of “moving well” doesn’t require a health membership. Adding a simple exercise like walking for ½ hour a day can make a HUGE difference in quality of life.
- Try starting and ending your day by giving thanks for one (1) thing in your life that is important to you. Pretty soon you’ll come to appreciate that there are many, many things in life that we take for granted. Pretty soon, you’ll shift from a mentality of “lacking” to one recognizing the abundant blessings we have in our lives (in Canada). This can change your perspective and soon you’ll see just how much you have and how little you really need.
- Try one new healthy food a week – Doesn’t eating the same things week in and week out get stale? Instead of a bagel, eat a piece of fruit. Instead of chips, try a handful of almonds. Instead of a bowl of cereal, try a healthy fruit smoothie. In my family, we all start our day with a healthy antioxidant rich, protein fruit smoothie. Your body and brain will thank you. The Internet is loaded with healthy, weight-conscious recipes – try one on for size!
- Get up a half hour earlier each morning – There’s lots of things you could do with that time – read, meditate, pray, watch the sun come up, practice some of our previous tips, etc.
You can’t get to where you want to go if you’re standing still. Start somewhere and you’ll soon see that breaking out of your old routine can actually be quite fun.
The hardest step is the first one. Make a mole hill out of a mountain, get started today!
Until next month,
Live Well
Dr. Rob