Five Things You Can Do to Improve Your Health in the Next Sixty Days

by G. E. Shuman

Dear Readers; I wrote this article a few days ago for a health magazine. I'm sharing it with you now, because I care about your health. (Like I'm an expert, and like this has nothing to do with the fact that my submission deadline is fast-approaching.) Seriously, although 'seriously' is a word I have trouble with, try these suggestions, and feel great by the time the kids go back to school. Enjoy!

Improving your health does not have to be a complicated or expensive proposition. Contrary to media ads, there are no potions or pills, pre-packaged diet foods or pieces of exercise equipment that will do more for your health than simply taking a common-sense approach to healthy living. The following suggestions will cost you nothing, and, along with improving your health, will actually save you money. (Noted by: $) Give them a try. Start with suggestions 1-4 first, and check the results with suggestion number five. I would wish you good luck, but if you follow these tips, you won't need luck.

Thing number 1.

Get rest. All living things need rest. You may have noticed that animals go to sleep soon after the sun goes down. Animals never invented electric lighting and electronic screens to stretch their day far into their natural sleep period, as we humans did. We seem to think that shortening our nights lengthens our days. Unfortunately, doing so may actually shorten our NUMBER of days. A very wise person once told me that the best time to go to bed is when you are tired. I liked that advice so much that I married that person, over forty years ago. We still sleep very well, thank you, and don't burn the lights far into the night. ($)

Thing 2.

Get going! Doctors agree that some of the best exercise a person can get is in simply walking more. Since we humans were designed for walking, that idea seems to make sense to me. We were not designed so much for steppers, treadmills and stationary bikes. Throw those out. No, don't do that. Sell them on your yard sale, ($) and get some comfortable shorts and a good pair of sneakers. Then get out in the fresh air and sunshine. Enjoy the scenery, and soak up that oxygen and those solar vitamins. Hint: Thing 2 will also make thing number 1 much easier to do.

Thing 3.

Get off the junk food and candy. Not to seem UN-American, but one of the best and simplest things you can do for your health is to drive past the King, the big chicken bucket sign, and those old golden arches. (Is it my imagination, or are those arches shaped just like big french fries?) Eating fast food, if done in moderation, will probably not kill you. It might just make you fat and unhealthy. Replace all those carbs and calories with a salad and a piece of fruit at home, at least occasionally. ($) Your body and your bowels will thank you. Also, did you know that you would have to walk the length of a football field to burn off the calories in ONE M&M? I saw that on the news recently, and that idea alone has made it much easier for me to resist those little chocolate-colored bags in the checkout line. ($). (Also, I hate walking on football fields.) One other little health tip that I will throw in for free is one my doctor suggested to me years ago, right after taking my blood pressure. He simply looked at me and said: “Take the salt shaker off the table.” I could have added: “And take the french fry out of my mouth?”

Thing 4.

Get rid of a bad habit. This 'thing' may be much easier to say than to do. Still, everyone knows that smoking will kill you, too much alcohol will pickle your liver and overeating is probably no better for you than either of those first two. Conquering any one of those three things is worth the effort. You will feel better, live longer, and your wallet will be MUCH fuller. ($$$$)

Thing 5.

Get a checkup. Along with checking your blood pressure, weight, and general physical condition, your doctor can run a simple blood screening to check your blood sugar, your cholesterol, your liver function, and other factors in your overall health. Schedule this appointment for sixty days from now, and begin working on things 1-4 today. Then, later this summer, when you get the results of your tests, you and your doctor will both be smiling.