THE FIVE FACETS OF GOOD HEALTH

Don't you want to feel great? To have the energy you need for both work and play? Here's a brief "how to" for what you can do to have it happen. They are the five facets of good health, which, like the spokes of a wheel, need to be considered in order for our machine to roll smoothly.

I Exercise "We lose what we don't use." What we're talking about is cardiovascu- lar fitness, weight control and stress relief. One of the best exercises is aerobic which enables us to increase flexibility and strength. Aerobic means you get your pulse up to 180 beats per minute minus your age. A continuous 30 minutes a day, 4 times a week is what works well. Brisk walking, swimming, bicycling, dancing or jogging (if you're able) are some of your choices. Most sports are too “stop and go” to get the con- tinuous workout. Stretching and yoga are great too, but don’t forget the aerobic part. Vary the forms your exercise menu contains for interest.

II Nutrition: Our bodies need the proper fuel to function optimally. Think natural, unprocessed, whole and fresh. So many of the foods on our supermarket shelves should be left there. Most of us need to increase the-.percentage of fruits, vegetables and whole grains in our diets. Stay away from sugar, salt, white flour products, too many animal fats and stimulants like cof- fee and tea. Drink lots of water. Keep it simple, give your body what it needs and it will work for you.

III Rest When we rest we recuperate and heal. Each of us has different require- ments. Listen to your body. When you're tired have respect for yourself. STOP. If you can't do it right then, catch up later. Sleep either on your back with pillows under your knees and a thin or contoured pillow un- der your neck, or on your side with knees bent. Sleeping on your stom- ach stresses your neck and low back. Make sure your mattress is firm. Sitting is rest too. Get your body in the proper upright posture, supporting your low back. Don't cross your legs (except at the ankles) and avoid soft chairs.

IV Body Balance and Structural Integrity This is where chiropractic can serve you. The adjustments restore and maintain the natural alignment and movement of the spine. It's the bony spine that protects the complex network of nervous tissue that governs all the body functions, including the ability to fight off dis- ease. When the spine is misaligned it puts pressure on the nerves, inter- rupting the vital force which travels through them, thereby causing prob- lems such as pain, weakness, numbness, tingling and yes, even organ dys-function. So give your spine some attention and have it checked as a po- tential connection to your health problems.

V Mental Attitude From a positive -mental- attitude all else good can follow. King Solomon wrote, "a merry heart doeth good like a medicine, but a broken spirit drieth the bones." Thank goodness we are recognizing the body-mind con- nection. Stay away from "awfulizing” thoughts. (Wouldn't. it be awful if…) Needless worrying is perhaps the most common stressor we pin on ourselves. Find more fun things to do and more people to love. Consider these five facets every day. It won't be long before you feel and see the difference.

YOU CAN DO IT!