Top 10 Health Habits

1. Drink 2 liters of clean water per day. This is one of the easiest and healthiest things you can do for yourself. Staying well hydrated allows your body to function in an optimum way. When you are well hydrated you can think more clearly, you have more energy, you feel better, and you look better. If you carry around a 1-liter Nalgene bottle full of water, all you have to do is drink it down twice during the day. And to remove traces of pesticides, pharmaceuticals, chlorine residues, dead bacteria, and other contaminants, make sure you use a filtering system on your home water supply.

2. Use your muscles. It's really very simple. The muscles in the human are beautiful and beautifully functioning things, but if you don't use them, they deteriorate and disappear. Working each muscle just once per week will cause your body to increase its lean mass with strong and dense muscle. People who have this habit typically have lower blood pressure, lower blood sugar levels, lower body fat, a higher resting metabolic rate, greater insulin sensitivity, and a better immune system. Using dumbbells, barbells, or machines, do 3 sets of 8 - 12 repetitions for each body part, once per week. You can do this by working out 3 times per week for 30 - 45 minutes each time.

3. Limit and avoid hydrogenated fats. Hydrogenated fat is made by reacting hydrogen, at very high pressure and temperature, with vegetable oil. This produces a solid form of fat, the best examples being Crisco and margarine. Food makers use it because it gives food a longer shelf life.

Unfortunately, hydrogenating changes the shape of many of the fat molecules to one that is not found in nature. Your body then tries to use these misshapen fats in the walls of every single cell, and enzymes attempt to connect with these misshapen fats for various chemical reactions. You can think of it as building a house with rotten wood. You can do it, but it won't be very strong.

Read the labels of the packaged foods you purchase, and find substitutes for any that have partially hydrogenated oil as an ingredient. If you can't find a substitute, consider not eating that particular food.

4. Eat fish oil. Fish oil has certain fats that are essential for various functions in the body. DHA, found in fish oil, is especially important in brain structure, for cardiovascular health, and for reduction in inflammation. If you don't eat fish, wild game, grass fed beef, or omega-3 eggs, then you must take fish oil supplements to get it in your diet. Your body will attempt to substitute other fats, but the results will be aging and dysfunction. It is the most important thing missing from most people's diets

5. Eat fresh fruit and vegetables. Fruit and vegetables are loaded with various plant chemicals that will reduce your risk of cancer and heart disease. A good way to start this habit is to make sure that every day you eat at least one piece of fresh fruit - an apple, pear, orange, etc.

6. Eat organic as often as possible. It's no big surprise that organically grown produce has lower levels of pesticides, herbicides, and other chemicals. These are chemicals that are designed to interrupt hormones and other systems that sustain life. Fortunately, they don't kill us as quickly as they kill the bugs. However, your body certainly has no need for these chemicals, and must try to remove them or metabolize them. No one knows why autism rates are rising, sperm counts are dropping all over the world, and the rates of breast cancer and prostate cancer continue to grow. But something's happening, and this could be partly the cause. By eating organic, you'll also be avoiding the unknown risks posed by genetically modified foods, and you'll be doing your part to maintain topsoil, reduce antibiotic pollution, encourage humane treatment of animals, and maintain genetic diversity.

7. Use your heart and lungs. They, too, will deteriorate without use. 30 minutes at least three times per week of any kind of aerobic activity that gets your heart and lungs pumping will not only maintain these two organs, but will help your entire body to function at a higher level. Fit it into your schedule.

8. Stretch your muscles. As people get older, they have less freedom in their movement. They hunch over, they take smaller steps, and they can't move their body as much. 5 minutes of stretching per night before bed will dramatically increase your flexibility over the course of the next 12 months. Develop a routine that stretches your back, legs, and shoulders, and think of it like you think of brushing your teeth - do it every night.

9. Eat more whole food, and less processed food. Whole foods contain all of the fiber, vitamins, essential fatty acids, and phytochemicals that nature designed into the plant. Food processors take most of these substances out of the food they package and ship to the grocery stores and restaurants, and add preservatives, colorings, flavorings, and sometimes a handful of vitamins to "fortify" it. With luncheon meats they blend various parts of the animal with fats, food colorings, nitrates, and salt. These processes result in longer shelf life, softer bread, and more colorful food. It also often results in nutritionally bereft food that spikes your insulin more quickly than pure sugar, and feeds your body chemicals which it has no way of using. Look for the words "whole grain" in your breads and pastas, "cold-pressed" in your oils, and "fresh-carved" in your meats.

10. Take nutritional supplements. Scientists are discovering new information every day about the health and anti-aging benefits of various antioxidants and phytochemicals. The best way to get most of these nutrients is in fresh whole organic food. But a very convenient way to inexpensively supplement and optimize your nutrient intake is by using vitamins, minerals, essential fatty acids, and various plant extracts. Take a wide spectrum of antioxidants, since they work in concert and on different types of dangerous free-radical molecules, and can actually turn into pro-oxidants if used individually.

These are the opinions of Wiley Long, not to be considered medical advice. Consult your own healthcare practitioner. Health coaching available: Wiley@highperformanceliving.com