Inspiration-RESOLUTIONS

Quit Those Bad Habits

Do we really need to name them again? Okay just one last time: smoking, drinking, reckless driving, junk food, junk TV, these are all bad for your health. Over time these habits can mercilessly dent you health and shorten your life. Now you can't say you have not been warned. Quitting means improving your health right away.

Exercise

Remember the old saying… use it or lose it. Its healthy to raise your pulse, get your blood moving and flushing those sweat glands. Make it a daily routine. Alternatively, a 20-minute low impact workout three to four times a week can do wonders for your heart, circulatory system, digestion and even mental clarity.
Sprinkle your day with spurts of activity. Use the stairs. Walk briskly. Run on the spot as you watch television. Do not overdo it. When it comes to exercise, take it easy but take it .

Enjoy Life

Remember, all work and no play, makes Jack a dull boy. It may even make him a sick boy. Is there enough laughter in your life? Laughter is a good medicine. It is also a great stress buster and a mind liberator. If you have gotten bored, dull and predictable, buck the trend. Hang out with the kids. Be silly and spontaneous. Play a game without keeping score. Learn a new skill. Play an instrument. Learn to express yourself artistically. Use recreation to "recreate" yourself.

Eat Natural and raw
Organic is best. Modern foods have been altered to justify commercial interests. The challenges of the farming industry: How can plant produce be kept longer? How can they be ripened slowly on the shelf after early plucking? How can they look good so that the customer would be tempted to buy?
Most of the time, your food is a frightening cocktail of chemicals. Organically grown foods are best for our bodies, families and the environment. Let's resolve to support farmers and merchants who support the earth.

Take your vitamins
In the long run, using a proper vitamin/mineral supplement is like a health insurance, only better. You will feel good physically. More importantly, it will give you peace of mind. You are worth it. Strive to take wholesome natural vitamins.

Cut Sugar
We are sugar addicts. We take too much refined sugar. It is bad for us. The human species is suffering from obesity in unprecedented proportions. We are more obese that any other animal. Hence, diabetes and heart disease are rising at alarming levels.

Cut Salt
Salt is an acquired taste. It is really bad news. There is an alarming increase in high blood pressure in the population. Cutting salt is the simplest way to keep hypertension in check.

Eat a balanced diet
Make sure you get your daily fill of high quality protein like fish, eggs, yoghurt, cheese and soy. Of the three main food groups, proteins are the most vital. Cut the refined starches. Make sure you get good quality fat.

Learn
Our tenure on this earth is precious. Use it well or lose it. When we stop learning we start dying. Don't kill time, fill it by reading, listening, discussing, creating, producing and contributing something worthwhile.

Set goals
We are basically goal-seeking organisms. We are motivated and inspired by goals. In his book, Slaying The Dragon, Michael Johnson tells how goal setting took him from the devastating loss in Barcelona in 1992 to two unbeatable golds and an amazing record breaking performance in Atlanta in 1996. If itt can work for Michael, it certainly can for you.

For your health, set goals- what is your ideal weight, how much do you want to work out, when do you want to quit smoking etc. Making and meeting commitments can be fun, motivating and exciting. The beauty about goal setting is that it will creep into other areas of your life. Soon, things improve all round.

Plan and Review
Take time to plan your life. Spend an hour every Sunday. Planning the week ahead. Spend 15 minutes every morning planning each day. This will make your life less stressful as you will put "first things first" in and around your life.

Fast once a month
Take a juice fast for 24 hours once a month. This puts the system in low gear, detoxifies it, conserves energy and restores the hormonal balance. It also helps you appreciate your food more.

Meditate
Meditation is refreshingly different from any other human activity. It fosters calmness, insight, energy, inspiration and creativity.

The health benefits are enormous. Minding the mind it seems also mends the body. It is simple and absolutely free. It is also relatively easy to learn. The investment of time is also minimal, about 20 minutes per day.

Think positively
Attitude is everything. Keep your chin up. Smile. Loosen up. Deliberately choose an optimistic outlook. People who are positive have better chances of winning battles against serious illness. It really seems that the mind is master over matter. If that's the case, you would do well to mind your thoughts.

Take care of mother earth
We have been taking her for granted for too long. It is no surprise that she is not well. Still, it is not too late. There is much that can be done still. Each of us can play a role protecting and preserving the environment. We need to create a sustainable future for ourselves and all the generations that follow. When it comes to it, it is still about the 3Rs - reduce, reuse and recycle.

Commune with the spirit
Whether it is in Nature, in halls of worship or on your meditation cushion, take time to relate to your should on a deeper level. Who are you? Why are you here? What is your mission? Call it God, Creator or the Universe, see yourself in the greater scheme of things, What is good for the soul is good for the body, your family, the community and the world, Be at peace with yourself.

Help someone
Service also heals the should and spirit. The sacrifice comes from "scared fired". Visit an old folks home. Try volunteering for hospice work. Join the Red Cross or a service organisation.

Or just remember a neighbour in need. You will both benefit. Be ready to connect. Make eye contact. "Smile" with your eyes. Spread cheer. Be an instrument of love.