Five Key Elements for a Healthy Body

With so many different obstacles in our way today it’s essential to do the things that are necessary to keep our bodies in top condition. Between diseases and pollution in our air and water, we must stay tuned into the needs of our bodies in order to assure a long and healthy life. Making the right choices in these areas will allow us to remain happy and productive many years past retirement.

1. Get plenty of sleep

Being well-rested is one of the most important elements in maintaining a healthy body. Sleep deprivation whether purposely or the result of insomnia can cause your body to become tired, fatigued, and run down. This lends its way to an invasion of many infections because of a compromised immune system. Sleep is the body’s best defence, so you need to make sure you obtain what your body needs. Each person requires on average between six and eight hours of sleep nightly, although some may function on as little as five hours while others need up to ten hours.

2. Exercise regularly

Besides having the ability to boost the metabolism, exercise also helps the body sleep most restfully. Whether you do a complete workout or just take a walk several times during the day, you will feel much better by participating in some kind of exercise. That doesn’t mean you have to do something boring—you can swim, bicycle, play tennis, ski, water ski, or do any other type of activity that you enjoy. The important thing is to make sure you do it regularly.

3. Eat healthy foods

In order to maintain a body that is healthy and active all of your life, you need to learn how to eat foods that are good for you. Certainly that high fat, high calorie burger from the local fast food place tastes good, but it is not good for you. You need to develop the habit of eating lean protein, steamed or raw vegetables, fresh fruits, and carbohydrates containing a low glycemic index such as whole grain cereals, brown rice, and wheat bread and pasta. That doesn’t mean you have to give up sweet desserts and snacks for good, but you need to learn to eat them in moderation.

4. Maintain a normal weight

Having excess weight puts a strain on both the heart and the back. In order to assure that you can stay active and do the things you enjoy, you need to make sure your weight is within normal range. If you are overweight but think you are still healthy, you need to review the things you are able to do compared to some of the things you used to be able to do. Certainly you are older which causes some difference, but your weight definitely has a detrimental effect on the level of activities in which you are able to participate.

5. Make sure you have an adequate supply of essential nutrients

No matter how many healthy foods we eat, it is likely we are not getting all of the nutrients we need. This is especially true of the Omega-3 Fatty Acids that help us maintain the health of our hearts. Although this nutrient is found in fish, few of us can eat enough fish to compensate, so we need to supplement this deficiency with fish oil supplements. The same holds true of many other nutrients such as Calcium, Iron, Folic Acid, and the B vitamins just to name a few.

A healthy lifestyle will help us keep our bodies healthy into our golden years, and following these tips will certainly help you in that process. You don’t need to give up your favourite foods to be healthy, but you do need to make sure you eat unhealthy foods in moderation. You also want to make sure to get enough sleep, exercise regularly, and supplement your diet with important vitamins and minerals.
by: Marie Watson

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The Health Benefits of Drinking Wine... Loving Your Body

There are numerous benefits to drinking wine every day, in moderation. When the medical studies first came out with this news, not surprisingly people were somewhat sceptical. Drinking alcohol everyday was not something that was normally recommended by doctors or health care providers. However, when drunk in moderation wine can provide benefits to the heart in addition to many other health advantages.

Flavonoids Love Your Circulatory System

The wine that provides the most health benefits is red wine or wines made with dark grapes. Dark grapes contain a high amount of flavonoids. Flavonoids can prevent the platelets in your blood from clumping. This means you are much less likely to experience blood clotting, which can lead to strokes or heart attacks.

Flavonoids decrease the rate of circulatory system aging and also slow down the decline of immune system functioning that normally comes with aging. Flavonoids are powerful antioxidants and anti-inflammatories. Antioxidants slow down aging in the body by preventing free radical damage to arteries and organs.

Resveratrol Loves Your Overall Health

There are many other benefits found in drinking red wine. The seeds and skins of grapes contain a substance called resveratrol. This substance is also an anti-inflammatory element and is believed to contribute to an improved circulatory system. Resveratrol is a non-flavanoid antioxidant which help arteries from becoming clogged.

Resveratrol is also being studied as a possible antioxidant which can assist in weight loss programs and for the control of diabetes. There is also continuing research into the ability of resveratrol to reduce the risk of certain types of cancer and cataracts and even brain functioning.

The reason red wine has a much higher level of resveratrol than white wine is due to the fact red wine is fermented with the skin throughout the entire fermentation process.

Red Wine in Moderation Loves Your Heart

Alcohol can contribute to a healthy heart when used in moderation. Medical studies have shown that small amounts of alcohol can provide important health benefits that include the following.

* Protection against low-density lipoprotein cholesterol damage to arteries
* Increase in high-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels which prevents bad cholesterol build-up
* Contribution to a reduction in blood clotting

Defining Moderation

The definition of moderation is as follows:

* Women - one glass of wine per day
* Men - two glasses of wine per day

Drinking too much wine or getting inebriated only serves to negate these benefits as well as potentially being harmful. The health benefits of wine are enhanced when the wine is included in an overall healthy lifestyle. You should eat a low fat diet and get regular aerobic and non-aerobic exercise.

Taking care of your health is important if you want to live a long and healthy life. The power of antioxidants is already proven through research. Since red wine contains a high level of these powerful disease and aging preventers, it only makes sense to include regular consumption of wine in your program, in moderation.
by: Phillip Wainwright

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Coordinating Office for Global Health

In today's world of increasing globalization, the United States continually faces new challenges and opportunities in public health. In partnership with other parts of the US government, public health officials throughout the world, and host countries, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) works to protect and promote global health in many areas, including these:

• HIV/STD/TB prevention and control;
• global malaria research, prevention, and control;
• polio eradication;
• global disease detection
• fewer deaths from measles;
• capacity building through training in epidemiology, surveillance, and management;
• maternal, prenatal, infant and child health strategies;
• nutrition assessments and interventions;
• refugee health;
• emergency response,
• laboratory systems and infrastructure development; and
• injury prevention and control.

Health Promotion

Global health will improve by sharing knowledge, tools and other resources with people and partners around the world.

Health Protection

Americans at home and abroad will be protected from health threats through a transnational prevention, detection and response network.

Health Diplomacy

CDC and the United States Government will be trusted and effective resources for health development and health protection around the globe.

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