The Best 6 Doctors
The other day I posted this quote on my facebook page:
The Best 6 Doctors:
- Sunshine
- Water
- Rest
- Air
- Exercise
- Diet
These are natures own six doctors. I can honestly say that I am a true believer in these and I am going to talk you through what I do to make sure I have enough of these in my life.
Sunshine: By spending an adequate amount of time outside every day in the sun (15-20 minutes), our bodies will produce the required amounts of vitamin D. If getting sunshine is not possible, taking a vitamin D supplement daily is crucial for good health. I incorporate some outdoor activities into my every day life, something as simple as a 15 minute walk at lunch time, going for a bike ride or getting off the tube one stop earlier. However, I do live in England so it is not always possible to get your full requirement of vitamin D, therefore in the winter I take a vitamin D supplement.
Water: Water makes up more than two thirds of our body weight and is one of the most essential elements to health. Without water, we would all die in a few days. The general advice is to drink at least two litres of water a day. One month, I tried an experiment which involved drinking three litres of water every day. The biggest impact this had was on my skin, I couldn’t believe how smooth my skin was at the end of the thirty days, like a babies bottom! There are some great videos on youtube of people doing this thirty day challenge, with pictures/ videos at the beginning and then again after the thirty days was over and the transformations are amazing. It is worth giving this a go and seeing what impact this will have on you. Although I will warn you that you need the toilet all the time which is a bit of an annoying drawback!
Rest: Sleep helps to restore our energy supplies and repairs tissues and cells that have broken down during the day. There have been so many scientific experiments completed on the importance of sleep and they all conclude with how important sleep is to your life. I go to bed between 9 and 9.30pm every night and wake up fully refreshed every morning at 5am to start my morning miracle.
Sleep is the investment in the energy you need to be effective tomorrow – Benjamin Franklin
Air: Fresh air does the body good. The air that we breathe indoors is not as fresh as our bodies need it to be as there is dust indoors that clogs up our lungs. Fresh air cleans out the lungs. Again, this is something that I incorporate into my life, just getting outdoors whatever the weather, it always makes me feel better.
Exercise: We all know how good exercise is for you. When you exercise, you release endorphins and endorphins make you happy. My top tip for exercise is to try high intensity interval training. I am a big fan of the Body Coach, he has some great 15 minute exercise videos on YouTube, everyone can fit 15 minutes into their day. No one every regrets exercise, it is motivating yourself to do it in the first place that takes the effort. I have just taken up boxing and it is having a great impact on me. My arms are really toned and it is just a great overall cardio and strength training exercise. I also make sure I walk for at least 40 minutes every day. Whilst walking I listen to podcasts (currently loving Lewis Howes – The School of Greatness), so whilst your body is getting a workout, your mind is also being filled with great information. Win win!
Exercise is the most potent and under utilised antidepressant… and it’s free.
Diet: As they say, you are what you eat. If you stuff your face with burgers and chips, you are not going to feel great, but if you fuel your body with nutritional food it will have a positive impact on how you feel and also on how you look. Cutting out processed foods and replacing those foods with fresh, clean, whole foods will have a huge impact on how you look and feel. On a regular basis I complete a three day juicing cleanse (I am a big fan of Jason Vale), and at the end of it I feel fantastic, with more energy, looking and feeling better, my skin is glowing and I am really happy – this is no coincidence.
What Should You Do Next?
I am a professional life coach and I love encouraging, motivating and inspiring my clients to achieve their goals and ambitions. If you think you could benefit from a life coach then please get in touch with me at caroline@raisethebarlifecoaching.co.uk where I will be happy to arrange a free 30 minute mini life coaching session with you.