What it means to be healthy is different for every person. We all have different allergies, medical histories, genetics, physical strengths and limitations, etc.
In this category, we will be providing information that works for us, plus advice for you to learn more. That means you will need to spend some time doing your own research and learning what works for you.
Our goal is to guide you to the best places and people to learn from, making your search easier and quicker.
Focusing on health takes a lot of trial and error. You’ll need patience as you learn. Don’t expect to become an expert over night!
When we refer to “health” we will be including all aspects, meaning mental, physical, emotional, spiritual, and financial. While we intend to cover all of these “health” topics on our website, any financial topics will fall in the “wealthy” category and some of the other topics may fall under the “happy” category. Basically, we want to address all areas of health, but in doing so there will be a bit of overlap between our categories.
Here are some topics we will cover within this category:
- Nutritious ingredients
- Dieting
- Exercise
- Shopping local (farmers markets, co-ops, small business, etc.)
- Eating organic foods (including pesticide-free, no-spray, etc.)
- Communication
- Gardening
- Homesteading/self-sufficiency
Basic Tips for Healthy Living
MENTAL
- Strive to continue learning something new every day. There is so much information in the world, why would you ever stop learning? (We love to learn because we value personal growth!)
- Read consistently (or listen to audio books). Wealthy and successful people read tons of literature.
- Stimulate your brain by playing strategy games like sudoku, crossword puzzles, chess, or cards.
- Build new skills whenever possible and work toward self-sustainability. Relying on others only limits your capabilities in this world. The more you can do yourself, the more freedom you will experience.
PHYSICAL
- Sleep 7 to 9 hours every night.
- Food
- Buy and eat locally grown foods that are no-spray, pesticide-free, or certified organic.
- Avoid most processed foods.
- Avoid fast-food as much as possible.
- Drink the appropriate amount of water. A good metric to strive for is half your body weight in ounces daily.
- Exercise
- Perform a fitness activity for a minimum of 30 minutes per day (although, more is better), focusing on these top three areas:
- Heart health is the most important component to focus on. According Dr. Michael Greger’s research in his book How Not to Die, coronary heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States (based on 2015 statistics reported by the American Heart Association). So, get running (or walking)!
- Flexibility is the next most important component. Focus on stretching to help reduce your chances for injury during fitness activities. Injuries can stop your fitness plans for a day, 3 months, a year, or sometimes longer depending on severity.
- Finally, strength training is great for building muscle mass, which is necessary to ease the lifting of heavy objects and ensuring stability around your joints.
- This is the trinity of fitness, so you should spend time on all three areas. Each person is starting from a different place, so the activities within each area will differ as well as the intensity.
- A great way to get exercise while having fun is to play sports. You don’t have to play competitively, but it does provide added benefits as competition will push you to work harder.
- Perform a fitness activity for a minimum of 30 minutes per day (although, more is better), focusing on these top three areas:
- Take a baseline blood test annually to monitor your overall health. From this, you’ll be able to identify where you are lacking in vitamins, if your levels are too high or too low, early diagnosis of disease or illness, and to monitor any ongoing health issues.
- (Example) You may be low on Vitamin D and need to spend more time outside each day, or even take a supplement.
EMOTIONAL
- Regularly participate in social interactions with friends, family, and any other humans in your life to build and maintain good relationships. You should primarily be doing this in person, but this can also include phone calls, video calls, texting, emailing, and writing old-fashioned letters.
- Single? No one really likes dating, but you should date as many people as it takes to find the one you want to marry. (Don’t be a slut or player, just get to know people through talking.)
- Married? Go on dates with your spouse at least monthly.
- Keep in touch at least monthly with loved ones, asking questions and showing interest in their lives. The more you care, the better you’ll feel and (hopefully) the more you’ll be cared for in return!
- Journal your thoughts consistently (daily, weekly, monthly) and spend time reflecting on yourself, your choices, and your mental state.
- Read personal development books.
- Learn to take personal responsibility for your actions.
- Watch this short video to learn how to become a mature adult. (You’ll be surprised how intentional you have to be to attain this goal. You might even realize how few mature adults you know!)
SPIRITUAL
- Identify your core values and develop a plan to stick to these in every decision throughout your life. See our core values on our homepage.
- Read and study the Bible, even if you are not religious.
- You don’t have to believe in God (because He gave us free will), but you do need to be informed in order to make that decision. There are also many lessons to be learned from the Bible about morality and how to be a good person.
- If you do believe in God, find a church to attend regularly and become active in that community. Build friendships, volunteer, and learn from others who share your beliefs. It is incredibly helpful to surround yourself with other moral people so you can ask questions and make sound decisions throughout your life.
- Find meaning in life and pursue something worth living for.
- Most people find meaning in the Bible and through God. It is powerful to lead a life following God’s plan for you and the possibility for happiness is incredibly high.
- If you are not a believer, we recommend that you focus on serving others. Volunteer and test out careers or jobs that allow you to make a difference in the world using your skills and talents.
FINANCIAL
To learn basic tips for financial health read our introduction post for the wealthy category.