Holistic Health - What is it and Why Do We Need It?

Healthy diet

A healthy lifestyle and nutritious diet are the best weapons we have to combat disease and premature aging. It has been said we dig our graves with out teeth and this is so true. Even though it may be time consuming, the best idea is to cook our foods from scratch. Then at least we know what we are putting in our bodies and we aren't poisoning ourselves with denatured ingredients like white flour or dangerous ingredients like chemical additives, trans fats and sugar.

If you're overweight and relish the idea of counting calories, then don't. Simply cutting out carbohydrates two days a week and eating sensibly for the rest of the week will get rid of excess flab. Simple carbohydrates such as sugar, white flour,  wheat pasta, most breakfast cereals and processed foods probably shouldn't be eaten at all. Potatoes can be consumed in moderation and whole grain products such as brown rice are okay most days. Vegetables and fruits are wonderful foods, but if you watching your weight, keep the fruit down to two pieces a day. Legumes can be substituted for meat, chicken and fish for variety.

If we go back twenty years, this type of diet would probably keep us healthy. Unfortunately, today, foods are grown in poor, nutrient starved soils with chemical fertilizers which means they don't contain the nutrition they once did. Cattle are fed grain instead of grass, fish contains ever increasing amounts of mercury and even chicken s are fed hormones in some countries.

To stay healthy today we need supplements to create health and protect us from disease. A good multivitamin should be on everyone's list. Omega three (found in oily fish or capsules) is beneficial for both body and mind. Other supplements can be added according to an individual's needs.

While this may sound time consuming and expensive, consider the cost of prescription medications for diseases such as diabetes, heart disease and arthritis. A good diet, sufficient exercise and the right supplements could keep these diseases at bay while giving us good health, energy and a long life. Which will you choose?