7 Doctors That You Will Need for Life
It takes a whole team to keep my S#@T together. This is my birthday month and I turn double nickels. Yikes!! But exciting!!! So now you know my age and what I share in my videos, blogs, podcasts, seminar are true life experiences and lots of practice with patients (over 20 years).
As I am writing this post, I feel like I am in the flow and getting the downloads from my boss (God). So here we go!!!
These are the doctors that have kept me healthy, feisty, strong and courageous even in a world that bucks my way of doing things. Ready, set & let’s go...
#1 Dr. Sunshine
Every morning I wake up and have my quiet time with God and head out for a walk no matter where I am. I even do this when traveling.
Did you know that exposure to sunlight in the mornings can increase serotonin? Serotonin is the “happy hormone” that is associated with boosting your mood and helps you feel calm and focused. Without sun exposure, your serotonin levels are more likely to take a dive.
Daily exposure before 10 am is best, the sun rays are very potent and can cause skin damage between 10 am and 4 pm. The best sun exposure is when you are in a swim suit and not covered up from head to toe with sunscreen. I usually walk in shorts and a tank top without sunglasses and a hat early in the morning. The key is without the sunglasses and no sunscreen.
How much is best? Several studies reveal that 5-15 minutes two to three times a week can provide some of the benefits of Vitamin D while others encourage 30 minutes several times a week. In addition to the happier mood it also has positive benefits for skin and bone health.
Benefits:
Better mood
Bone health
Skin health
Sleep quality
#2 Dr. Diet
Diet should not be equated with restrictions rather with foods that will nourish your body and trigger a genetic expression for optimal health.
There is no debate that the food you eat impacts your body. Nutrigenomics and epigenetics are promising fields that will have a vast impact on how doctors provide care to their patients. If you don’t believe it, try fueling up your car with diesel gas instead of regular fuel and see what happens.
The worst foods you can eat are:
Sugar
Gluten
Soy
Corn
Dairy products from conventional cows
Eggs for many even from grassed fed chickens for some
Peanuts
The best superfoods for many people include:
Green vegetables (spinach, leafy greens)
Low sugar fruits (berries)
Hormone free meats and poultry (organ meats like liver!)
Wild caught fish (salmon is king!)
Sprouted seeds for some (sunflower, pumpkin)
The best diet or eating template is one that your body thrives on. It will vary throughout your lifetime, so learn to be flexible. One year you may thrive on Paleo and another year you may thrive on a Mediterranean-type template.
#3 Dr. Rest/Sleep
My favorite doctor!!! When we consider rest as part of the healing process, it’s not just sleep but it can include naps and taking time in between strenuous workouts. Our bodies need sufficient rest to recharge, regenerate and replenish.
Did you know that sleep impacts:
Pain
Mood
Sex drive
Weight
Brain activity
Memory acuity
Immune system
Overall productivity
Lack of rest and good quality of sleep directly impacts your state of overall health.
#4 Dr. Exercise
I love this doctor! Okay I said that about the last one too. Exercise has so many benefits:
Weight management
Brain health
Insulin control
Body composition
Strong skeletal structure
Natural anti-depressant
Studies show that the ideal exercise program for peeps 65 and older should include:
Aerobic
Resistance
Flexibility
Balance training
#5 Dr. Gratitude
We all can find something to be grateful for in our lives. Gratitude is an emotion expressing appreciation for what you have in your life. Studies show that people who cultivate a daily practice of gratitude are happier and healthier people. That sounds like a winning combination!!!
There are many ways to express gratitude:
Count your blessings
Say “thank you”
Write thank you cards
Keep a gratitude journal
Thank someone mentally
#6 Dr. Self Confidence
Ok, so you may be thinking, really self confidence?? Yes!!! It’s an attitude about your awesome skills and abilities. It means you trust and accept yourself and have a sense of control in your life. You build self confidence by keeping the promises you make to yourself. They can even be small ones that start early in the morning like make your bed, brush your teeth, meditate or exercise. You can set realistic expectations, goals and challenge yourself every day by adapting a new goal that will allow you to learn.
Every day you are either learning or dying. When you are learning, you build new brain pathways that excite you! It allows for a growth mindset.
After all if you get up every morning doing the same thing and did not learn something new, you are dying and not growing. Growth and contribution feed the human soul.
#7 Dr. Community
We are social creatures and we're meant to live in communities to survive and thrive. When you have a community or a group of friends that support you, there is a warmth of feeling cared for, safe and even can benefit your outlook on life.
When you belong to a community you feel like you matter because you get the opportunity to help other people better their lives and it gives you a sense of purpose and connection. There is contribution which feeds your happy soul.
Which one is your favorite doctor?
Taking care of the physical body, the mind and the spirit are essential to creating a happy and healthy life.
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