6 Simple and Useful Ways to Stay Healthy

“Remember, simple ideas are still useful.” I heard these brilliant words on the radio yesterday afternoon and they completely struck me! Let’s just soak that up for a minute! In a world where over complicated and over the top crazy everything rules, at a time when many of us just finished hauling loads of gifts home from Christmas get togethers, simple is still relevant! All I could think was thank God!

This profound statement was made after the daily segment, “on this day in history” that airs on a local radio station. On this day in history, January 3rd 1888, Marvin C. Stone obtained the patent for the “modern” drinking straw. Yep, the straw. The radio broadcaster gave a short description of how Marvin came upon inventing the straw, which you can read about here. He then made the observation that yes, even 130 years later, simple is useful.

When I decided to start blogging and posting, it was with the goal of helping others find relief of their individual health struggles, whatever they may be, making healthier happier lives achievable. One of my main motivators in starting this journey was the over complication I observed in the world of health and fitness. I saw friends everywhere joining groups, asking how to count macros, contemplating cross fit, and trying to determine if it would be the paleo ketogenic or whole30 diet that would finally be the key to success. Others took to social media posting pictures of weight loss pills next to pizza and doughnuts, sure they could now eat anything and still shed the pounds. They’d eat their last ever bowl of ice cream buy a fitbit, meal prep like crazy and start super intense workout plans just to eventually stop because, yeah, it was super hard to keep up with!

Everywhere I looked I saw confusion and desperation for answers.  After having been on a health journey of my own, I wanted to help. I realize, while most (not all) of the above things I mentioned are totally fine, none of them are actually simple. Most people won’t ever start something if it’s too complicated, and then, if they do start, once it becomes hard to live and enjoy life, what happens? They give up and quit. So today I was brought back to my roots, the original thoughts that spurred this desire to offer others health help. Simple ideas that are still useful.

Yep, the following ideas are very simple. Some are sayings you’ve heard your entire life. Common? Yes. Relevant? Also yes!

6 simple and useful ways to stay healthy:

1. An apple a day keeps the doctor away. Alright, I admit the simple act of eating an apple everyday isn’t going to be the key to keeping our bodies at peak performance. But there is truth in the root of the phrase: there is NO replacement for good nutrition. Eating right is one of the most impactful ways to keep our bodies functioning properly. In a world where so many are living like their health is entirely in the hands of fate, take responsibility, realize you have a role here. God only gives us one body to cary out this life in, so be good to it! Fresh fruits and veggies are key, eat up!
2. Water is essential to life. Doesn’t get more simple than this. Drink water, lots of it. Ditch the pop, soda, or whatever title the bubbly sugary stuff goes by in your part of the world. Your body will say a big ol’ thank you!
3. Worry is futile. Now, I must clarify preparing and worrying are two different things. I’m not promoting living a completely care free life, I’m all for responsibility. What I’m speaking to is actual worry, thinking and pondering things beyond our control. Guilty, guys. Yep, I’m totally guilty of this. But the concept that worrying less and living more can lead to greater happiness and better health is truly a simple idea that works. Need proof? Harvard health even has an article on the subject.
4. Laughter is the best medicine. Ok this may be “just another saying” but seriously, type that phrase in the search bar. It’s legit. People who laugh more, those who are happy, really do experience better health and improved healing! (note: laughing is sort of the opposite of worry, right!?) So, pop in a funny movie, call a friend, better yet, get together with those friends that always leave you with your cheeks hurting from smiling so much and enjoy the benefits!
5. Moving burns calories. Yep, I said it. You want to burn calories? Move more, do more. Pretty simple huh? Now you may find certain types of exercise work better for you than others. But it’s safe to say you will burn more energy (calories) by moving than you will by sitting still. So, get up and move!
6. Clean hands save lives. Sound like an exaggeration? When it comes to hand washing, that phrase is the motto of the CDC, and this is one subject we agree on! After all being healthy isn’t just about keeping a trim waste line, it’s not getting sick too. While scrubbing those hands likely won’t keep you from catching anything ever, it will likely lower the risk of getting and spreading every single thing that goes around! When we were kids it was house rules to wash our hands before and after meals as well as the moment we returned home from going anywhere. (in addition to other normal hand washing, of course) Good practice, plain and simple. I’m personally passing those rules down to my kids.

SO simple, right!? I highly doubt anyone had a major revelation reading through the above six points. But that IS the point! Sometimes we spend so much time complicating it, trying to find new and better ways to do health that we forget the simplest, tried and true things that are tucked away somewhere in our memory.

Are there some awesome nutrition tricks out there? Sure thing! Are the cross fitters onto something when it comes to building muscle and burning fat, yep, I do believe so. Don’t get the wrong idea, I don’t want to discourage you from doing something BIG if you want to. I just wanted to throw out a reminder that the simple things we already know sometimes get clouded by the bright – new – shiny – fancy things. Bottom line, clean eating, drinking water, taking care of our mental health, moving and hand washing are the bones, the foundation to any healthy lifestyle. Plain, simple and still useful!

Enjoy, share and soak up the simplicity!

– Rita