Do you invest in your health ?

Here are 4 simple tips--things we can do now to prepare our bodies for the long, healthy haul!!

1. If You Can't Spell It, Don't Eat It! Processed foods age us fast! By overworking our pancreas and digestive system, fake foods just don't work well with our bodies. Stick with the basics by using fresh ingredients first. Eat whole grains, fruits, veggies, and high quality proteins and fats such as beans, nuts, salmon. Shop the perimeter of the food store, and when you absolutely have to buy food in a box, look at the ingredients list. If you can't pronounce the ingredients or have no clue what they are, skip it
2. Switch it Out! All foods are not created equal. For example, yogurt can be a healthy option, but if you're yogurt is filled with sugar or chemicals, you may as well eat a candy bar, right? We're lucky, though, because we have SO many choices. Switch to plain all-natural yogurt and add fresh fruit. Or, if you only eat white pasta or bread, try whole grain varieties instead. If you switch out your "staple" foods for higher quality options, your body will thank you in years to come!
3. Slip it In! Ok, so you may not be ready to do a 180 when it comes to food. I totally understand. But filling your body with antioxidants will make you glow from the inside-out! Trick yourself by "slipping in" healthy ingredients to your everyday choices. For example, flax is a powerful antioxidant that's so easy to add to almost anything! Use it when you're making chicken fingers, add it to your cereal, sneak it in to your morning muffins.
4. Muscle Matters! Strong muscles and healthy bones can add years of high energy, high quality living! Make sure to build your muscle and protect your bones by doing stretching, strength training, or even water exercises. And, if you're complaining about your metabolism slowing down as you age, don't worry- strength training can rev that up, too!! You'll become a strong, healthy, fat burning machine in no time!

Ways To Stay HEALTHY

Staying Healty make life longer. Try these tips for staying healthy and avoiding the flu, colds, and other illnesses.

1. Hand Washing. It is the most and basic routine to keep germs away. Viruses and bacteria can live for hours on surfaces touched by an infected person. Then they are transferred to the next healthy person to come along. Wash your hands vigorously with soap and warm water for 10-15 seconds. Use liquid soap rather than bar soap, and disposable paper towels to dry hands. Avoid overusing anti-bacterial soaps. They sound good in theory, but can actually support bacterial development.

2. Use Hand Sanitizers. These products use an antiseptic alcohol to destroy 99% of germs. Small containers are easy to carry in purses, pockets or backpacks and you can use them anytime and anywhere because they don't require soap, water or towels to be effective.

3. Cover Up. If everyone covered their face when they coughed or sneezed, germs wouldn't stand a chance! Unfortunately, many people just can't make this habit stick, and the germs fly free. Encourage kids to turn their head and cough or sneeze into the crook of their elbow -- rather than the palm of their hand -- to avoid passing germs by touch.

4. Disinfect the House. Use germ-killing cleaning products, like Lysol, bleach or boiling water, to disinfect the house. Wipe down the phone, computer keyboard/mouse, door handles, bathrooms, toys, countertops and other common surfaces. Wash dishes in the hottest possible water and allow to air dry, or use an automatic dishwasher. Microwave sponges and dishcloths for 30 seconds to kill bacteria. Replace toothbruses often, especially after illness.

5. Don't Smoke. Studies show that smokers have more frequent and severe colds. Secondhand smoke dries out nasal passages and makes people more susceptible to respiratory illnesses.

6. Don't drink Alcohol. except in moderation. Heavy drinking dehydrates the body and damages immunity

7. Get Plenty of Sleep.

8. Exercise . especially aerobic, increases the body's virus-killing cells. Even better, exercise outside in the fresh air, away from dehydrating indoor heating systems and recirculated, germy air

9. Eat Healthy Food. Like with lots of vitamins, like colorful fruits and vegetables, whole grains and yogurt.

10. Drink lots fo water. it flushes out your system. Take care of yourself!