Four Tips for Long Term Health Maintenance

In this country, most people go to the doctor when they're sick and the rest of the time, don't think much about their health. But in other parts of the world, it's widely recognized that the body, much like a car, needs routine maintenance in order to stay healthy. I try to teach all my patients how to maintain good health at home, at little or no cost. Here are four recommendations that I find are very effective. Because they are simple, many people don't take them seriously. But if followed, they have a profound effect on the health of the body and mind.

Eat Slowly and Chew Your Food Thoroughly
All traditional systems of medicine agree that a strong and complete digestion is the foundation of good health. By eating slowly and chewing thoroughly, we get three benefits. We dramatically enhance our digestion, we naturally eat less without feeling deprived and we enjoy our food more than ever. Especially carbohydrates should be liquefied before you swallow them.

Deep Breathing
It's a fact that our emotions have a subtle and powerful effect on our physiology. Likewise, stress is very damaging to the physiology on many levels. Anything we can do to reduce negative emotions and stress will produce very tangible benefits over the long term.

Nothing is more effective than deep breathing in order to increase the body's energy and release stress and blocked emotions. It's something everyone can do, anywhere, anytime and it's free! Try to be more aware of your breathing all during the day and take extra deep breaths as often as possible. There are specific deep breathing exercises or practices associated with Yoga or Qi Gong. These are highly recommended in order to restore a balanced flow of energy in the body and raise the spirits. If you want to learn more about the benefits of deep breathing, contact your local meditation center.

Regular Exercise
In general, it is important to move the body and stretch the muscles every day. In doing so, we help the circulation of energy and fluids, we help to balance the hormones and blood chemistry and we assist the body in the elimination of toxins and waste. In general I recommend 20 minutes of vigorous exercise at least 3 days per week - 5 minutes of warm up, 10 minutes of vigorous exercise and 5 minutes of cool down. For most people bicycling, jogging, swimming or any other moderate aerobic exercise is excellent. But if you have an ongoing health condition, lighter exercises such as walking or swimming may be more appropriate. In this case, discuss exercise with your health care professional in order to design a program that is best suited for you.

Regular Shiatsu or Massage
Learn to give yourself shiatsu or self-massage and do it for a few minutes every day. If you can afford it, get a professional shiatsu or deep tissue massage every month. There are some excellent books on Chinese self-massage or Japanese self-shiatsu. Or contact a shiatsu practitioner and learn how you can give yourself a mini-treatment every day. Daily shiatsu, or self-massage, improves the circulation, increases energy and give a profound boost to the body's natural defenses. And it allows you to begin the day with a natural sense of well being.