With all the different advice out there it can get confusing sometimes – what to eat, what to drink, what exercise and which supplements to take?
I love digging into information, learning and staying up to date on new findings about what will help us feel and age well. I’ve also realised how complicated we can make it and with the information overload we end up never actually making any of the changes. We end up stuck, despite what we know is good for us.
Information changes lives and then there are the questions:
- How can I add more good oils to my day, I know they’re good for my brain, skin and keeping my hormones balanced?
- If I do add butter, olive or coconut oil to my diet, will I think better but put on weight?
- How much exercise should I do and what kind?
- Will I feel the effects of gluten and bread, and will I pay for the indulgence?
- Will a glass of red wine every night help me live longer and healthier?
One of the world’s leading experts in aging, Dr. Bill Andrews says two things:
- Happiness is the key to healthy ageing i.e. longer telomeres
- He doesn’t drink alcohol (but he doesn’t discourage it)
Let’s go with his model – at least #1 – happiness and then #2 well…..even though studies show how drinking a glass of red wine every day can help with anything from heart health to preventing Alzheimer’s. My theory is this study was highly likely done on men, because like a lot of woman I know It can make me happy for a very short period of time and then the immediate negative effects start to outweigh the long term positives – like poor sleep, feeling cranky, stuffy head, achy joints and hot flashes.
So my advice to my clients is to keep it simple and follow these rules, laugh a lot – definitely …..and also notice what works for you.
The Simple Advice For You To Follow:-
- Find what makes you happy and do that
- Eat locally grown, real foods. The life in food gives us life – #foodismedicine
- Eat the colours of the rainbow every day
- Stick to the fresh produce aisle in the grocery store. Choose organic
- Plan ahead. Be prepared. Carry food with you
- Eat within an hour of waking and every 5 hours
- Stop eating 3 hours before bed
- Eat a protein, fat and carbohydrate together to balance hormones
- Sit less, walk more and work on your flexibility
- Eat 8-10 portions fruit & veg per day. 5 veggies: 3 fruit
- Eat healthy protein at each meal: Grass fed meats, free range chicken, eggs, line caught oily fish
- Eat healthy fats at each meal: nuts/seeds, coconut oil, olive oil, butter, ghee, avocado
- Respect your own biochemical uniqueness
- Make your meals yummy and delicious with herbs, spices, and good quality sea salt
- Make stress reduction a daily priority
- Get good quality sleep for at least 7- 8 hours a night
- Drink clean flouride/chlorine free water – get a filter rather than drinking from plastic bottles
Take the time to notice how you feel and what makes you feel great and what doesn’t? Self awareness is also part of your journey and allows you to make better choices and slowly over time, you’ll figure out what makes you feel the way you want to feel, more of the time.