Health Tips

Water and The Basics of Healthy Eating

One of my missions in life is to help people live a healthier life, and educating people in that regard was part of my nursing job. It was also part of being a mother, so if your mother has already told you these things, you can skip this page.

"You are what you eat." My mother told me that years ago, and I probably have told my children that on more than one occasion. It is one of those cliches that has been laughed at in more recent years, but it is true. Good health isn't an accident; it is a practiced way of life. Heredity plays a small part, but the rest is up to you. I've included some small tips, here, that should get you started.

There is much conflicting information available today, mostly because it comes from someone who is trying to sell you something. Not since they dropped "health class" from the curricula in schools, has any one come up with a general set of things that are healthy for everyone to use. I am going to use this website for my message because good health is often reflected in our skin.

Water! I know you've heard it before, you need 6-8 glasses (that would be 8oz. glasses, so if you are using a 12oz glass, you can get there faster) a day for good hydration. Not only does your skin need to be hydrated from inside out, but your joints need it to make enough lubricating fluid, your gut needs it to digest your food properly and get the most out the food you eat, your blood needs it to better circulate through your body to nourish all of your tissues, your brain needs it to keep it bathed in cerebral spinal fluid so it can work at optimum ability, and your immune system needs it to keep your lymph flowing in quantities that fight infections. All of those systems are 80-90% water and if you are dehydrated, you can have stomach problems like cramps and constipation, sore and painful joints, headaches, and be more prone to infections.

But I drink a 2 liter bottle of pop/soda a day, I hear you say! Won't do. Many of the things you drink in place of water actually eliminate more water than you take in because your body needs to eliminate some of the other things you took in with the water, such as caffeine, sugar, coloring/dyes, and whatever else might be in there. Fruit juices can be healthy in moderation, but again they are high in sugar. You can literally drink your total calories that your body needs for a day, and get nothing out of it except the sugar and the water; no vitamins, minerals, protein, fiber, or fats, all of which are important for healthy bodies.

Frequently, I hear people say, "But I don't like the taste of water." If your water tastes bad, there are many varieties of bottled water these days, but cultivate a taste for water. I used to say the same thing, but now, nothing satisfies me as much as water.

Now back to those vitamins and minerals. "Yuck! That means vegetables! I'd rather just take a vitamin pill" I hear you say. Sorry, eating vegetables is an acquired taste, but they really are important. Your body is better able to use the vitamins and minerals in fresh fruits and vegetables than those you get from pills. I'm not sure why, perhaps it is because God made us long before He allowed us to have the know-how to put vitamins and minerals into pills and tablets. There really isn't a good substitute for eating fruits and vegetables.

And yes, you heard me right, I said you need proteins and fats. Everyone seems to agree that protein is needed to build healthy muscle, skin, and all tissue, really, so I feel confident that I won't get any arguments from anyone there. But fats have gotten bad publicity for years, so I'm going to share a bit of well known information about fats that you don't always read about in the latest diet fads. Fat, in moderate amounts, is absolutely essential to good health and especially to healthy skin. Your immune system and your hormones are made up from the fats you eat, both of those are important for healthy well-functioning bodies. It is equally important to your hair and skin because the lubrication for hair and skin is also made up from the fats we eat. Healthy skin isn't just important for the way you look, but it is one of our front-line defenses against infection. When skin is dry, dehydrated and un-lubricated, it breaks down more easily and allows bacteria to get into our bodies. Killing the bacteria is an impossible job, maintaining our defense system against it isn't.

Okay, what kind of fats should you eat and how much? Can you get too much? Vegetable fats seem to be better at providing good nutrients without adding all that cholesterol that clogs our arteries. And yes, you can get too much. You only need about 1/3 of your calories a day from fat, but since fat has more calories per gram than either protein or carbohydrates, you only need small amounts. Vegetable oils, especially olive oil, nuts, and fish oils from fish like salmon and tuna can add healthy fats to your diet. One order of french fries can probably give you all the fat you need for a couple of days and it won't be the healthiest form of fat, either. An occasional order of french fries is okay, a steady diet of them isn't.

That brings me to fast foods, in general. They are designed for speed not nourishment for good health. They tend to be high in fat, especially animal fat, salt, and carbohydrates. Contrary to what most Americans think, "fat, sugar, and dough" are not your basic food groups. Youth covers a multitude of sins regarding healthy habits, but it doesn't mean that your body doesn't need the healthier things in life. A young body can compensate for the nutrients that are lacking in a diet of junk, for a while at least. But kids are developing health problems that were once thought to be part of "old age" at younger and younger ages. As an emergency nurse, I was always surprised at how many kids had broken bones and how easily they broke them. Could osteoporosis be a problem for kids as well as old people? It seems so.

So you see, there are no short cuts to good health and all the fine products in the way of skin care products, and quick fix remedies in the world will not get you to a state of good health. Healthy is beautiful, it feels good, and it is worth striving for. Whatever else might seem more attractive and hold more promise than eating right, drinking water, exercising, and getting enough sleep, in the long run can't hold a candle to those four good health habits. (more to come, check back later)



	Health Tips from Nurse Sue Reasons to Maintain a Healthy Body Weight Water, and the Basics of Healthy Eating Healthclub-Free Exercise Options Especially for Flu Season Rest, Sweet Rest “Good health isn’t cheap, but compared to poor health, it’s a bargain.” ~Sue

	Water and The Basics of Healthy Eating One of my missions in life is to help people live a healthier life, and educating people in that regard was part of my nursing job. It was also part of being a mother, so if your mother has already told you these things, you can skip this page. "You are what you eat." My mother told me that years ago, and I probably have told my children that on more than one occasion. It is one of those cliches that has been laughed at in more recent years, but it is true. Good health isn't an accident; it is a practiced way of life. Heredity plays a small part, but the rest is up to you. I've included some small tips, here, that should get you started. There is much conflicting information available today, mostly because it comes from someone who is trying to sell you something. Not since they dropped "health class" from the curricula in schools, has any one come up with a general set of things that are healthy for everyone to use. I am going to use this website for my message because good health is often reflected in our skin. Water! I know you've heard it before, you need 6-8 glasses (that would be 8oz. glasses, so if you are using a 12oz glass, you can get there faster) a day for good hydration. Not only does your skin need to be hydrated from inside out, but your joints need it to make enough lubricating fluid, your gut needs it to digest your food properly and get the most out the food you eat, your blood needs it to better circulate through your body to nourish all of your tissues, your brain needs it to keep it bathed in cerebral spinal fluid so it can work at optimum ability, and your immune system needs it to keep your lymph flowing in quantities that fight infections. All of those systems are 80-90% water and if you are dehydrated, you can have stomach problems like cramps and constipation, sore and painful joints, headaches, and be more prone to infections. But I drink a 2 liter bottle of pop/soda a day, I hear you say! Won't do. Many of the things you drink in place of water actually eliminate more water than you take in because your body needs to eliminate some of the other things you took in with the water, such as caffeine, sugar, coloring/dyes, and whatever else might be in there. Fruit juices can be healthy in moderation, but again they are high in sugar. You can literally drink your total calories that your body needs for a day, and get nothing out of it except the sugar and the water; no vitamins, minerals, protein, fiber, or fats, all of which are important for healthy bodies. Frequently, I hear people say, "But I don't like the taste of water." If your water tastes bad, there are many varieties of bottled water these days, but cultivate a taste for water. I used to say the same thing, but now, nothing satisfies me as much as water. Now back to those vitamins and minerals. "Yuck! That means vegetables! I'd rather just take a vitamin pill" I hear you say. Sorry, eating vegetables is an acquired taste, but they really are important. Your body is better able to use the vitamins and minerals in fresh fruits and vegetables than those you get from pills. I'm not sure why, perhaps it is because God made us long before He allowed us to have the know-how to put vitamins and minerals into pills and tablets. There really isn't a good substitute for eating fruits and vegetables. And yes, you heard me right, I said you need proteins and fats. Everyone seems to agree that protein is needed to build healthy muscle, skin, and all tissue, really, so I feel confident that I won't get any arguments from anyone there. But fats have gotten bad publicity for years, so I'm going to share a bit of well known information about fats that you don't always read about in the latest diet fads. Fat, in moderate amounts, is absolutely essential to good health and especially to healthy skin. Your immune system and your hormones are made up from the fats you eat, both of those are important for healthy well-functioning bodies. It is equally important to your hair and skin because the lubrication for hair and skin is also made up from the fats we eat. Healthy skin isn't just important for the way you look, but it is one of our front-line defenses against infection. When skin is dry, dehydrated and un-lubricated, it breaks down more easily and allows bacteria to get into our bodies. Killing the bacteria is an impossible job, maintaining our defense system against it isn't. Okay, what kind of fats should you eat and how much? Can you get too much? Vegetable fats seem to be better at providing good nutrients without adding all that cholesterol that clogs our arteries. And yes, you can get too much. You only need about 1/3 of your calories a day from fat, but since fat has more calories per gram than either protein or carbohydrates, you only need small amounts. Vegetable oils, especially olive oil, nuts, and fish oils from fish like salmon and tuna can add healthy fats to your diet. One order of french fries can probably give you all the fat you need for a couple of days and it won't be the healthiest form of fat, either. An occasional order of french fries is okay, a steady diet of them isn't. That brings me to fast foods, in general. They are designed for speed not nourishment for good health. They tend to be high in fat, especially animal fat, salt, and carbohydrates. Contrary to what most Americans think, "fat, sugar, and dough" are not your basic food groups. Youth covers a multitude of sins regarding healthy habits, but it doesn't mean that your body doesn't need the healthier things in life. A young body can compensate for the nutrients that are lacking in a diet of junk, for a while at least. But kids are developing health problems that were once thought to be part of "old age" at younger and younger ages. As an emergency nurse, I was always surprised at how many kids had broken bones and how easily they broke them. Could osteoporosis be a problem for kids as well as old people? It seems so. So you see, there are no short cuts to good health and all the fine products in the way of skin care products, and quick fix remedies in the world will not get you to a state of good health. Healthy is beautiful, it feels good, and it is worth striving for. Whatever else might seem more attractive and hold more promise than eating right, drinking water, exercising, and getting enough sleep, in the long run can't hold a candle to those four good health habits. (more to come, check back later)