One of the most common and universal goals that we all share as human beings is the goal of improving our overall health. Especially in today’s world of fast food, technology, and over-indulgence where it is so easy to start and then fall into a cycle of unhealthy habits, many of us inevitably reach the point where we ask ourselves: how can I begin to live a more healthy lifestyle?
As a company that is focused on providing solutions for health and wellness, we wanted to learn advanced tips on leading a healthy lifestyle, whether it has to do with physical, mental, or psychological health. To do that, we asked more than 50 health and wellness experts the following question:
What’s your single most important tip on living a healthy lifestyle (and why is that tip is so important)?
We’ve collected and compiled their expert advice into this comprehensive guide to for living healthy. See what our 54 heath experts said below.
Meet Our Panel of Health and Wellness Experts:
Top Healthy Living Tips
Wondering what top healthy living tips are from our panel of experts? We’ve created this handy chart so you can see which tips were most commonly recommended. But they’re all important.
On to the expert tips! For ease of use, we’ve categorized the answers and created jump links to you can easily jump down to a section of responses from our experts.
- Regular Exercise and Activity Tips
- Eating Regular Meals, Natural Food Tips
- Establishing a Healthy Routine and Healthy Habits Tips
- Knowing Your Body and Your Body’s Needs Tips
- Drink Plenty of Water Everyday Tips
- Stress Management Tips
- Environmental Awareness and Your Health Tips
- Loving Yourself and Acceptance Tips
- Positive Attitude and Self Discipline Tips
- Personal Motivation to Get Healthy Tips
- Taking Health Supplements Tips
- Understanding the True Meaning of “Health” Tips
- Still More Unique Healthy Living Tips
Tips for Getting Regular Exercise and Activity
Mike Creamer
Mike Creamer is an ACSM Certified Personal Trainer, Level 1 Crossfit trainer and currently the resident rowing expert at Reebok Crossfit 5th Ave in NYC as a Concept2 and Crossit Rowing certified instructor. Mike is from Dublin, where he grew up playing Rugby and represented Ireland in the sport of Powerlifting. Mike is also a former member of the NY ‘Iron Island’ Powerlifting team and looks forward to competing as a Crossfit Masters athlete. Learn more about Mike at Anatomicallycorrect.biz.
As a health professional, I believe the single most important tip for leading a healthy lifestyle is…
To make time for exercise; at least 3 and preferably 5 days per week.
The pervasive sedentary occupation imposed by technology and today’s office environment is the antithesis of a healthy lifestyle. Inactivity is a major risk factor for disease and the leading cause of CHD in women over 30, according to a recent study. My advice is consistent with the American College of Sports Medicine’s exercise guidelines for adults but I’m not just parroting the ACSM. This is what I truly believe, practice and preach to my personal training clients.
Two exercise sessions per week should be devoted to strength training and at least three to aerobic type cardiovascular exercise. Both forms of exercise are essential for optimum health and can be combined in the same workout but I put a greater emphasis on the importance of strength training. Why? Because it’s the exercise that most closely reproduces the type of activity are bodies are designed for and need, the lifting and loading type of labor done by our ancestors for millenniums Past the age of approx. 30 if you are not doing some kind of strength training your muscles and bones are getting weaker each year.
Research has correlated muscle strength with increased functional capacity (ie; the ability to perform tasks of daily living with ease) and a reduced risk of injury. Aerobic capacity is inversely related to the risk of disease and death. The following statement, almost 200 years old, by former British PM Edward Stanley still holds true today “Those who do not find time for exercise will eventually have to find time for illness”. Living a healthy lifestyle isn’t just about eating healthy. Regular exercise is the key.
Alexis Abramson, PhD
Alexis Abramson, PhD is an inspiring speaker, corporate consultant, successful author, award-winning entrepreneur and journalist, and is the leading, impassioned champion for the dignity and independence of those over 50. Her commitment to baby boomers and mature adults has been featured in many national publications, including TIME, Forbes, the Wall Street Journal,Entrepreneur, and People. Dr. Abramson is an Emmy and Gracie award-winning journalist who has appeared frequently as an on-air expert gerontologist for NBC’s Today Show, CNN, CBS, MSNBC and numerous other media outlets. She is also the author of four highly-acclaimed books on the subject of caregiving and the 55+ demographic. Learn more about Alexis’ work at https://www.alexisabramson.com/.
My single most important tip for living healthy is to…
Get active and maintain a healthy weight.
Regular physical activity has been shown to reduce blood pressure and may bring you back to a safe level. People who are physically active have a lower risk of getting high blood pressure — 20% to 50% lower — than people who are not active. You don’t have to be a triathlete to benefit from physical activity. According to the American Heart Association, even light activities, if done on a regular basis, can help lower your risk. The general rule is that it’s best to aim for 150 minutes of moderate physical activity per week.
Helene Byrne
Helene Byrne is a pre- and post natal health and fitness expert, author, and founder of BeFit-Mom. Helene has over twenty years of experience in the fitness industry. A former professional dancer, she holds a BFA from the Boston Conservatory and is an ACE (American Council on Exercise) certified Personal Trainer. Her fitness experience runs the gamut from group fitness and private training, to Pilates, yoga, injury rehabilitation, and special populations. The birth of her son inspired her to specialize in prenatal and postpartum fitness and exercise.
My powerful health tip is for moms but actually applies to all individuals, and is one that can have a positive impact on the entire family, for generations…
Do at least one /personal/ fitness activity each week.
Whether it’s a yoga class, going to the gym, or meeting a friend for a walk, when mom regularly demonstrates healthy self-care, not only does she benefit, but also more importantly, teaches the value of health activities for her children to emulate. Healthy families start with healthy moms. We all know that “talking the talk” doesn’t work. “Walking the walk” (sometimes literally!) is the only effective way to raise fit, healthy, kids, who can then pass these assets on to their children.
Dr. Stan Reents
Dr. Stan Reents is a certified health-fitness coach, a published author, and an accomplished speaker on exercise and fitness topics. He is a former health care professional and has been a member of the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) since 2001. Stan is also the President and CEO of AthleteInMe.com.
The best health tip I can offer to those wanting to live a healthier lifestyle is easy, and it’s…
Regular aerobic exercise.
The medical profession refers to “exercise” in a general fashion, however, there are distinct differences between the health benefits of aerobic exercise vs. resistance exercise.
Likewise, they also often lump “diet and exercise” together. You obtain far more health benefits from aerobic exercise. If you consume a perfect diet (whatever that is), you don’t improve your cardiovascular fitness, your muscular strength, nor your bone density.
Dr. Scott Hoar
Dr. Scott Hoar is a chiropractic physician in Boca Raton, Fl. His practice, Health-Fit Chiropractic and Sports Medicine, specializes in the treatment of active and healthy people that are looking to continue to do that, or to take their health to the next level. They accomplish this by concentrating on the physical movements of the body and making sure that patients have full confidence and comfort in using their own bodies.
My single most important tip for leading a healthy lifestyle is to…
Regularly engage in some sort of physical activity that ‘keeps you on your toes’.
Any activity that uses a wide variety of ranges of motions, movements and exercises applies. Yoga would be a perfect example of this (although it’s not even close to the only option). We need to use all the different movements of our body, because if we don’t, we’ll lose the ability to use it. When we lose our ability to move….well that’s not a good place to be in.
Examples of full body movements are : yoga, pilates, exercise classes, crossfit, non-endurance sports, trail running, swimming, etc.
Full body movement and exercise not only helps the physical aspects of our bodies, but also improves psychological well-being, digestions, our immune system and has far-reached affects beyond that. In my opinion it’s the single most important tip for a long lasting healthy lifestyle.
Joan Pagano
Joan Pagano is the author of best-selling fitness books, including “Strength Training Exercises for Women”, an informational speaker on health and fitness topics and the owner of Joan Pagano Fitness in New York City. As former trainer to Jacqueline Onassis and Caroline Kennedy, Joan has specialized in strength training for women since 1988. She is an authority on the benefits of exercise for women’s health issues such as menopause, osteoporosis and breast cancer, as well as strength training through the decades. Joan is the proud finisher of seven marathons and a member of the Shaker Heights High School Alumni Hall of Fame. Learn more about Joan’s work at www.joanpaganofitness.com.
My single most important tip for how to live a healthy lifestyle is that…
Consistency is more important than intensity, so create a habit of exercise that you can maintain for the long term.
Small doses of excise done consistently over time add up to dramatic benefits for your health, fitness and general well-being. Many studies have shown that a little activity goes a long way to improving your fitness level and reducing your risk of:
- Coronary heart disease
- high blood pressure
- breast and other cancers, and osteoporosis
And can help manage diseases like
- Diabetes
- arthritis, and
- COPD
Every day you should exercise in such a way that you can face doing it again tomorrow. Find opportunities to move, climb, bend, twist and squat throughout your day. If you can’t find a half hour to do continuous exercise, then accumulate it in doses of 10 or 15 minutes. This is how to establish healthy habits that will serve you throughout your life.
Dr. Nathan Wei
Nathan Wei, MD is a board-certified rheumatologist with more than 30 years of practice and clinical research experience. Nathan is also an acknowledged national expert in rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis and is the author of more than 500 publications. Learn more about Dr. Wei’s work at https://arthritistreatmentcenter.com/.
The single most important tip for leading a healthy lifestyle would be to…
Exercise daily.
Exercise should consist of a mix including low impact cardio, resistance training (weights or bands), and stretching. One of the issues that occurs as people get older is they develop sarcopenia, in other words, muscle atrophy. To counterbalance that they need to stay fit.
Tips for Eating Regular Meals and Natural Food
Shanna Israel
Shanna Israel is a holistic health expert and founder of Vertical Wellness. Shanna’s work as a professional nutrition and lifestyle expert spans the intersecting worlds of health, wellness, fashion and entertainment. She immersed herself within the healthcare industry after her near death experience battling West Nile virus followed by Graves’ disease and Hashimoto’s. Fearing for her life and mistreated by top professionals, Shanna conducted immense research on conventional and nontraditional methods of treatment and learned how to heal her weakened body and regain strength through a mixture of natural, environmental, integrative, and holistic treatments. Shanna, now a health advocate and wellness professional, created Vertical Wellness as platform for people to learn about viable treatment options and preventative care.
My top tips for living healthier are…
First, eat consistently during the day and maintain a diet that consists of organic whole foods. Be sure to include foods like coconut oil, avocado, cinnamon, green tea into your diet. All of these can help with metabolism and weight loss and taste great!
And second, make your own sweet treats to avoid unhealthy temptations. Instead of giving into the high-calorie sweet treats of summer, make your own treats to bring with you wherever you are, so you can easily replace bad sweets with better ones.
John Rowley
John Rowley is a Certified Personal Trainer, Best Selling Author and ISSA Director of Wellness, and is a widely recognized fitness health and wellness expert who helps others transform their bodies and help them find their passion, purpose and drive for success. As a #1 Best Selling author, John’s books both act as self-help books for those interested in transforming their bodies and lives. Rowley’s expertise goes beyond staying physically fit. He changes lives and offers many self-help tips in every aspect of life, which helps others live an overall more successful life. He also recently launched his 52 Million Pound Challenge tasking North America to collectively lose 52 million pounds.
My top tips for leading a healthier lifestyle are actually very simple, and they are…
Eat meals every 3 hours to stoke your metabolism and burn fat, specifically ones high in protein and vegetables.
Make small, increased active changes to your day to increase your fitness. Get outside and enjoy the weather! Park your car further from work, zig zag the supermarket while pushing a heavy cart or take the family outside to play a sport. Easy, small changes are sometimes the most effective.
Don’t be afraid to familiarize yourself with weights, and make sure to do cardio after weight training NOT before – Gylcogen (blood sugar) is used for energy so use it up while lifting weights.
Rosalie Moscoe
Rosalie Moscoe, RHN, RNCP is a registered nutritional consultant practitioner, speaker for stress relief & nutrition, and author of “Frazzled Hurried Woman! Your Stress Relief Guide to Thriving…Not Merely Surviving”. As a professional speaker, Rosalie Moscoe has electrified and inspired over 800 audiences at corporations, associations, non-profit or community group for almost 20 years. She is passionately committed to guiding people to achieve maximum well-being, stress-relief, boosted nutrition and positivity. In addition to her health practice, Rosalie also serves as Vice Chair of the International Schizophrenia Foundation, which promotes adjunct, therapeutic nutrition for better mental health. Learn more about Rosalie’s work at https://www.healthinharmony.com/.
From both personal and professional experience, the cornerstone to a healthy lifestyle is…
A diet as pure and organic as possible.
We are what we eat and the right foods for our bodies (allergen free) will provide vitality, and superior mental and physical health. The three categories of foods include: proteins, carbohydrates and fat. Proteins include fish, chicken, plain yogurt, if tolerated or goat dairy products, lamb and occasionally grass fed beef. Proteins consist of amino acids that feed both body and brain/neurotransmitters. Our bodies are mostly protein, which needs to be replenished on a regular basis (small amounts three times a day.)
Carbohydrates give energy and phytochemicals to repel diseases such as sautéed or steamed vegetables, raw fruit and whole grains such as quinoa, buckwheat, whole grain cous cous, brown rice or breads made from these grains. Grains and fruit need to be taken in small amounts for heart health and blood sugar regulation (to prevent diabetes). Too many starchy or sweet carbohydrates (sugar) can cause high triglyceride blood levels and lead to heart disease. If gluten intolerant or gluten sensitive, individuals need to eat only gluten free grains such as buckwheat, quinoa, teff, corn (in moderation).
Fats (essential fatty acids) feed the brain. The dry weight of the brain is 60% fat. Fat must be replenished daily for good mental health. The heart also benefits from healthy fats (keeps the blood vessels slippery, preventing clots and clogging of arteries). Good ones consist of olives/olive oil, coconut oil, avocado, nuts and seeds (and their butters.) Avoid unhealthy trans fats found in fast food. Healthy fats repel disease and give smooth skin. Add, spices, herbs and lots of fresh, filtered water, some tea, a little coffee daily and people can live to a ripe old age. Bon appetite!
Susan Schenck
Susan Schenck is the author of the 2-time award-winning book, “The Live Food Factor, The Comprehensive Guide to the Ultimate Diet for Body, Mind, Spirit & Planet”. Susan’s book has gained the reputation as the raw foods encyclopedia or bible and has led her to be a guest health expert on dozens of radio shows, including The Frankie Boyer Show, Your Time with Kim Iverson, and The Sharon Kleyne Hour. Susan’s second book is “Beyond Broccoli”, which covers the benefits of a high raw Paleo diet.
My greatest healthy living tip is to…
Eat a diet of at least 80% uncooked food.
When you eat cooked food, your pancreas has to crank out digestive enzymes, whereas when you eat raw, the enzymes are there, in the food, to help digest it. This constant taxing of the pancreas shortens your life, and makes you have a lot less energy while you are alive!
Dr. Edward Howell, who spent his life researching this, claims that your life span is indirectly proportional to the amount of cooked food you eat—in other words, the more cooked food you eat, the sooner you will die! There are also plenty of toxic byproducts in cooked food that contribute to this. My book “The Live Food Factor” includes 66 scientific studies showing the superiority of a raw diet.
Sharon Palmer
Sharon Palmer, RDN is a registered dietitian nutritionist, nutrition expert, and food and nutrition writer. She is the author of “The Plant-Powered Diet” and “Plant-Powered for Life”. In addition, Sharon is the editor of Environmental Nutrition, and the nutrition advisor of Oldways Vegetarian Network. Over 850 of her articles have appeared in a variety of publications, and she speaks across the country on optimal diet for health. Learn more about Sharon’s work at https://sharonpalmer.com/.
As a registered dietitian nutritionist and a food and nutrition journalist, my top tip for leading a healthy lifestyle is:
Eat a plant-based diet.
Whether that means you’re vegan, vegetarian, or omnivore—you should eat mostly minimally processed plants.
This dietary pattern is linked with a host of health benefits, including reduced risk of diabetes, heart disease, cancer, Alzheimer’s disease, and more. Plus, plant based eaters weigh less. It’s easy to understand why this diet pattern promotes a healthy life; plant foods are high in all of the “good” stuff, like fiber, vitamins, minerals, and phytochemicals, and low in all of the “bad” stuff like saturated fat, dietary cholesterol, and sodium. A plant-based diet isn’t something you go “on” or “off”, it’s a style of eating for life. Base your diet on a rainbow of delicious, wholesome foods—legumes, whole grains, vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds, herbs and spices—for life.
Chris Cooper
Chris Cooper is the co-owner of a personal training facility in Massapequa Park, NY called Active Movement & Performance, or AMP. One of Chris’ core philosophies is that people do not move as well or as often as they should. This is a driving principle behind all aspects of his training programs no matter what a client’s goal may be. As an NSCA-CPT, he has put great effort into maintaining a high level of continuing education so that his clients get the very best out of their training programs. One of the most beneficial aspects of his education that he finds key to his ability to help his clients is the numerous hours spent learning and interning under Physical Therapists. His educational background is why he is the go-to trainer for clients coming off injuries.
The single most important tip for leading a healthier lifestyle that I can give as a trainer is…
To put effort into your nutrition plan.
All too often I see people fail because they fail to have a nutritional strategy that aligns with their goal or with how much they train. The common thought of exercise more and eat less only works to a certain point. Eating less isn’t necessarily the correct pathway if it leads to you starving your body. Along those same lines, you should try to avoid creating a “diet” by eliminating or demonizing one particular food or nutrient. Instead, focus on eating whole, real foods and cutting back on processed “food.” You’re not going to be able to out work or out exercise a poor nutrition plan.
Tips for Establishing a Healthy Routine and Healthy Habits
Julia Chan
Julia Chan is a Certified Personal Trainer & Registered Yoga Teacher. Learn more about Julia at https://www.jscfitness.com/.
The single most important tip for leading a healthy lifestyle is…
Find balance in your diet, workouts, and overall lifestyle (work, play, relaxation).
It’s so important because to live a healthy lifestyle, one has to be disciplined, especially with specific goals. So allowing oneself to indulge from time to time is key. That way binging or quitting is not the immediate go to when one gets frustrated or tempted.
So enjoying dessert from time to time, a glass of wine, enjoying a spa day, spending money on a well-deserved vacation, etc is all okay – as long as it’s done in moderation. This will help people stay balanced in their healthy lifestyle and actually stick to it.
Lisa Bahar, LMFT, LPCC
Lisa Bahar is a licensed marriage and family therapist and a licensed professional clinical counselor who work with clients to create healthy self care plans to create balance and wellness. Learn more about Lisa’s work at https://www.lisabahar.com/.
In my experience, the single most important tip for how to lead a healthy lifestyle is to…
Maintain a structured regimen that is built into your daily schedule. For example consistent nutrition, sleep as per your body needs (important to listen to your body), exercise, leisure, building mastery for example learning something new each day that helps create self esteem and confidence.
Dr. Julie Sieben
Dr. Julie Sieben is a chiropractor, certified yoga instructor, and fitness expert. Dr. Sieben earned her undergraduate degree in Exercise Science/Human Performance and Fitness from the University of Massachusetts at Boston, and her Doctor of Chiropractic degree from New York Chiropractic College. In addition to the above, she is an expert in yoga, meditation, health and wellness, nutrition and running. She travels nationally and internationally presenting workshops on fitness and health. Dr. Sieben’s first book, “Six Weeks to Love Running“, was just recently released by SDPPublishing.
The single most important healthy living tip is…
Consistency.
No, I offer no fad diet or exercise craze. This suggestion is a mental virtue. People have a tendency to exercise and eat well (which are of course very important) for a short period of time, say to lose weight for a reunion, or when they are feeling bad about themselves. One of the hardest leaps people make is making healthy choices constantly over time.
We tend to have an all or nothing mentality,” If I can’t work out today, then I may as well eat that burger. I screwed up on my diet last night, so I may as well forget about hitting the gym today, it is already too late. “
The little things add up in either a good way or a bad way, so making consistent good choices is the most important life long skill to living the healthy life style. Even if you can only walk for 15 minutes on a given day, do it! It makes you feel good and helps you make good choices for the rest of the day. So you blew off the gym yesterday, start again today.
Everyday is a day to get it right. Everyday choices add up in a way to help you or hurt you. Try to make consistent choices that lead you in the direction of your goals. Make little, consistent steps, daily.
Rebecca Niziol
Rebecca Niziol, CPC, ELI-MP is multi-passionate, yet singularly focused on helping people live the authentic life of their dreams. A certified life coach, yoga & meditation teacher, retired dancer, writer, and connection catalyst, she brings her positivity to whatever she does. You can find Rebecca rocking all white in Kundalini, getting intimate about stress with smallchangeBIGshift, and leading yoga classes, meditations, and teacher trainings in Chicago at Exhale and Yoga Loft. Learn more about Rebecca’s work at https://www.rebeccaniziol.com
Throughout the years I’ve discovered a number of things that have allowed me to live a healthier happier life, but nothing brings more bliss and balance than…
Enjoying a daily ritual.
I’ve found that when you commit to something, and do it every single day, that is when you see lasting change. I tend to get really excited about something, and then fall off the wagon with it a few weeks later. I’m pretty sure I’m not the only one! When you add ritual to something you make it sacred. When you make something a non-negotiable priority in your life you stick with it.
We don’t question why we blow out candles on birthdays or send flowers for a funeral, it’s just a part of the tradition. If you can create the same intuitive practices around your health and lifestyle you’ll see a much higher rate of success with them. My daily ritual consists of a short yoga practice, meditation, and green tea. It’s simple, profound, and gets me in the right frame of mind for the rest of my day. My life has transformed dramatically since I started this daily ritual practice… and at only 20 minutes a day, it’s something anyone can do successfully.
Dr. Donald V. Case
Dr. Donald V. Case is the owner and founder of Case Chiropractic Center in Canton, Ohio. Dr. Case is a graduate of Defiance High School in Defiance, Ohio, and while enrolled, he was a member of the Biology Scholarship Team and was awarded recognition as a National Merit Scholar. After completing his undergraduate requirements at The Ohio State University, he attended Palmer College of Chiropractic, the world’s first and largest chiropractic college. He has proudly served the Canton area at his practice for over 30 years, helping his patients to lead healthy lifestyles and teaching them the body’s ability to heal and maintain wellness when functioning properly.
The single most important tip for leading a healthy lifestyle is…
Focusing on habits and time. The two main reasons that people usually struggle with maintaining a healthy lifestyle are that they don’t know what to do or they don’t know how to do it. It’s important to realize that health falls along a continuum, with illness, disease, and death at one end and optimal physical, mental and social well-being at the other end. All it takes to move along that continuum are a series of small habits.
Many people treat healthy changes like a diet. They make radical, temporary dietary changes and go on a temporary work-out plan so their pants fit better for the class reunion. In my arena, they get their chiropractic care as a diet, rather than as part of a healthy lifestyle. Nothing that you do temporarily has long-term impact on your health. Habits and time is basically building a lifestyle.
Take for example, water intake. If a person were to drink the recommended daily amount of water—half their body weight in ounces of water—for one day, it wouldn’t make much of a difference. Even after a week, the impact is low. But, turn that into a habit and carry it over a year’s time, and the impact is tremendous! Start drinking half your body weight in ounces of water, make that a habit and forget about it.
This concept fits perfectly with the notion that “the human body loves a rhythm.” Sleep, done during the same hours each night, has an ever-increasing value. Exercise, done at regular intervals, has an ever-increasing value. Eating multiple small meals of nutrient-dense foods has an ever-increasing value. All positive habits have an ever-increasing value. This is called The Compound Effect and you can only accomplish it with HABITS AND TIME.
Tips for Knowing Your Body and Your Body’s Needs
Ann Musico
Ann Musico is a holistic health coach who works with women of all ages to empower them to exemplify lives of vibrant health and wholeness – spirit, soul and body – in a way that is simple and effective, in order to be a positive influence in their world. Her focus is on nutrition, detox and healthy, long term weight loss because she believes those areas are most often the root cause of so many other problems. And she addresses them not only from the physical but also the spirit and soul as well, which are often overlooked. Learn more about Ann at https://www.threedimensionalvitality.com.
If I had to share my single most important tip for living a healthier lifestyle I would have to say it would be…
Take baby steps and then listen to your body.
There are so many important facets to health – nutrition, exercise, sleep, stress management – but there is no one perfect diet. One size never fits all! What works beautifully for one person may not work at all for another.
So I suggest you take baby steps – make one small change at a time and then listen to your body! By taking one baby step at a time you make changes gradually and they feel doable – rather than overwhelming. You will be much more apt to make the changes part of your lifestyle long term, and that’s very important. If you change your diet until you lose weight, when you revert to old habits, you’ll gain it all back again! And, if you pay attention and listen to your body, you will know what gives you energy and nourishes you and what does not.
Dr. T. K. Stone
Dr. T. K. Stone is the Author of the Mind/Body Health e-book titled “The Fertile Ground”, is a contributing health expert on various media publications such as Blog Talk Radio, SuperChangeYourLife, Yahoo Voices, and Associated Content, among others. Learn more about Dr. Stone’s work at https://www.thefertileground.com/.
The single most important tip to leading a healthy lifestyle is…
Knowing yourself and your body.
Knowing you have a body and knowing you have a mind might seem a bit obvious to you. I have asked everyone whom I have ever treated to explain to me how their body and mind works. Mostly I get back from people the deer caught in the headlight reaction. It appears very few of us ever think about how life works.
Life is about “living” and for all of evolutionary time, everyday for all the plants and animals, it’s about living. Living is about breathing, drinking, eating, sunning, moving, resting and minding (thinking about living). Today and for some time in history, humans are all about “surviving” and surviving is about materialism, which is artificial. Living is about being natural. When you know yourself, you know the difference between being natural and acting artificial.
Greek philosophers described “being natural” by observing Nature and how organisms have lived throughout time. Being natural is a behavior inherent to all of life. Animals and plants breath, drink, eat, move, rest, sun, and each organism has a certain level of intelligence (intellect). We are all related by Nature’s DNA intelligence and the specific organism is controlled by its DNA. DNA is programmed to live and be natural in a natural environment for all of evolutionary time. This modern world is not the natural world the DNA has evolved to live in. When any organism changes its natural pattern of living to an artificial one, there are consequences of that change.
Modern humans are the only animal on the planet who cooks their food. Heat destroys energy and nutrients from Nature’s wonderful evolutionary foods, so this is something to be mindful of. The biggest problem for us modern humans, when getting energy and nutrients from our food is, cooking denatures our food.
There is always an effect to every cause. Cause the natural lifestyle and be natural. Cause the artificial lifestyle and do artificial. There are no right or wrong lifestyles, only consequences.
Melanie Angelis
Melanie Angelis, MSCAM, is a board certified nutritionist, and with her husband, Nick, author of “How to Succeed in Anesthesia School”, she owns and operates holistic wellness center, The Grecian Garden.
The single most important tip for leading a healthy lifestyle is to…
Know your body. Especially in today’s digital age, learning about paleo, gluten-free, Crossfit, vegan, raw food, vegetable oils vs animal fat etc. can be bewildering. Forget the fads, put down the latest article, and start paying attention to what your body is telling you. Do you worry about calcium but feel queasy (or gassy) after having dairy products? Put down the milk jug and eat some leafy greens. That means you may have to stop behaviors that are masking symptoms so you can get down to the root of your problems. For example, just because you’ve medicated your reflux into submission doesn’t mean you’ve cured it. Maybe eight glasses of water a day is too much for you or a grain free diet isn’t clearing up your digestive issues. The better you know yourself the more insight you can provide your practitioner–don’t make them work like a vet, guessing what might be wrong with you!
Drew Vanover
Drew Vanover is a 5th Degree Tae Kwon Do Master and Registered Yoga Teacher (RYT) who has been teaching for over 16 years to children and adults. Drew encourages his students to find a healthy balance and to listen to what the feedback is from their bodies. In his own life, learning that skill has led to great benefits such as eliminating his pollen allergies and just feeling better overall. Learn more about Drew’s work at https://intentionalmindfulness.com.
The single most important healthy living tip in my experience is to…
Listen to your body.
Not just the urges that pop up (I’m bored, so now I’m hungry), but the underlying signals our bodies send to our brains all the time (my favorite food is now making my stomach ache after I eat it). Our bodies follow nature in desiring balance. This balance is external as in getting enough fresh air to clean out our lungs and have contact with other people. This balance is also internal when it comes to things like eating well, exercising, injury prevention and recovery. By recognizing that the signals from our body are just that, signals, and not assigning them to buckets without examining the signals is a great first step.
Pain is an excellent example. So many times I hear people say they are doing some sort of work out and they experience pain. Most of the time, what they are experiencing is a strong sensation that is not comfortable, not pain. This is an important distinction because “not comfortable” can be a good sign; moving out of a comfort zone, exerting oneself and growth. However true pain is a sign that the person should back off the intensity or even stop the activity because they are doing something potentially injurious to their body. Unfortunately, not enough people know the difference and this can lead to avoidable injuries or the sense of never making any progress towards a goal.
If applied to eating, then we learn to tell the difference between eating due to hunger and eating due to boredom. With this knowledge in hand, a conscious choice can be made. I am bored and not really hungry but that snack looks delicious. I can choose to eat it or not, but that decision is intentional and not something that just happens.
Tips for Drinking Plenty of Water Every Day
Brittany Mullins
Brittany Mullins is a health coach, certified NASM personal trainer and has been blogging about healthy living since 2008. She is a lover of all things food, nutrition and fitness. Through her blog, https://www.eatingbirdfood.com/, she proves that maintaining a healthy lifestyle doesn’t have to be a challenge by sharing recipes, fitness activities and tips. On a daily basis she focuses on inspiring and motivating others by showing that small changes can create long lasting health and happiness.
My number one tip for healthy living is to…
Drink more water.
We’ve all heard it before but it’s so true. Water is essential for every function of the human body — it also speeds up your metabolism, gives you energy, keeps you feeling full, and helps with digestion and weight loss. Many people are dehydrated and don’t even realize it. I recommend drinking ½ your body weight (in ounces) per day as a minimum. For example a woman weighing 150 pounds should be drinking at least 75 ounces of water a day.
Dr. John Salerno
Dr. John Salerno is the Director of The Salerno Center in NYC, and is also an established author, lecturer, radio host and media icon throughout the world. With over 25 years’ experience as the go -to doctor for professional, comprehensive and full-service care, Dr. Salerno offers life-changing health solutions and educates patients and physicians about the benefits of health, wellness and complementary medicine with a specialized focus in Vitamin IV Therapy, Heavy Metal Detox, Weight Loss, Anti-Aging, Allergies and Hair Loss. Once a partner of Dr. Robert Atkins and an integral part of The Atkins Diet creation, Dr. Salerno has created and developed his award-winning diet, The Silver Cloud Diet as well as helped spark a worldwide movement where patients and physicians alike can grow, heal, and learn.
I believe there are a couple of important, yet easy tips for leading a healthier lifestyle that anyone can follow, which are to…
Get enough sound and consistent sleep for overall health and maintained weight. Sleep is critically important for good health. As humans, we need 7-8 hours of solid sleep a night. Sleep also maintains healthy growth hormone levels which can keep weight off and keeps cortisol, the bodies primary stress hormone, in balance.
Stay hydrated and stick to clear liquids. This is especially important to keep you moving all day – and water is a great alternative to soda or other sugary drinks. Due to the heat, you should drink a little more water than usual to keep hydration levels up.
Dr. Kevin Stone
Dr. Kevin Stone is an orthopedic surgeon at the respected Stone Clinic and Stone Research Center in San Francisco.
The best way to stay healthy is to…
Drink eight tall glasses of plain water daily.
In addition to that, create a diet focused in lean protein and do at least one hour of exercise 7 days a week. These factors will help you lead a more healthy life
Dr. Renee Matthews
Dr. Renee Matthews is medical correspondent, radio host, and writer who has spent over 20 years in the medical profession. She is contributing writer for Ebony Magazine where she addresses topics such as asthma, health, and wellness, and is the contributing health blogger for BlackDoctor.org and Good Enough Mother; a leading community dedicated to moms providing advice and exposing the myths of motherhood. Along with her expert contributions in publishing, Dr. Renee is also a sought after speaker for various health organizations and schools. She herself is an asthmatic, which drives her passion for asthma education and health issues. Learn more about Dr. Renee’s work at https://askdrrenee.info/.
My single most important health tip is to…
Drink half your weight in ounces.
If you weigh 150lbs I want you to drink 75ozs a day of water. Here are my 10 favorite reasons why you should increase your water intake:
1. Increases Energy & Relieves Fatigue– Since your brain is mostly water, drinking it helps you think, focus and concentrate better and be more alert. As an added bonus, your energy levels are also boosted!
2. Promotes Weight Loss– Removes by-products of fat, reduces eating (by filling up your tummy if consumed prior to meals), reduces hunger (natural appetite suppressant!), raises your metabolism and has zero calories!
3. Flushes Out Toxins — Gets rid of waste through sweat and urination, which reduces the risk of kidney stones and UTI’s (urinary tract infections).
4. Improves Skin Complexion– Moisturizes your skin, keeps it fresh, soft, glowing and smooth. Gets rid of wrinkles. It’s the best anti-aging treatment around!
5. Maintains Regularity– Aids in digestion as water is essential to digest your food and prevents constipation.
6. Boosts Immune System– A water guzzler is less likely to get sick. And who wouldn’t rather feel healthy the majority of the time? Drinking plenty of water helps fight against flu, cancer and other ailments like heart attacks.
7. Natural Headache Remedy– Helps relieve and prevent headaches (migraines & back pains too!), which are commonly caused by dehydration.
8. Prevents Cramps & Sprains- Proper hydration helps keep joints lubricated and muscles more elastic so joint pain is less likely.
9. Puts You in a Good Mood– When the body is functioning at its best, you will feel great and be happy!
10. Save Money!- Water is FREE! Even if you choose bottled/filtered water, it’s STILL cheaper than that high sugar and fat-filled latte!
Tips for Managing Stress
Dr. Kathy Gruver
Dr. Kathy Gruver is an award-winning author and host of the national TV show based on her first book, “The Alternative Medicine Cabinet”. She has earned her PhD in Natural Health and has authored two books on stress: “Body/Mind Therapies for the Bodyworker” and, “Conquer Your Stress with Mind/Body Techniques”. She has studied mind/body medicine at the famed Benson-Henry Institute for Mind-Body Medicine at Harvard Medical School and pursued further education at The National Institutes of Health. She has been featured as an expert in numerous publications including Glamour, Time, Wall Street Journal, CNN, WebMD, Prevention, Men’s Health, Huffington Post, Yahoo.com and Ladies Home Journal. Learn more about Kathy’s work at https://www.thealternativemedicinecabinet.com/.
The single most important tip for leading a healthy lifestyle is to…
Practice stress management. Stress is a killer in our society accounting for 60-80% of our doctor’s visits. But stress isn’t the problem. Because we can’t control the stress. What we can control is our reaction to it.
I like to recommend meditation, but even I, myself, am not good at meditating. I’m too type-A, “go go go” to sit on a pillow and quiet my mind. However, I found a meditation that even I can do. It’s called a mini. It goes like this: concentrate on your breath and on the inhales think, “I am.” and on the exhales think, “at peace.” And repeat over and over. It’s that simple. And if other thoughts intrude, just dismiss them without judgment and return to “I am…at peace.”
This stops the fight or flight response, slows our heart and respiratory rate, helps brain function, digestion, sexual response and even slows the genetic effect of aging if practiced enough. It puts us into the present moment and stops our response to the stress. It doesn’t make the line at the bank move any quicker, doesn’t get our flight in on time or stop the IRS audit, but it fixes our reaction to it and that’s all we can control. Stress management is one of the biggest issues of health today and this simple technique is one of the answers.
Caitlin McCormack-Wilson
Caitlin is a freelance writer and editor for the health and wellness blog, happierlivingtoday.com. She’s spent the past 10+ years reviewing products and creating exceptional healthy lifestyle content for major Canadian and American news organizations. She has a special interest in health and wellness.
My number 1 tip for leading a healthy lifestyle is…
Stress management.
When we are stressed, we have high levels of cortisol in our blood. This leads to chronic inflammation, sleep disorders, weight gain, weakened immunity, digestive issues and hormone imbalance. By implementing some coping strategies, like deep breathing, meditation or just simply walking and getting some sunshine can help to lower cortisol levels. There are also dietary considerations like lowering caffeine intake, drinking chamomile or valerian root teas, taking adaptogenic herbs like ashwagandha, tulsi (Holy Basil), shisandra Berry, Siberian Ginseng, Rhodiola and passionflower. Eating foods like walnuts, leafy greens, halibut and spinach can bolster amino acid and GABA production, which reduces stress.
Seth-Deborah Roth
Seth-Deborah Roth is a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist, Clinical Hypnotherapist, and a Certified Hypnosis Instructor. She is a fellow with the National Board of Certified Clinical Hypnotherapists and has presented at the National Guild of Hypnotists, the International Medical & Dental Hypnosis Association, the Institute of Advanced Studies in Health, the Dermatology Nurses Association, Kaiser Hospital in Alameda, St. Rose Hospital in Hayward, among many other. She became nationally known on her appearance on the Discovery Channel’s “MythBusters” and has presented on the field of medical hypnosis at the Association for Professional Hypnosis and Psychotherapy in London. Learn more about Seth-Deborah’s work at https://www.HypnotherapyForHealth.com.
The most important tip for living a healthy lifestyle is to…
Manage your reactions to stress both internal and external.
The HPA axis (Hypothalamus, Pituitary & Adrenal)is a major influencer of the stress biochemicals (neurotransmitters) that are being circulated in our bodies continuously 24/7. Reframing and releasing emotional events of our lives starts the process of leading a healthy lifestyle.
Sometimes we can do this ourselves and sometimes we need other emotional outside help. As hypnotherapist with a medical background, I see the results on our bodies if we stay in hyper stress day after day, year after year versus how we can stimulate health when we are in a better frame of mind. The brain doesn’t know the difference between reality and imagination.
So let go of the emotions that are holding you in a state of stress. Get some professional help if you need to. Stay in the moment. Breath. Remind yourself of gratitude for what you do have. Do not compare your life with others. Life is a learning experience.
Dr. Adam Jacobs
Dr. Adam Jacobs is a chiropractor and owner of SF Custom Chiropractic in San Francisco, CA. Dr. Jacobs has been practicing since 2008 and runs one of the leading chiropractic and wellness offices in San Francisco; SF Custom Chiropractic has been named one of the top 5 chiropractic offices by the Bay Area A-List since opening in 2011.
My most important tip for leading a healthy lifestyle is…
Work/life balance.
It is important to find balance between your personal and professional life because in cases of imbalance, it is very easy for stress to become prevalent in both spheres. Stress can cause many negative impacts on one’s physical and mental health. It is important to make a list of your top five priorities – one of which should definitely be physical health – and structure your time to maximize constructive time for work and growth, time with family and friends, and care for your body.
Tips for Environmental Awareness and Your Health
Dr. Luz Claudio
Dr. Luz Claudio is a tenured professor of Preventive Medicine and specializes in environmental health. Her job is to conduct original research on how environmental pollutants affect health and what we can do as individuals, communities and policy makers to reduce our exposure to chemicals that can affect health. She works especially with minority communities who are often most impacted by environmental pollution. Learn more about Dr. Claudio and her work at https://www.drluzclaudio.com/.
The most important tip I can give for those wanting to lead a healthier lifestyle is to…
Realize that a large portion of diseases are preventable.
Interestingly, this is not a widespread concept, partly because the health-care system is really a “disease-care” system, where the emphasis is on managing disease once people have it, not on preventing disease. I think that the environment plays a significant part in health and disease. The World Health Organization estimated that globally, a quarter of disease in adults and more than a third of children’s diseases are caused by environmental factors. For example, 20% of lower respiratory infections are attributed to indoor and outdoor air pollution.
Caroline Blazovsky
Caroline Blazovsky is a National Healthy Home Expert with 13 years experience, Certified Mold Remediator-CMR, an indoor air quality specialist/Certified Indoor Environmentalist-CIE with Sustainable Design educational background from Boston Architectural College, and a member of the American IAQ Council and IAQA, as well as serving on the national IAQA Green Committee. Caroline resides as President of My Healthy Home, a company that strives to help its clients identify contaminants in the home, reduce the use of allergens & chemicals, improve indoor air quality, mold, and use more environmentally-friendly building materials and products. Learn more at https://www.myhealthyhome.info.
My single most important health tip that I always tell my clients is to…
Examine your home environment.
A majority of health related complaints come from our own environments. Houses contain a plethora of problems that can occur if homes are not maintained, in addition we bring many products into a home that may also compromise our health and air quality.
If you are having unexplained medical symptoms and have been to a doctor and test results are normal. Start looking into your home, mold, water contamination, VOC (volatile organic compounds), lead, radon, pet dander, dust mites may suppress our immune systems and cause health symptoms.
Examples: Especially children that have difficulty concentrating, and may be hyperactive, we have found that a lot of children have bedrooms over attached garages and air samples reveal that they are breathing in chemicals in high numbers, when we remove these items from the house or change children’s bedroom location symptoms improve. Always check your home for potential health risks; your body will thank you for it!
Dr. Mary Ann Block
Dr. Mary Ann Block is in private practice in the Dallas/FortWorth area, with a focus on chronic health problems in adults and children. Dr. Block is also author of 8 books, including “No More ADHD, No More Ritalin, No More Antibiotics”, “Just Because You’re Depressed, Doesn’t Mean You Have Depression”, “Easy, Effective & Healthy Weight Loss”, “Find the Cause, Fix the Problem, Don’t Just Cover Symptoms”, among others. She holds a clinical faculty appointment and has served on the faculty as assistant professor at the University of North Texas Health Science Center/Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine. She has been featured medical expert on variety of television shows such as The Doctors, the CBS news show, 48 Hours, MSNBC’s Scarborough Country, and others, and has been interviewed on CNN News, NBC`s Home Page, Fox Network News, and The Today Show. Learn more about Dr. Block’s work at https://blockcenter.com/.
My single most important tip for leading a healthy lifestyle is…
Know what is in your food, your water and your drugs.
Most public water sources contain chloride and fluoride. These two minerals block the iodine uptake of the thyroid gland, creating hypothyroidism. The plastic in water bottles can leach into the water and modify hormones. Much of our food is genetically modified and it will be years before we understand the true ramifications of that. Independent studies on GMO food tell us that there are real dangers there. Most other countries, outside the US, have banned GMO foods.
Prescription medications are now tested only by the drug manufacturer and most of the tests are performed outside the US and in third world countries where there is little oversight. FDA approval is based on what the drug company says about their own studies. There is proof that many of these companions have lied about the dangers of their drugs. Also, the FDA has stated that less than 1% of doctors know the side effects of the drugs they prescribe, so it is dependent on the consumer to do their own research about drug side effects.
Almost daily, in my practice, I see patients who were prescribed drugs for something they did not even have. I have seen people who were prescribed antidepressants for insomnia, back pain and diarrhea. The doctor did not take the time to help them figure out what was really wrong and just prescribed a drug that the person did not need and the doctor did not treat the symptoms they actually had. I want people to know that they must take responsibility for their own health by asking questions, reading and using common sense.
Tips for Loving Yourself and Self Acceptance
Vivian Eisenstadt
Vivian Eisenstadt, MAPT OCS is the Founder of Prevent the Pain Therapy, Inc. in Los Angeles. Guided by a personal goal to help patients with chronic pain reclaim their lives, Vivian has explored traditional and modern healing techniques for the past 18 years. Today, her nickname ‘Vivie’ has come to be synonymous with pain-free. Learn more about Vivie at https://www.vivie.com/.
I believe one of the most important tips for a healthy lifestyle is to…
Love Yourself.
Your mind is your greatest ally or enemy at every moment. Your focus, your intention and your attitude drive your health and wellness. When you love yourself you will chose habits that show you how much you love yourself, such as exercise, healthy diet choices and surrounding yourself with others that treat you right. Feeling love from others starts with loving yourself. The vibration you put out into the world will be reflected in your surroundings.
Loving yourself improves your energy level, focus and helps every physical organ in your body to work better. A suggestion for days where you’re not feeling so self loving is to create positive affirmations to repeat to focus your brain back to positivity, such as “I am worthy of love”, “I am capable of attracting amazing miracles into my life” and “I have enough energy to do everything I need to today”. Doesn’t it make you feel better just reading that? 
Anita Perry
Anita Perry is owner of Healthwatch Workshops and YogaAnita, and has been in the fitness business since 1978. Anita has trained individuals to be aerobic instructors, provided on site corporate fitness programs, and was a continuing education provider to the fitness industry. Ms. Perry has a master’s degree in education and is a frequent presenter at Title I and education conferences. Her practice and business is dedicated to helping people calm their minds, stretch their bodies and invigorate their spirits. She also recently authored a book, Yogaminute, to help busy people take a minute out their days to give themselves the gift of yoga. Learn more about Anita at https://www.yogaanita.com/.
My single most important tip for living a healthy lifestyle is…
Loving yourself.
If you love yourself, you will always do what is right for you. You will take care of your body by exercising and eating right. You will reward yourself with time alone doing what you love: yoga, hiking, reading, playing with the kids, being with your partner, having a massage and being good to yourself.
Dr. Kenny Davin Fine
Dr. Kenny Davin Fine is academic medical doctor and board certified in internal medicine and gastroenterology, and he is known as “Gluten Guru” and “Physician Musician on a Mission”. He has been professionally involved in patient care, medical research, teaching, directing clinical laboratories, nutritional pioneering, and public health for over 25 years. Having been a professor his entire working life, in the year 2000, he converted his successful academic medical career into a public service enterprise to foster his professional passions for teaching and helping people. It was then that he founded, and he still directs EnteroLab.com clinical reference laboratory and the non-profit, Intestinal Health Institute in Dallas, Texas where he has furthered his ground-breaking research and offers diagnostic laboratory tests for intestinal disorders, and gluten and other food sensitivities.
Most people would think the answer to this question would involve a recommendation to eat a specific food, take a specific supplement, or do a specific form of exercise. My answer, and the one I know to be true is to…
A) Get adequate sleep (at night when it is dark);
B) Seek calm and peace in yourself and the world;
C) Laugh and be happy and grateful daily;
D) Love yourself “and thy neighbor”;
E) Be creative regularly;
F) Seek time in nature doing natural things, and perhaps most importantly (and what all the previous things support);
G) Nurture your spirit with spiritual health because we are Spiritual beings leading human lives not Human beings leading spiritual lives. “Health from the Spirit Out” is my motto!
Tips for a Positive Attitude and Self Discipline
Dan Flores
Dan Flores is a fitness and lifestyle consultant in NYC, and a Master Resistance Training Specialist. The grandson of a legendary bodybuilding pioneer, fitness is encoded in his DNA. Dan was introduced to fitness at an early age, and those early experiences greatly inspired him to continue on to success in collegiate and professional football, and later, to become a top specialist trainer in NYC. His clients range from 9-year-old athletes to 80 year old fitness enthusiasts, and everything in between. His approach to training is to focus on appropriately challenging the body with specific movements that maximize the benefits while unlocking your body’s potential. Learn more about Dan’s work at https://www.danflorestraining.com/.
The single most important factor when achieving and maintaining any goal, especially fitness, health or wellness is…
Commitment.
Motivation, which is an emotional state, is temporary. Long after your motivation has waned, what you’ll have left is your commitment to your goal.
Over the course of time, the sum of a person’s habits will be what decides their ultimate success of failure. If commitment isn’t there, the natural tendency is to take a short cut or not follow through with the process of eating properly, or returning to exercise.
There’s isn’t any magic in any particular method of training, except that whatever method you can return to will usually be where you’ll find the most success. Also, that which you can return to will be what makes committing easier. *The “greatest” workout in the world is just the opposite if no one can return to it.
Greg Justice
Greg Justice is a certified personal trainer and the founder of AYC Health & Fitness https://www.aycfit.com/, Kansas City’s original personal training center, established in 1986. He has been actively involved in the fitness industry for more than three decades as a club manager, owner, personal trainer and corporate wellness supervisor. Greg is also author of several books including “Mind Your Own Fitness – A Mindful Approach to Exercise,” “Treadside Manner, Confessions Of A Serial Personal Trainer,” and “Lies & Myths about Corporate Wellness.” Learn more about Greg’s work at https://gregjustice.com/.
The single most important tip for leading a healthy lifestyle all begins with…
Having the right thinking, attitude and mindset.
“Rule Your Mind, Or It Will Rule You.” – Horace 50 BC
Being mindful about nutrition and exercise are the only ways to lasting health and wellness. Bringing together the best of the Eastern and Western Fitness cultures are what I preach to my clients because, fitness is a journey, not a destination.
There are too many programs that focus only on the “result” or outcome of a 12-week program. The Eastern Fitness culture teaches us that it is about the “process”, not the result. The results will take care of themselves.
Oscar Agramonte
Oscar Agramonte is a certified personal trainer and RKC (Russian Kettle Bell) instructor in Orlando, Florida. Oscar achieved his personal training certification from the International Fitness & Physique Association (IFPA), and joined the Wah Lum Kung Fu Temple, where he discovered a more comprehensive method of physical training. Now an instructor at the Wah Lum Temple, he teaches both tai chi chuan and kung fu. Oscar continuously enhances his knowledge of health sciences and applications, and has achieved his Kettlebell Instruction certification under Pavel (RKC, HKC, Strong First). Always passionate about sharing the benefits of personal health, Oscar openly shares the elements of health information he learns with his clients and colleagues, in hopes of increasing fitness and personal wellness in more people’s ways of life. Learn more about Oscar at https://www.wahlumfit.com.
The single most important thing to have in order to live a healthy lifestyle is…
Having self-discipline.
It is well documented that successful people do not enjoy doing the things that make them successful more than others. They just do them. For a healthy lifestyle this could range from going to workout (without making an excuse), not having that extra cookie, and turning off the TV an hour earlier so that you can get enough sleep. This can also mean that you have the self-discipline to seek professional help when you need it. By no means do you have to live a Spartan life. You should still have fun! But once you make a realistic fitness goal, decide what the price you have to pay to make that goal and then pay that price.
Personal Motivation To Get Healthy
Alex Timmons
Alex Timmons is the Co-Founder and CEO of Team Activist Inc., a California nonprofit dedicated to evolving fitness and health motivation.
The single most important tip for leading a healthy lifestyle is to…
Finding a personal, genuine reason why you want to lead a healthy lifestyle.
Fitness magazines, blogs, social media, and Dr. Oz can give us plenty of reasons why we should live a healthy lifestyle – and are a great place to get inspired – but at the end of the day, they’re just speaking universally. Finding your specific, personal reasons for leading a healthy lifestyle makes your commitment real. Writing your reasons on a notecard and putting it somewhere where you’ll see it everyday, like the fridge, or wearing something specific, like a bracelet, will remind you everyday why you are doing what you are doing and give you the motivation you need to live your healthiest and happiest life possible.
Stephanie Mansour
Stephanie Mansouris the CEO of “Step It Up with Steph”, a TV Personality and Confidence & Lifestyle Coach for women. She’s appeared on the Dr. Oz Show for her 60-second workout, given dating & career tips on NBC Chicago, and has been featured on CNN, Chicago Crain’s Business, Fox LA, and many more media outlets. Stephanie is also a nationally known Health & Fitness Expert and a reality TV show trainer, helping her client lose 80+ lbs in 12 weeks on NBC Chicago without any diets or gimmicks. Companies like GE have also enlisted Stephanie for her “Cubicle Crunch” office wellness workshop and presentation. Learn more about Stephanie’s work at https://www.stepitupwithsteph.com/.
My advice for leading a healthy lifestyle is…
Understanding your personal motivation for health: the “why”.
The bigger the WHY, the easier the HOW. Figure out your reason WHY you want to get healthy – it’s not just to lose weight – there’s something bigger! Do you want to have more energy, run around with your kids, feel more confident? What’s your reason WHY?
Dr. Jennifer Lauretti
Dr. Jennifer Lauretti is a licensed psychologist, board certified clinical health psychologist, Fellow of the Academy of Clinical Health Psychology and Assistant Professor of Psychiatry at the University of Massachusetts Medical School. She is passionate about helping people improve their well-being, alleviate distress and achieve optimal functioning in their lives. She has extensive experience working with adults facing a variety of life challenges (i.e., anxiety, depression, relationship concerns, divorce, stress management and infertility issues). She utilizes an integrative combination of Positive Psychology, Mindfulness, Motivational Interviewing and Cognitive-Behavioral techniques to help people make the changes they desire and move forward in their lives. Learn more about Dr. Lauretti’s work at www.i-thrive365.com.
The single most important thing to have in order to live a healthy lifestyle is…
To know yourself well.
What motivates you to lead a healthy life? Intrinsic motivators (what fuels your desire) vs. external motivators (I need to lose weight because my doctor, partner, friend told me I need to) are infinitely more powerful in helping us make lasting change in our lives. Asking yourself “why” and connecting what you value (better health, more energy, ability to walk long distances, play with your children / grandchildren, etc.) to your everyday habits is a powerful way to motivate yourself. There are a number of ways our thoughts, feelings and behavior impact our efforts to live a healthy life.
Tips for Taking Health Supplements and Probiotics
Beth Shaw
Beth Shaw founder of YogaFit and leader of Mind Body Fitness education. Founded in 1994, YogaFit is the largest yoga fitness school in the world with a network of over 250,000 instructors. Beth regularly writes for the Huffington Post, Parade Magazine, Expert Beacon and works with the New York Times. Her third book, YogaLean
, will be released by Random House this Fall, and it acts as a guide to eating healthy, losing weight, and keeping it off.
The most important tip for leading a healthy lifestyle, which I feel is remarkably overlooked is making sure to…
Take probiotics.
Probiotics are crucial for maintaining good intestinal health. When the digestive system is working properly, germs have less of a chance to grab hold. I take four probiotic tablets daily with my vitamin C. These should be taken on an empty stomach for the best effect. Remember that a good percentage of your immune system exists in your gut, so respect it, and give your body the nutrients it needs to protect itself!
You can buy delPRO Probiotics on Amazon
Toni Sicola
Toni Sicola is a health and wellness professional, nutrition expert, and blogger.
My single biggest most important healthy living tip is…
Get your gut health in order.
Vitality starts in the gut where we assimilate input from the outside world into resources for inside our bodies. If the gut isn’t working properly, nothing is working properly. Gut health is crucial for the health of every other system in our bodies. Gut health affects our skin, our immune response, our bowel movements (obviously), even our MOOD and PERSONALITY. That’s a scientifically proven phenomenon.
Fact: There are more neurons in the gut than in the brain
Fact: The microbiome in the gut comprises more than 60% if our immune function (some say as much as 75%)
Fact: Gut permeability is the culprit for a number of autoimmune diseases and the rise of food allergies (gluten, corn, dairy, soy to name the most common) Getting your gut health in order will change your life in more ways than you can imagine. How to get your gut health in order (in no particular order):
- Take a probiotic and eat foods rich in live cultures (kim chee, kefir, sauer kraut, yogurt, kombucha)
- Heal the gut lining and reduce/eliminate permeability by drinking bone broth and/or supplementing with L-glutamine.
- Eat foods that support the propagation a healthy gut biome — fiber-rich foods that represent every color of the rainbow.
- Explore the possibility of food sensitivities through an elimination diet (start with the ones I listed above)
Tips for Understanding the True Meaning of “Health”
Dr. Bobby D. Findley, Jr.
Dr. Bobby D. Findley, Jr. is a seasoned wellness expert, with many years’ experience helping individuals improve and maintain their physical health. Bobby is nor retired and currently spends his time with his wife running a bed-and-breakfast, https://www.prospecthill.com/.
My single most-important tip on how to live a healthy lifestyle is…
Strive to fully understand and embrace what health really is.
Health is not simply the absence of symptoms or disease; Health is the presence of “aliveness” and “wellness”… a fully-functioning body working as it was designed to do. Once you grasp this, then you can understand that having a fever (for example) doesn’t mean you’re unhealthy… rather, it may mean you are quite healthy (how else is a healthy body supposed to rid itself of a bad germ)? On the other hand, just because you feel fine or don’t have symptoms, it doesn’t mean you are healthy… for many people the first symptom of heart disease is sudden death! People need to quit trying to “feel” good or healthy (often through medications) and instead try to “be” good or healthy!
Maurice Buchanan
Maurice Buchanan is the founder and CEO of UGO1 Fitness, and has been in the health and fitness industry for the 9 years. Maurice prides himself on working with all populations of all abilities in having a better understanding about health and fitness and the simplicity of it being a part of life.
The single most important tip for leading a healthy lifestyle is…
Having a strong mental acceptance of what healthy is.
Being healthy isn’t a program, product, or crazy new workout. It’s a way of life and an understanding that being healthy isn’t a thing. It’s not something you measure, calculate, or think about. Healthy people don’t see being in good health as a chore or a list of do’s and don’ts. Being healthy just is. Just like the effortless task of putting pants on in the morning that’s how healthy people live a healthy lifestyle. This all starts with a mindset.
Once you have that mindset everything else becomes easy. Excuses, blame on others, or not holding yourself accountable all goes out the window because it just isn’t there. Being healthy has always been simple. If it weren’t we’d all be dead by now. It is the acceptance of that simplicity and the mental strength to not overcomplicate something that has kept us on this earth for thousands of years when we had nothing.
Other Unique Tips for a Living a Healthy Lifestyle…
Anu Abraham
Anu Abraham is a Health Expert, Empath and Mind+Body Therapist at Shift PT in NYC, a holistic health and wellness center owned by ex-NY Giants’ NFL sports massage therapist, Patrick Walsh. Learn more about Anu’s work and Shift PT at https://www.shift-pt.com.
My single most important tip for leading a healthy lifestyle is…
Keep your mind present with the activity at hand.
There are many key factors to leading a healthy lifestyle such as diet, exercise, hydration, balance in life, stress reduction, and time for rest/sleep/relaxation. This is a lot of information to take in and can be overwhelming, so where to start? Pick one category, engage your mind with your body and see how you feel.
When you are eating:
Being mindful and present with what you are eating will tell you the information you need about quantity of food that is truly necessary, as well as the effect of the quality of food you are eating. When you eat, be aware of the way the food you ingest makes you feel. Giving power to the way food makes your emotions feel is not necessarily the healthier way to eat. It is more important to be aware of whether the food energizes your body with fuel that fulfills you, rather than food that can weigh you down or drain your energy.
When you are exercising:
Keeping your mind connected to the movement of your body will increase the contraction therefore increasing the strength of your muscles. It also gives you the space to listen to your body indicating whether you should stop, or continue with an activity, which overall is one of the best ways to prevent injury.
When it comes to the intention of having better more restful or longer sleep:
Stay present and observant of the things that prevent you from having just that. As well, take deep breaths when being mindful of your seated or standing posture. Keeping your body in its neutral position helps to keep your mind present. When you are present, you are more focused and effective with the task at hand.
Lore Earley
Lore Earley is a coach, therapist, holistic health practitioner, believer in the healing forces of nature, an educator, adventurer, witty writer, and hopeless fan of House Hunters International. She helps people sort through their emotional and physical baggage so they can feel better and start doing the things they really want to do. Lore specializes in helping you tackle the REAL problem versus dancing with symptoms that keep you unhappy, unwell, and stuck. Learn more Lore’s work at https://www.loreearley.com.
The single most important tip for living a healthy lifestyle is…
Recognize that wellness starts from the inside out.
The food you choose to put in your body determines immunity versus disease.
Your thoughts can manifest happiness, motivation to exercise, and a productive day. The way you think can also land you on a sofa, watching TV, eating ice cream all day, while resenting everyone else for being happy. No pill, lotion, cheerleader, or protein shake is going to provide lasting physical and emotional health. These things are deceptive, giving the appearance of helping, but ultimately are like pretty, shiny stickers that you put on a chart for “being good”. After awhile, those stickers lose their luster, and you move on to what you think will be the next greatest thing.
There is no “quick fix” to leading a healthy lifestyle. It all comes from within YOU. When you decide to take an inside-out wellness approach, you are empowered, in control, and can decide what is really important to you based on the areas of your life you feel need tweaking. This is where motivation is born. And motivation is what creates lasting change.
Maybe you are motivated to transition from processed food to whole, real foods so you can stop counting calories and worrying about weight loss. Maybe you are motivated to forgo the “bull in a china shop” treadmill workouts and do yoga instead, because your adrenals are shot and you are tired of feeling like crap. Maybe you will decide that you need to do some mental detoxing to throw the negative voices of so-and-so out of your sacred space. The point is, YOU decide, and your power to chose a healthy lifestyle starts from within.
Steve Silberberg
Steve Silberberg is the Founder and Owner of a weight-loss backpacking business, Fitpacking.
The single most important tip for how to live a healthy lifestyle is…
Moderation.
Completely cutting chocolate, ice cream, alcohol, whatever out of your life may support your healthy lifestyle at first, but for most of us, it’s unsustainable. After you’ve denied yourself sweets for a few weeks, maybe one day you’ll come home after a stressful day at work, get bad news via e-mail and get into an argument with your spouse. You may decide to eat that cookie you’ve been denying yourself and then you won’t stop until you’ve eaten the whole box. Then it’s on to the ice cream. The next day you figure you’ve already ruined your streak, so you continue to eat poorly…
With moderation, there’s none of that. If you want a cookie, have one or two. That should be enough so that you feel sated. Just don’t have 6.
Melissa Migliaro
Melissa Migliaro is a certified personal trainer and the founder and owner of Metamorphosis, a unique wellness center in Pittsburgh. Metamorphosis began as a dream of Melissa’s, to create an environment that would provide a variety of diverse programs and services that were designed to nourish the body, mind and spirit. From there, she went on to expand the center’s offerings into providing other resources to compliment this vision that would benefit the community, such as counseling, financial management, healthy cooking, and mindfulness retreats, along with an array of special offerings, such as stress management seminars and workshops on how to achieve ultimate happiness.
As a new entrepreneur of a wellness center and an avid runner, I believe the single most important tip for leading a healthy lifestyle is…
Time management.
Appropriate time management is necessary in all areas of life, but most importantly when setting goals. Taking the time to sit and be mindful about the things that you want to achieve in life (personally and professionally) is the first step.
What follows is to ensure that all people and steps are in place to manage your time appropriately to reach those goals. Even eating healthy requires time management, thinking about what foods you want to eat, preparing them and planning to make the time to eat it. A healthy lifestyle is a lifelong commitment. Everyone falls at some point, but getting up and adding more safety nets and support around you only makes you stronger and less likely to fall next time.
Carole Lieberman
Carole Lieberman M.D. is a well-known psychiatrist, best-selling author, TV personality and radio host. She is constantly trying to help people live a healthy lifestyle – both physically and psychologically. Find more about Carole’s work at https://www.drcarole.com/.
My single most important tip for leading a healthy lifestyle is to…
Do something – besides work – that you are passionate about.
Most people have heard the saying “follow your passion,” but this is generally interpreted as relating to work. And, in today’s bad economy, following one’s passion in work can be quite a challenge.
So, I recommend that people find another passion, instead of, or in addition to, work. For example, becoming steeped in a cause or a charity. My outside-of-work passion is training for, and competing in, horse shows – jumping, crosscountry and dressage. My daily stress melts when I am on the back of a horse, and jumping over jumps becomes a metaphor for running towards goals and conquering challenges.
Liz Barnet
Liz Barnet is a Fitness & Food Coach based in Manhattan. She works with private clients and instructs group classes at Uplift Studios and SLT, two of the hottest boutique fitness studios in the area. Liz offers her clients simple, straightforward and sustainable solutions to their health and fitness goals. She believes that by incorporating small changes daily, you can painlessly achieve big results. She is a graduate of Boston College and the Institute for Integrative Nutrition, and holds a variety of certifications including personal training, group fitness, Pilates, yoga, kettle bells, TRX, spin, pre/post-natal, and the Lagree Method. Learn more about Lisa’s work at Lizbarnet.com.
My single most important tip for leading a healthy lifestyle is to…
Plan, prepare, portion, and package your meals as much as possible.
Even with the best of intentions (and adequate nutrition knowledge), tempting treats and “hangry” (hungry + angry) desperation leads undoubtedly to bad decisions that derail goals, make you feel terrible, and don’t support your health.
Spending a couple of hours a week grocery shopping and prepping your meals avoids all those danger zones. Make a list of what you need, including adequate protein, lots of fresh vegetable and some fruit, limited and wholesome sources of carbohydrates, and any pantry staples you might need. If you’re not a chef, find some food blogs or recipe books and bookmark easy options. Wash, cut, and portion out fresh vegetables to make them easily accessible; pre-cook proteins ahead of time. With some flavorful herbs and condiments, you can transform the same ingredients into wildly different meals.
Some of my go-to favorites include: hard boiled eggs for salads and snacks; grilled chicken with seasoning blends; using ground meat and adding a low-sodium and low-sugar jarred prepared sauce over spaghetti squash or roasted cauliflower; making crustless mini-quiches or egg muffins using a muffin tin; sliced carrots and celery with nut butter; large lettuce leaves with deli meat and mustard. If you get into the habit of preparing your own food, you’ll not only save calories, but time and money in the long run!
Dr. Jennifer A. Gardner
Dr. Jennifer A. Gardner is a pediatrician and the Founder and Visionary of Healthy Kids Company. She is a parenting and child wellness expert with a special interest in pediatric obesity, child weight management, fitness, and nutrition. As a pediatric hospitalist and emergency medicine attending, she has treated thousands of children and brings this experience and love of children to Healthy Kids Company. Dr. Gardner enjoys writing about health and wellness and is a contributing author to “The Mommy MD Guide to Losing Weight and Feeling Great”. She is also the author of a children’s book promoting healthy eating habits, “An Eating Creed Indeed, Indeed!”
My most important single piece of advice when offering wellness counseling is…
Start with the basics. Get enough sleep (6 to 8 hours), food and water.
Science suggests happiness emanates from this essential foundation. Does this mean every day? No, but if this is a target regularly missed, it’s taking a toll on happiness.
But really, these are just as important: Take time to slow down and really smell the roses. A rose won’t last forever so seize opportunities before they are gone, even if you don’t think you have the time. As you rush through your hectic day, never feel guilty for taking the opportunity to care for your emotional self and seek joyful moments. Time spent playing with kids, reading a book, or catching a power nap all leave you fulfilled and energized. This makes you a better mom and a great role model for your children. (The dishes can definitely wait.)
Don’t let fears feaster. One tip from the world-renowned psychiatrist, Dr. Ned Hallowell, is never worry alone. This is so important. Always express your fears to at least one person. Most fears are irrational, and those that aren’t are viewed by us as more serious than they actually are. A trusted sounding board will point this out, offer support, empathy if needed, as well as a plan to deal with it. The mere act of having a plan—even if it doesn’t work out—puts you in control and moving forward.
Dr. Jennifer Burns
Dr. Jennifer Burns is a holistic family practitioner and a published researcher in alternative medicine. Dr. Burns focuses on an integrative approach to bring people to optimal health, and periodically writes articles on various health topics, and gives seminars to other physicians and to the public. The knowledge she has gained from many years of medical practice and experience has helped her to look at the person as a whole to truly help with their hormonal and gut issues. Learn more about Dr. Burn’s work at https://thebienetrecenter.com/.
The single most important tip in my experience has to do with a change that we should all make. In other words, to…
Change how you see and value yourself.
Our perception is our reality. It our reality is coming from a place of “I’m not worthy”, “I deserve”, “I’m entitled too”, then we miss what is really going on around us. If we treat our self as an object and not as a person then we attract those who will also treat us like an object people who will put us down because we feel that way. We if have confidence in our selves then we will attract people around us to feel the same way. Then we can handle situations better because we know what the truth is because we see the truth within ourselves. That is one thing that will make people happy.
