After making the
commitment to following a more healthy lifestyle, many people are stumped as to how
to actually begin putting their ideas into practice. Realizing that if improvement
is not seen fairly quickly, people become discouraged and give up, we have put
together some ideas as to how to make your transition as smooth, easy and effective
as possible. As always, we are readily available for 1:1 consultations. Click here for
more information about the types of consultations we offer.
1. Educate yourself. Unless you know what you are going to
be doing, why you will be doing it and what you can expect from doing it, making
lifestyle changes can be very frustrating. Begin by reading some books to gather
information. We recommend The Hallelujah Diet by George Malkmus and Fresh Fruit and
Vegetable Juices by Dr. Norman Walker (along with any of Dr. Walker's other books)
as good starting points. Also, The China Study by T. Colin Campbell has some
terrific information validated by scientific research. The 80/10/10 Diet by Dr.
Douglas Graham is wonderful for learning how the body is designed to nourish
and digest! Any of Dr. Graham's books are, in my opinion, must haves if you are
trying to obtain, or regain your health! Attend a seminar, a support group, or set
up an appointment with someone who can help you understand, answer your questions,
or direct you to the right places for information.
2. Set Goals.
Decide what you are hoping to accomplish from what you are going to do. Is it to
lose weight, avoid a surgery, get off medication, increase your energy to be able to
do something? Try to be as specific as possible. The more clear your goals the
easier they will be to monitor for achievement. Be reasonable when putting in time
frames - if your goals are unrealistic then you may become discouraged. you may need
to start out with a goal like " I will not eat any meat for 2 weeks ". When you
have accomplished that goal, extend it and maybe add to it - " I will not eat any
cheese or meat for 2 weeks". The most drastic improvement actually seems to occur
when grains are eliminated for a couple of weeks. It is amazing the difference you
will experience! etc.
3. Set a Start Date. Give yourself a date that
you will begin to make the changes and then stick with it! We can all find reasons
to put off doing what we know will be beneficial to us in the long run. Once you
have a set date on the calendar - you can begin making necessary arrangements so
that you will be ready to make the change. It may mean emptying the refrigerator of
the meat, milk, eggs, and cheese, or joining an exercise class so that you can work
it into your schedule
4. Make up menus. Try to put together sample
menus for 2 weeks. Remember that keeping raw all day and having just a cooked meal
in the evening will cut back on the time spent in the kitchen. In addition, if you
have the menus made out in advance, you can shop for the items and have them on hand
so you are not so tempted to eat something you shouldn't.
5. Tell
someone. When you tell someone that you are going to be making certain changes, then
you are in essence saying "hold me responsible for making this change." Make sure
the person (or people) you tell are supportive and encouraging, positive people. You
won't want someone to hold you responsible if they are going to be trying to
discourage you the whole time.
6. Just Do It! You've educated
yourself, set your goals, have your "materials" on hand, your support system in
place, and you are ready! It is time to put your plan into action.
7. Be prepared for some surprises. It may be a friend who invites you out for
dinner. Be ready, you can still eat good food when you go out, but you may have to
be assertive in asking for something special. You may begin by feeling really good
and all of a sudden - "POW" you are flat on your back (or on your knees) sicker
than you ever want to be again. Know that this unexpected happening, should be
expected. It is a natural course of the body as it begins getting rid of the toxic
garbage in your body to make room for the good stuff.
8. Have a
Detoxification Plan. If you begin detoxifying your body right at the beginning, when
you are beginning a lifestyle change, you will be less likely to have to deal with
many "detoxification symptoms". This could be using Colon Cleansing/Hydration, Far
Infrared Sauna, Detox Foot Spa, Coffee Enemas, Ginger Baths, Charcoal, or other
detoxification means. Click here for
more information about some of these!
9. Don't beat yourself
up. We all "fall off the wagon" occasionally. Don't be discouraged, just get up
the next morning and begin again.
10. Be Patient. You didn't reach your
current health condition overnight, you won't change it overnight either. Give
yourself time (see setting goals).
11. Have fun! This is a lifestyle that
you know will help you be healthy, but if it is a chore and not any fun, then the
odds are against you sticking with it! The better you plan, the more you share with
others your great results, the more positive you can be, the more likely you are to
see the kind of results for which you are looking.
12. Love Yourself. God
made you in a unique way and He wants you to be healthy because He loves you. If you
are so important and loveable to God, can you truly look at yourself any other
way?
These are just some examples of ways to get started on a healthy
lifestyle. But it all begins with an acknowledgment that we are not living the way
God intended us to live- healthy, by following His directives. As we begin to follow
His directives, we can give our bodies the things that it needs to begin to turn our
health around. Only as we follow God's Healthcare Plan can we truly be
healthy! |
