avatarBill Abbate

Summary

The article outlines five simple and cost-free ways to maintain or improve health based on advice from William Louden.

Abstract

The "5 Simple Ways to Stay Healthy" article emphasizes that staying healthy doesn't have to be complicated or expensive. It distills health advice into five fundamental practices: eating lightly, breathing deeply, living moderately, cultivating cheerfulness, and maintaining an interest in life. These practices are supported by the author's personal experience as a former athlete and extensive knowledge in health, physiology, exercise, and nutrition. The author, who has overcome serious health challenges, encourages readers to adopt these straightforward habits to enhance their well-being without succumbing to the myriad of health-related products and diets that often create confusion.

Opinions

  • The author believes that portion control and self-discipline in eating habits are crucial for weight management and overall health.
  • Deep breathing exercises are advocated as a method to reduce stress and improve mental clarity.
  • The article suggests that living moderately, with fewer possessions, can lead to reduced stress and better health.
  • A positive attitude, specifically cultivating cheerfulness and gratitude, is seen as a key component of a healthy lifestyle.
  • The author values continuous learning and curiosity as means to keep the mind sharp and extend life expectancy.
  • The author adds the importance of staying active as a complement to Louden's original five principles for good health.
  • Readers are encouraged to share their own simple health practices and engage with the author's content on various platforms.

health | Inspiration

5 Simple Ways to Stay Healthy

Being healthy is not as difficult as you may think

Image by icetrayimages794410 from Vecteezy

Everywhere you look today, someone is trying to sell you something to become or stay healthy. Try this supplement, buy this device, do this workout, read this book, eat this food, or go on this diet and be amazed at the results!

But how much of it is true, and how much is hype? It’s easy to get lost in what works and what doesn’t. Let’s look at five simple things anyone can do to improve or maintain their health without purchasing anything.

Health

Can a simple, cost-free way to be healthy really exist? Absolutely! Staying healthy does not need to be some convoluted system that costs you an arm, a leg, and a bunch of brain cells. A thousand details about why a system, method, or routine is better only complicate what should be straightforward.

Call me old, but I prefer easy, simple ways to stay healthy. What works best for most of us is something we can easily do with little thought that gives us optimal health.

If you are wondering if I know much about health, I was a serious athlete for many years. I constantly read about health, physiology, exercise, and nutrition. I worked out at least six days a week for decades. My routine included lifting, running, biking, swimming, and participating in many races, including five and ten k’s, MS 150s, marathons, and sprint triathlons.

Unfortunately, a series of widow-maker heart attacks changed my life overnight, taking me from what most would consider extremely healthy to nearly dying. While I now enjoy much of my former health, the heart damage limits my ability to exercise vigorously. As you can imagine, health is more important to me now than ever!

Always on the lookout for different perspectives on health, I ran across some of the best advice I had ever read that is so simple yet profound that I had to share it.

“To insure good health: Eat lightly, breathe deeply, live moderately, cultivate cheerfulness, and maintain an interest in life.” William Louden (1841–1931)

Louden lived to the ripe old age of 90 at a time when the life expectancy of a man was far shorter, so he knew a thing or two about healthy living. Let’s look at the merit of each of his suggestions.

Eat lightly

With worldwide obesity tripling since 1975, many of us could get by with stuffing a little less food in our mouths. In countries like ours, there is not only an abundance of food but much of it is highly processed with loads of sugar and chemicals.

The best way to immediately impact our health is through portion control. Reduced portions mean fewer calories and less fat added to our bodies. When used correctly, this simple practice can shed weight permanently. All it requires is self-control!

Putting less on our plates, eating more slowly, cutting out the snacks between meals, and occasionally fasting lead to eating lightly. Losing excess weight helps with many health problems, such as high blood pressure, diabetes, and many others.

Breathe deeply

In today’s fast-paced, non-stop society, there is always something to do, but how often do you notice your breathing? Few do and go through each day, breathing shallowly and poorly.

To breathe deeply is different. It happens when you consciously slow down and breathe intentionally to relax. Take a moment to calm yourself, relax, and lighten your forehead and eyes, letting go of the tension you carry around them. You feel it, don’t you?

Breathe slowly and deeply through your nostrils, slowly and fully exhale through your mouth, and relax your cheeks and jaw, allowing the tension to dissolve. Pay attention to your breath as you inhale deeply. Notice your breath as you slowly exhale. Breathe in calmness. Breathe out anxiety. Repeat as many times as needed to become relaxed.

Why not stop a few times each day to do this quick, simple exercise and begin to enjoy the benefits of capturing a few moments of calm? It will not only improve your health, but it will also add more peace to your life.

Live moderately

With so many conveniences available today, our lives are as good or better than any king, queen, emperor, or head of state throughout history. We have a wider variety of abundant food, more entertainment, better living conditions with clean running water, proper sanitation, more comfortable climate-controlled homes, and much more. Yet, we often want more.

Have you heard the saying, “The more you own, the more you are owned?”. It is true! Everything you own has a cost beyond its price. If it requires the least bit of attention, it takes time from you that you would have available had you not purchased it. Why not reclaim some of your life and sanity by living more moderately? Doing so can reduce stress and improve your physical and mental health!

Cultivate cheerfulness

There is little more healthy than an attitude of gratitude! Why not cultivate happiness, cheerfulness, and joy while adding some laughter for good measure?

Laughter is a great way to increase cheerfulness, adding astounding benefits to your health. Read about some of the benefits in this article from the Mayo Clinic.

Maintain an interest in life

Life is as interesting as we find it to be. You could also say life is as interesting as we are! Endless exploration of our body and mind function, civilization, animals, music, technology, history, nature, our solar system, galaxy, and the universe is possible! We will spend the rest of our lives doing something, so why not make it more enjoyable by living a life filled with curiosity?

Some claim there is so much to learn it could carry us through eternity. For those who are Christians, many of us believe we will continue learning forever. Don’t you find that exciting?

Remaining interested in life keeps our minds sharp, helping us live longer. Have you noticed some of the greatest minds have done little more than think and write, ignoring the rest of their health, yet still lived long lives? Check this article out in Greater Good Magazine to learn about a few of the incredible health benefits of curiosity.

Final thoughts

Why not practice Louden’s common-sense philosophy rather than chase endlessly complex nutritional methods, systems, and exercise routines? His principles are sound, simple, and easy to remember.

The only thing I would add to Louden’s five practices for good health is remaining active. One of the most important things you can do for your body and mind is to stay active and engaged. You can read more about this subject in the short article: Being Active Your Way. An important part of keeping active can include even simple exercises. Whatever you do, make sure the exercise is something you will stick with because it is pleasurable. For me, that is walking.

If you have other easy ways to remain healthy, please comment below. I would love to hear from you!

May you live a long, healthy, happy, fulfilled life!

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Bill Abbate Leadership Writer and Editor in ILLUMINATION

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