6 Principles for Good Health

The air we breathe plays an essential part in our health and functioning. Long-term exposure to toxic or polluted air can compromise the health and functioning of the cells and organs of our body leading to increase susceptibility to infections and various forms of disease. Some long term effects of polluted air include: Lung cancer, heart disease, chronic respiratory disease, and even damage to parts of the brain, nerves, or kidneys.

We cannot think of water without thinking of life itself. Water carries elements of life and has the ability to transmit and maintain them. Our body is made up of about 75% water, and about 3/4 of our planet’s surface is covered with water with a vast amount of life forms. Every single cell is made up of water including the cells in our own body. Water is critical for the life and functioning of cells, tissues, and organs in our body.

Regular exercise has a host of health benefits. For example, when fat gets into the muscles of the heart it can interfere with electrical impulses necessary for the proper functioning of the heart. Regular aerobic exercise can make your heart stronger and work more efficiently by reducing the amount of fat that can build up. Some other benefits include, reduced risk of developing diabetes, reduced risk of high blood pressure.

More and more studies are suggesting that sleep plays a critical role in people’s physical as well as their mental health and functioning. Therefore a lack of sleep can compromise immune system effectiveness, which can lead to various forms of health problems. Some experts believe that a lack of sleep can make the body become resistant to insulin, a hormone which helps carry glucose from the bloodstream to the cells.

The sun provides the basis for all life on earth. It is the source of energy for all life form including plants, animals and humans. The body manufactures vitamin D after being exposed to sunlight. Vitamin D is critical for the body because it helps the body absorb calcium and also helps it keep the right amount of calcium and phosphorus in the blood. Without a sufficient amount of vitamin D, bones can become thin, brittle, or even misshapen.

We are literally what we eat. What we eat plays a significant role in the functioning of our body, health, and well-being.  What you decide to eat and how you decide to prepare it will impact your health in more ways that we give thought to. Several food groups have been promoted by the US Department of Health which provides the public with some general diet and nutritional guidelines on how to eat sensible and healthily.