reducing fatigue1. Many of us do not drink enough of nature’s elixir – water. One reason for this is people say that they don’t like the taste of water. Interestingly our taste buds only request what they are used to. So if our taste buds are used to sugary or caffeinated drinks they will respond with repulsion to anything that is blander, including water. But there is hope! It takes about 30 days to re-train our taste buds so any of us can get used to drinking water. The Right Fuel – Likewise with water we can re-train our taste buds to enjoy fresh, unprocessed foods. If our taste buds are used to high fat, high salt, and/or high sugar foods then this retraining can take time, but with consistency we can learn to enjoy foods that our body really needs. I like to advocate living by the 80:20 rule with 80 percent of our diet being fresh, unprocessed foods and 20 percent of our diet being everything else including indulgences. This is balanced eating. The Right Rest- This next step toward wellness is by far one of the hardest to achieve. It involves getting enough sleep per night2. This in itself can be a struggle for individuals for various reasons. The average adult requires 7-9 hours of sleep per evening2. Not only do we require sleep but we also require quality rest. This rest is meant to be restorative and allow for reflection. All of us require this but many of us do not allow the margin in our schedules to truly rest. What you find restful may be different from someone else and may include going for a walk, reading, talking with a good friend, or having a massage. Whatever it is, it is important that we pencil these activities into our diaries otherwise they simply won’t happen. The Right Activity – Fascinatingly, our bodies consist of about 640 muscles attached to 206 bones. Essentially, our musculoskeletal system is one consisting of numerous pulleys and levers. Put simply, we were made to move. I like to replace the word exercise however with the word activity. Not only does activity improve heart health but also helps to regulate our metabolism, improve sleep, curb our appetites, and improve our mood3. Our aim really should be to increase our activity levels. The best form of activity of course being one you don’t know you’re even doing. This is the basis of incidental
activity. Whether this involves taking the stairs rather than the escalator, parking the car further away in the carpark, or playing an enjoyable team sport, it all adds up. The Right Attitude – This is certainly a challenge for many of us. Especially being the case if we are used to finding reasons for why we are not doing the things we know we should be doing. Too often it is easier to look for the ‘magic pill’ that will dissolve away all our body fat, improve our health and fatigue levels, and basically transform our lives. Although there are many products on the market which claim to do these things, they really will only make at most one percent of the difference to our wellbeing and waistlines. By far the majority of the difference involves a change in lifestyle. Admittedly, this takes time and consistency. But like the old adage goes, practice makes perfect. Hopefully by putting into place some of the ‘right things’ into our lives we can maximise our energy, health, and overall wellness. These principles might very well put me out of business as anyone can learn how to be their own doctor! 1 – Mayo Clinic. Nutrition and Healthy Eating. http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/water/NU00283 2 – American Psychological Association. Why Sleep is Important and What Happens When You Don’t Get Enough. http://www.apa.org/ topics/sleep/why.aspx 3- Mayo Clinic. Exercise: 7 Benefits of Regular Physical Activity. http:// www.mayoclinic.com/health/exercise/HQ01676
Dr Cris MBBS (hons), BBMedSci, ACNEM Primary Course, P.T. As an expert in nutritional medicine Dr Cris specialises not just in the prevention and treatment of illnesses, but in the attaining of optimum health. She believes that this state is achievable for anyone and passionately shares this message as a media personality. Dr Cris believes a person can develop resistance to illnesses by employing simple strategies. Dr Cris has compiled these simple strategies from her broad studies in medicine, biomedical science, integrative and nutritional medicine, health coaching, as well as personal fitness training. She holds recognised qualifications in all these areas. For more information visit www.drcris.com.au
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