The Guys’ Guy’s 5 Natural Tips for Healthy Living
Like taking care of a classic Mustang convertible, your body needs proper care and maintenance to keep it running smoothly.
Although at times this Guy’s Guy has put his body through hell, I’ve also be mindful to always maintain a semblance of fitness and healthy habits to balance out the damage. These include sports, sleep, diet, intellectual stimulation, meditation and a healthy sex life. Overall I’m pleased with how these decisions have impacted my wellbeing.
As we age, we face new choices concerning how we live. I must admit, giving up meat six years ago was not fun. After a few weeks, I got sick for a few weeks due to my body working overtime to detox itself. As the toxins were releasing from my cells, my immune system struggled as it worked overtime to keep up with the poison floating through my bloodstream. I craved bacon cheeseburgers, porterhouse steaks and my beloved veal parmesan. Then, after a few weeks I forgot about the meat and began feeling energized and clear-headed. My carnivorous cravings have since diminished and it’s been smooth sailing ever since.
But a Guy’s Guy doesn’t stand on circumstance, so this year I decided to kick things up a notch. The results have been outstanding, so I hope that you will consider a few of these tips. There are many studies that back up the claims, but I’m not going to do a deep dive on any of them. Instead, I urge you to conduct your own research before deciding if these products are right for you. Here are my five easy tips for healthy living.
1. Oil Pulling: It’s getting popular, so you may have read about this.
This is an ancient Ayurvedic practice that is believed to remove toxins and plaque from your oral cavity. In addition, many feel that the benefits are not regulated to the mouth and throat. The elimination of migraines, eczema, toxins and inflammation are but a few of the other benefit claims. There have been scientific studies to back this up. I can honestly state that my teeth are whiter and the inflammation I was experiencing in my elbow for over a year has gone away since I became a puller. Here is how it works.
First, buy organic pressed coconut oil. Take a tablespoon of it on an empty stomach and swish it around your mouth and between your teeth. Do this for twenty minutes, and then spit into the garbage. Gargle with salt water and brush your teeth. That’s it. Hey, what do you have to lose? Plaque, gingivitis and halitosis, that’s what.
2. Apple Cider Vinegar: This is a product of fermentation, so unfortunately it tastes like vinegar.
The main ingredient is acetic acid. Drinking a teaspoon with water on an empty stomach helps set your alkaline PH balance for the day. And it helps neutralize internal inflammation that causes many illnesses. ACV has been cited as a great way to detox your insides, get rid of Candida (caused by too much sugar in the diet), and cleanse the lymphatic system by eliminating mucous. Better yet, it’s been hailed as a way to break down and eliminate tummy fat. Again, do your research before you start drinking this with water as a tonic three times a day. Even cut with honey, it doesn’t taste great. But it will kill bad bacteria inside the gut, and that’s where most health problems begin.
3. Lemon: If you can’t handle drinking ACV, consider starting each day with an organic lemon squeezed into warm water.
This is an easy one and it tastes pretty good. Like ACV, the benefits include balancing your internal PH level. Additionally, it flushes out toxins, aids digestion and nourishes brain and nerve cells. It also protects your insides from the growth of unwanted pathogenic bacteria that can cause a variety of infections and diseases.
4. Hydrogen Peroxide: It costs about a buck yet delivers amazing benefits.
Believe it or not your body produces small amounts of this stuff to act as a first line of defense against toxins, harmful bacteria, parasites, viruses and yeast. Although you don’t drink it, there are many ways to use hydrogen peroxide. One of the best is gargling for about ten minutes. It helps eliminate canker sores while whitening your teeth. Since it’s anti-viral, anti-fungal and antibacterial, it treats pathogens that cause many problems. Another amazingly effective use is mixing it as a 50/50 solution with water and spraying it on your feet. This kills yucky foot fungus. Again, there’s myriad of other uses.
5. No Caffeine: You’re tired and need a pick me up.
So you chug-a-lug a few coffees and you’re now soaring. And because caffeine stays in your system for up to twelve hours, by the time you hit the sack you’re still wired and can’t sleep. So after tossing and turning all night, the next morning you need a big mug of coffee to get you started, and so the cycle continues. I never tried decaf until this year, but it tastes the same. I’ve gone this entire year without caffeine, and now I’m relaxed and sleep like a baby. Try it. It really works, and after a few weeks you will not miss the java. I switched to rooibos tea, which tastes pretty good and is chock full of antioxidants and other health benefits.
I realize that changing life-long habits can be challenging, but in my case the sacrifices were minor compared to the benefits. I’m at the top of my game and plan on adding to my regime. A Guy’s Guy is never too old to learn new tricks.
Are you open to changing a few habits and behaviors that no longer serve you?
This week’s Guy’s Guy of the Week is all the people who conducted research and promoted the many natural ways for aiding our health and well being.
