The following is the list of do nots, the health destroyers that you must avoid if you wish to achieve optimum health. All these factors are scientifically well-proven as potent health-destroyers. My files are bulging with overwhelming research and incriminating evidence on each item.
• Tobacco, including cigars.
• Coffee, tea, chocolate, cola drinks and soft drinks.
• Excessive use of salt.
• Excessive consumption of alcohol
• Harmful spices, mustard, black and white pepper, white vinegar.
• Refined white sugar and white flour and everything made with them: bread, pastry, packaged cereals, pies, donuts, ice cream, candy, cookies, gum, etc., etc.
• All processed, refined, canned or factory-made foods.
• All rancid foods, even such health foods as wheat germ, seeds and vegetable oils, if they are not absolutely fresh.
• All chemical drugs, except in absolute emergency, ordered by a doctor.
• All household and environmental toxic chemicals: garden sprays, air fresheners, household chemicals and cleaners, detergents (use soap flakes), hair sprays, chemically cleaned or treated clothes, beds or wallpaper, bug and fly killers, etc.
• Avoid a sedentary life and lack of sufficient exercise and relaxation.
All the above points and factors are self explanatory and the average reader is well aware of their potential health danger. The last point I would like to elaborate upon a bit.
Today’s soft, sedentary living is one of the main causes of our physical degeneration. Since I am a nutritionist, most of my writings deal with nutrition as it is related to health and disease. This does not mean, however, that I minimize the importance of other vital factors, such as fresh air, sufficient exercise, adequate relaxation and peace of mind. These are all extremely important health building and disease-preventive factors.
Medical evidence to the effect that ample regular exercise is imperative for optimum health is overwhelming. Lack of sufficient exercise contributes to many of our most killing diseases and is one of the main causes of one million deaths from heart attacks yearly in the United States.
Sufficient exercise is imperative for good health for two reasons. One, it will tone up your muscles, improve digestion and general metabolism, keep your eliminative organs doing their work effectively – and in general, contribute to the better circulation and better function of all your organs and glands. Two, it will increase and improve your tissue oxygenation. The ultimate cause of all disease and premature aging is a lack of oxygen in your cells. Vigorous daily exercise will keep all your cells and tissues well oxygenated and in the peak of their efficiency.
Relaxation and peace of mind – these are two other vital health factors that are missing in modern man’s life. Emotional and mental stress can tear your health down faster than inadequate nutrition can. And this is quite a statement to come from a dedicated nutritionist.
It has been scientifically established that emotional and mental stresses, such as fears, anxiety, worries, tensions, depression, hate, jealousy, unhappiness, depreviation of love, and loneliness, can cause practically every disease in the medical dictionary including arthritis, ulcers, constipation, asthma, strokes, diabetes, high or low blood pressure, angina, glandular disturbances, heart disease and cancer.
Relaxation, peace of mind, a positive outlook on life, a contented spirit, an absence of envy and jealousy, cheerful disposition, love of mankind and faith in God – these are all powerful health-promoting factors without which optimum health cannot be achieved. When health is lost, it cannot be restored unless all the above mentioned underlying emotional and mental stress factors are eliminated, and an adequate nutritional and biological program is “supplemented” with a good dose of “vitamin X”: relaxation, peace of mind, positive and happy disposition and faith that Nature and God will do their part in helping to restore our health, if we do our part.
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GENERAL HEALTH
