LIFE+ Blog

When it comes to pursuing a healthy lifestyle, previous generations had life views that were more conducive to a healthy lifestyle. Although,“times sure have changed”, and change is often for the better, sometimes change can be for the worse. One of the most drastic changes in the past generation is how busy and fast paced our lives have become.  It seems that people are on the go more than ever.

This busy and hurried life has degraded some areas of our lives that help promote health. These particular aspects of life are what my grandmother and many past generations had a strong value for! Perhaps our grandma was right when it came to her views on healthy living.

FOOD: “FINISH WHAT’S ON YOUR PLATE”

Our generation has a very different view on meals and what we eat.  Grandma used to make her meals, and serve them on a plate. She took pride in preparing meals, and watching the family enjoy her food.

Grandma wouldn’t recognize the packaged & processed foods we eat today, many which contain unnatural and harmful ingredients.

Unfortunately many of us are eating less meals consisting of real food on a plate and choosing meals from a package or fast food container.

Grandma used to make most of her own meals with real food and real ingredients. She would  serve her meals with pride and on a plate.  She would not serve food that was made in a factory or that contained mysterious ingredients. She would probably be saddened to see how many meals are now being eaten out of a fast food bag or container.

FAMILY TIME: “BE HOME FOR DINNER”

In Grandma’s day, there was no internet or cell phones and the pace of life was slower.  Dinner as a family used to be a common rhythm and important part in one’s day.

Dinner included eating homemade food, and not eating frozen or fast foods on the run.  Dinners were prepared and eaten together as family- and not on the run.

Spending quality time like this as a family is proven to enhance mental & emotional health, allowing us to build key relationships for our journey.  Grandma would be appalled by how many meals we eat, in the car, at our desk, or on the go.  She would be disappointed that many families are not enjoying meals together and spending time connecting.

EXERCISE: “GO OUTSIDE AND PLAY”

Grandma was a huge advocate of going outside to play.  It used to be common for people to work more physical jobs, perform their own house chores, and spend time outside playing after work and on the weekends.

Nowadays, it is normal to sit on the computers or watch one of our 250 channels for multiple hours per day.  It is now common to be glued to our laptop, iPad, phone, or other device.  These days many of us work in more sedentary jobs and then spend our free time on electronic devices or watching TV.

Staying active is an essential key to health!  We need to heed Grandma’s advice and make time every day to ‘go outside & play’.  We need to go for a walk, get to the gym, play with our kids…or any other way that will allow (or force – ha!) us to get some exercise!

Health Redefined

This blog is the 3rd in a series of blogs I wrote called ‘Health Redefined’.

Please check out the first two blogs in this series that challenges our definition of health!:

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