Newstart

Topic

Nutrition, exercise, water, sunshine, temperance, air, rest and trust are integral components in an approach to a holistic lifestyle. Explain why these eight principles can be of benefit to someone who wishes to pursue a holistic lifestyle.

Essay

Adopting a healthy lifestyle is a personal choice. For that reason, making the right choices in regards to what we eat, how much exercise we do, how much water we drink and whether we are getting the correct amounts of, air, sleep, rest and sunshine are all important decisions we need to make for optimum health and well being. In turn, there are many benefits that can come from the right choices we make. However, the benefits gained can only come when those choices are turned into actions, in other words, actually doing something about it. In view of this, there are seven fundamental principles that should be adopted if a well balanced holistic lifestyle is to be maintained and pursued. These stepping stones, Nutrition, exercise, water, sunshine, temperance, air, rest, trust in divine power are the integral components of a healthy and holistic lifestyle.

The first choice a person can make when it comes to adopting a healthy lifestyle, is to ensure that proper nutrition is maintained, This means it is necessary to supply the body with the nutrients, minerals and vitamins that it needs to preserve its proper function. If the body is not supplied with these life giving properties, it will rapidly deteriorate, paving the way for the onset of many complications and diseases. For instance, foods that have a low nutritional value, that is, those which are low in fibre, have a high content of salt, sugar and calories. In particular, potato chips, sweets and many desserts can contribute to problems such as obesity (Kloss, J 1995), diabetes (Gittelsohn, J et al. 1997) and many other diseases. The best way to obtain a nutritious diet is to therefore choose those foods that nourish, repair and renew the body’s vital elements. For example, a diet based on foods such as grains, nuts, seeds, fruits and vegetables will provide the body with the essential nutrients such as iron, fibre, calcium, protein and many others crucial components.

There has been much debate on the benefits of a vegetarian diet as compared to a meat eating diet. It is well published that both can provide the body with the required nutrients, vitamins and minerals that it needs for the sustaining of life; for instance, both can supply the body with the required amounts of iron, calcium and protein. However, the vegetarian has some major benefits over those who like to indulge in a diet of meat. “Meats of all kinds are an unnatural food” (Kloss, J 1995, p. 597). These foods, that is, red meats, pork and poultry are prone to contain bacteria, and blood born disease, which can be transmitted to the human after consumption. Whereas foods derived from a plant based diet could give no cause for such diseases, the more prominent being, Salmonella, Mad Cows Disease, Botulism and Trichinosis ( a disease caused by a worm found in pork) (Kloss, J 1995). “Each year, nearly 76 million people in the United States suffer from food-borne illnesses. More than 5,000 people every year die from these illnesses” (Southwestern Medical Centre 2004). Furthermore, as stated in Science daily (2007) a recent study from Leads University found that older women who ate small portions of meat had a higher risk, from those that did not eat meat, of contracting breast cancer by up to 56 percent. Eating nutritious foods are not the only way a person can reduce the chance of some common diseases, as exercise is also well known for being advantageous.

By commencing an exercise program of 20 вЂ" 30 minutes a day for at least three days a week, a person can significantly improve overall health, well-being and quality of life. As a result of a regular exercise schedule, an improvement in the strengthening of the cardiovascular system can be expected. This is brought about by increasing HDL (high-density lipoprotein), the good cholesterol and decreasing LDL (low-density lipoprotein), bad cholesterol in the blood (Mayo Clinic 2005). In addition, exercise helps to strengthen the bones and muscles by reducing osteoporoses; helps to manage weight by burning unwanted calories; facilitates lowering blood sugar levels by removing excess sugars therefore helping to prevent diabetes; aids in fighting depression, for the reason that, during exercise, certain chemicals called neurotransmitters are activated that are specific to circumventing depression; sleep is induced, as exercise helps one to relax (Mayo Clinic 2005). Exercise is also thought to help prevent cancer, in that during exercise, food is passed through the colon more rapidly and does not sit in the colon to ferment (Mayo Clinic 2005).

In a study of Harvard graduates, men who burned 2,000 or more calories a week by walking, jogging, climbing stairs or playing sports lived an average of one to two years longer than did those who burned fewer than 500 calories a week by exercising (Mayo Clinic 2005).

Since the body is made up of approx 75% water content, a very important part of overall health and well being is to maintain proper water balance in the body. The typical person intakes and outputs approx 2500ml of water each day by various means. Water intake through metabolism, foods and beverages and water output via normal bodily functions, such as, feces, sweat, through skin, lungs and urine (Marieb, N E 2001). Therefore to remain properly hydrated, a person must compensate for the loss of water (output) by regular fluid intake. In view of this fact, research has shown, that it is important to drink at least 6-8 glasses of water each day to allow a correct balance between intake and output to take place (John, LS 2002). This in turn can help the body cleanse itself of impurities by acting as a solvent (Kloss, J 1995). Likewise, water intake can help transport vital nutrients and oxygen to the cells of the body via the blood and return the waste so it can be discharged from the body.. Studies also have shown (cited in Kirk A, 2003),

“… led by Wayne Askew, professor and director of the division of foods and nutrition in the U's College of Health, found that eight 8-oz. glasses of water a day not only helps maintain the body's hydration status, but may bolster its metabolic rate as well resulting in more efficient burning of calories”.

The results of not drinking enough water can lead to severe dehydration which may require hospitalization. An additional aspect to consider is that drinks such as coffee and soft drinks do not count towards the 6-8 glasses per