An Alphabet Health Guide From 1MD

These days, there are a lot of methods to achieving your most optimal health, and it seems like everywhere we go there's another guide telling us how to do it better. It makes sense. Even at 1MD, we have great guides on improving health.

However, a lot of times, it really all comes down to the basics. People generally need to follow certain essential nutritional and lifestyle habits. If you're able to try some of these consistently, you may just add a few years to your life expectancy.

Sometimes, remembering all of these different tricks through handy classification systems like alphabetization can really help people keep track of all the things that they're supposed to be doing in order to stay healthy and enjoy a happy lifestyle.

Nutrition is part of the key to better health. Following certain health habits makes a huge difference when it comes to promoting a long and fruitful life. While we can't claim to know every tip, we did learn at least some for every letter, from A to Z.

A

People have often touted the health benefits of apples, and these delicious fruits truly deserve the positive reputation they've earned over the years. Apples are packed with antioxidants, vitamin C, and fiber. They're also relatively low in calories and sugar, in spite of the fact that they're often unbelievably sweet.

Of course, 'antioxidants' themselves would work really well for anyone's 'A' entry, and they really do make sense when it comes to apples. Vitamin C is one popular antioxidant, and vitamin A and vitamin E also qualify. People can reduce their risk of conditions, complications, and almost anything else by consuming antioxidants.

There is some evidence that people really have to get these antioxidants through supplementing and that getting them solely from diets won't work as well. People who consume 5 servings daily of fruits and vegetables like artichokes, red beans, apples, broccoli, blueberries, and cranberries will be much less likely to get heart disease, strokes, and cancer. Antioxidants also defend against the aging process.

B

There are so many options to choose from with 'B,' people should look no further than B vitamins. Of course, vitamin B12 might be the most important one of all. When people think of immune health, they will often think of vitamin C. However, B12 is possibly even more important in that regard. Anyone who eats enough lean meat and dairy products should probably be able to get enough vitamin B12 to last.

'B' can also stand for 'berries,' choke full of antioxidants, vitamins, and nutrients. Berries are extremely healthy for you — they contain fiber, vitamin C, potassium, and folate. By incorporating more berries into your diet, you are giving your body every reason to perform at a healthier, optimal level, as you purge harmful toxins.

C

Vitamin C would fill anyone's 'C' entry. People could also fill their 'C' entry with all-natural cough drops, too. Getting the common cold is a fact of life. Sometimes we actually need to get colds in order to test and strengthen our immune functioning. It may seem ridiculous, but sometimes an unfortunate cold can be a good thing.

Even in a future where most major diseases have been cured, we all still get colds from time to time. Natural, homemade cough drops made from honey, orange zest, and ginger can help people cope with any colds without refined sugar and with a lot of antioxidants and vitamins to boot. Cough drops are also very soothing.

There are also a lot of different weight loss aids containing Citrus Aurantium that people should try to avoid today. These weight loss aids will truthfully only elevate a person's blood pressure. Eating right and exercising moderately is a much better way of getting and staying healthier that relying on a poor quality weight loss aid.

D

At 1MD, 'D' almost always stands for digestion (or digestive health). There have been a lot of studies showing the powerful connection between the maintenance of our gut health and the optimal functioning of virtually every area of the body. By supporting your digestion with natural probiotics, you are defending your health.

Of course, 'D' can also easily stand in for 'diet.' People can improve a lot of different health problems just by adopting the right dietary patterns for most of their lives. They can do everything from ward off infections to reduce their risk of contracting serious diseases down the line. Dietary considerations should factor at all times.

E

Exercise is one of the best things that anyone can do to defend the health and well-being of his or her body. Fitness reduces the risk of so many different health problems at once that it's almost shocking. It doesn't matter how you exercise, just that you put in the effort to develop a plan, carry it out, and watch results roll in.

Most people can compensate for some negative side effects of a poor diet through exercise. One way or another, all healthy people need moderate exercise each and every day. Getting even one hundred and fifty minutes of moderate daily exercise a week can make a massive difference in the long-term outlook of a person's health.

People should also look after the enamel of their teeth by brushing and flossing regularly and by avoiding sugar. It's important for anyone to be able to get regular dental checkups in order to monitor enamel health as well. Taking good care of your dental health will prevent oral problem in the future, and give you a glowing smile.

F

'Fish' would be an obvious choice for the letter 'F' because consuming seafood is one of the only ways to get healthy omega-3 fatty acids the body needs to look its best and defend your overall wellness. Omega-3s have been shown by multiple studies to be incredibly healthy for the heart, eyes, brain and more. So eat fish!

People should also try to eat fresh fruit whenever possible in place of lesser quality freeze-dried fruit. Fresh fruit contains many more essential nutrients, since freeze-dried fruits lose them in the production process. Also, many folks
get freeze-dried fruits from cereal, which never provides an adequate serving.

'F' can also stand for 'fish oil,' a vital supplement on the market that provides the healthy omega-3 fatty acids in large serving sizes in capsule form. If you go that route, make sure you find an omega-3 fish oil supplement that is 100% natural. You don't want any additives or chemicals interfering with the health benefits.

G

In order to stay healthy, people ultimately need to stop the spread of germs. As long as people wash their hands often enough, this can become much easier. While hand-washing is not going to prevent all illnesses, it will greatly help many people where it pertains to avoiding infectious or airborne pathogens (or spreading them).

People should also look after their gut health, especially women. Women seem to be more prone to irritable bowel syndrome than men. The idea that irritable bowel syndrome is psychosomatic has more or less been discredited, and it may have a purely biochemical origin. Get regular checkups and monitor your gut health.

There is also 'ginseng' to consider. Used over centuries for its health properties, ginseng is a natural weight loss-supporting ingredient, a fantastic herbal remedy to maintain health, and a easy way to boost your metabolism and increase levels of physical and mental energy. Ginseng can be a hugely beneficial part of your diet.

H

Using a humidifier can make a fantastic difference for those people interested in being relieving themselves of unwanted nasal congestion. Lots of people will get nasal congestion as a result of allergies or the common cold. A humidifier can help, and it can get the job done without using medication or sugary cough medicine.

It's also important for all people to monitor their heart health. They can do this through diet and exercise, of course. However, it is also a good idea for people to try to relieve stress as a way of keeping their hearts healthy. Of course, one of the best ways to improve your heart health is by taking omega-3 krill oil supplements.

Krill oil has been shown in various scientific studies to be much more effective in boosting heart health than fish oil (although fish oil works quite well in its own way). By adopting krill oil into your health routine, you are defending your cardiovascular system, strengthening your heart, and boosting your important cognitive function.

I

A healthy immune system is essential for anyone who is trying to maintain a high level of well-being. People who want to enjoy all of the benefits of immune health will need to exercise regularly and eat right. It's also a good idea to get enough sleep, take natural dietary supplements and engage in frequent hand-washing.

People who take probiotics and prebiotics are shown to be much more likely to enjoy consistent immune health as well, and probiotics and prebiotics can certainly have a lot of benefits for gut health in general, which then supports the other vital systems in your body. Immune defense function is absolutely critical to maintain.

IBS, or irritable bowel syndrome, is one of those pesky and frustrating digestive health conditions that you can alleviate by taking regular probiotics, and watching what you put in your body. By supporting your digestive functioning, you will give your body a unique health boost unlike any other natural health trick available.

J

Fresh juices have gotten something of a negative reputation over the years when people focus on the sugar content. However, people simply need to make sure that they're consuming fresh-squeezed juices that do not contain a lot of added sugar. Juice can offer a lot of vitamins and essential nutrients to support dieting goals.

This can make all the difference in the world for those people who are trying to get enough antioxidants and nutrients in general. Many people who drink a lot of fruit and vegetable juices will be able to get a lot of vitamins, and these vitamins will be useful in warding off a wide range of potential poor health problems in the process.

People who are looking for a good old-fashioned exercise that requires little-to-no equipment should try jumping jacks, assuming that their bodies are up to the work. The leaping motion manages to engage a lot of your muscle groups  all at the same time. It stimulates your heart rate so well that even doing a few of them helps.

K

Kale has been one of the most popular health foods of the last decade because a lot of people know that it is simply packed with vitamins and minerals to the point where it is considered a 'superfood' and one of the most phenomenal to consume. Kale is a dark leafy green, loaded with vitamin K, fiber, protein, and essential folate.

Kale is also so full of vitamin C that people could get all of their vitamin C just from a full serving of kale. Kale has plenty of other nutrients as well, helping to elevate this former garnish to the status of one of the best health foods in the world.
For these reasons, kale is an obvious choice for super-bundled health benefits.

It is low in calories and contains absolutely zero fat. Once again, we find this food that is full of antioxidants and powerful inflammation-fighting ingredients. Kale is incredible for the body and digestive system, while also being a great detox food.
Kale assists with eliminating toxicity in your body with its detoxifying properties.

L

We went with a strange one here. Lying down provides a lot of health benefits, even for those people who don't sleep perfectly. You can gain the majority of the health benefits from sleeping just by lying down and resting with your eyes closed. Rest is shown repeatedly to be one of the most important things for your health.

If you are able to manage consistently comfortable and beneficial sleep regularly, the research shows you can experience improved immune health as a result of it. The importance of sleep can't be overstated. The quality of our sleep affects our whole body, from our mind and mood, to our weight and strength. So rest often!

'L' can also stand for Lysine (or L-Lysine,) a critically important essential amino acid that works in tandem with your immune system to fight off illnesses, from cancer to herpes viruses. It helps boost absorption of calcium, strengthening your bones. Lysine supports your digestive system and helps fend off a slew of health issues.

M

Medicinal remedies does not mean pharmaceutical in nature, but rather focusing on the nature itself - all-natural remedies that provide an array of medicinal value to defending and supporting your whole body health. The best things to utilize are herbs and extracts, found in supplements for heart and gut health, joint and more.

Mold is an interest 'M word' that you should be mindful of, if it exists in any of your breathing spaces or living environments. Widespread mold can seriously damage your health if you don't monitor, wash, and clean away mold that you encounter.
You want to keep your respiratory system and other vitals healthy and thriving.

Maintain the health of your body with every avenue available to you, from dietary choices to critical supplementation. You want to detox your system, exercise your body and mind, and defend the operations of your body through careful planning. Try to purchase the natural versions of anything you intend to put in your body.

Continue To Part 2 (Letters N-Z) >>

*This article is not intended to represent medical advice by 1MD or diagnose any illness, disease, or other condition. It is intended strictly as informational content.
If you are in need of medical assistance, please contact a health care professional.

Sources

1. http://www.fitnessmagazine.com/health/guide-to-good-health/

2. http://www.health.com/cold-flu-sinus/a-z-health

3. http://www.farmstarliving.com/az