'The best doctors in the world are doctor diet, doctor quiet and doctor merry man'

- Jonathan Swift, 18th century author

Health is wealth. You need good health to accomplish your dreams.

It does not matter how lofty your dreams are - without good health, you will not have the vital energy to do the work needed to accomplish your dreams. I realised that we cannot all be trained as a medical doctor or nurse, but there are simple health principles we can apply and this will help us to have vibrant health at all times. In this piece today I want to share with you some simple health habits that I have applied to my life that are keeping me in robust and vibrant health.

Let me ask you this simple question; have you ever woken up in the morning feeling tired and exhausted?

The reason is that while you were sleeping your body is working hard on the food you ate last night.

It amazes me when I walk through the streets and I see some men who are "pregnant”, and a lot of women who are finding it increasingly difficult to carry their body. They"ve eaten so much that their bodies are collapsing on their feet. 

Let me ask you another question; do you love life? Do you want to be around for a longer time? My advice to you today is that you don’t eat as much as you want to eat when you get to the dinner table this evening.

I want you to think about the first three letters in the word DIE-T and you will understand what I mean when I insist that you should cut the volume of food you eat everyday.

Genesis of sickness:

Poverty and poor health habits are the root cause of most sicknesses and diseases. Many a disease that affects people like diabetes, hypertension, cancer and osteoporosis are linked to poor dietary habits.

For you to live in good health there is the need for you to keep your environment clean at all times. You must also eat hygienic and nourishing food.

Another important element of good health is regular exercise. Regular exercise enables all organs in the body to function properly, leading to improved quality of life and longevity.

One simple exercise that anybody can do is walking. Walking uses all of the body’s 206 bones and 640 muscles. It enables you to get fresh air and also helps to improve breathing. It is easy to fix walking into your everyday schedule; I recommend that you walk one hour a day. Walking will help you to burn calories and help to maintain a high metabolism, increasing your body's ability to burn food and use oxygen. When you walk regularly you will have more energy and you will be more efficient in whatever you are doing.

Having a daily program of walking is powerful. Walking can also add quality to your life – a positive outlook, confidence and self esteem

Philosophy

Dear readers, to maintain a good health, you need to turn your perception from the dark side of life. Turn your face to Jesus Christ and His light will shine and illuminate the dark recesses of your soul. I recommend that you expose your heart to ten minutes of thinking about the goodness of God to you everyday of your life.

Don’t smoke

Shun dirty habits like smoking and drinking of alcoholic beverages. Smoking and drinking will bring you to your grave before your time. The worst evil you can do to your life is to light a cigarette and put it in your mouth. Apart from a foul mouth, rotten teeth, burned lips and chest pains, smoking has been identified as the cause of 32 different types of sickness and diseases. From sclerosis, and cancer of the throat and oesophagus, to gingivitis and other terrible sickness and diseases that medical scientists have yet to find a name. If are a smoker, you should see the link between your poor health and your poor habits – and recognise smoking as a drain on your health and finances. Please quit smoking today.

Food combination

Food is very important to your health. Food helps our physical growth and provides the energy we need for work. It is therefore imperative that you understand the components of the food you eat and how to combine them.

There are three basic components in the food we eat. These are carbohydrates, protein and fats. While carbohydrates provide energy, protein builds, maintains and repairs our body. Fat helps to regulate body processes, aid cell growth, and maintain our nerve functions and immune system. Carbohydrate comes in two forms – sugar and starch. Sugar digests quickly and provides immediate energy, while starch takes longer time to digest but provides energy for a longer period.

Eating habits

Eating fruits, vegetables and grains will nourish your body. When you want to eat vegetables, prepare them as simple but tasty as possible. For vibrant health, you body need high carbohydrates with micro nutrient fibber, low fat and low protein.

Time to eat

Eating meals at the same time every day will give your body the rhythm it needs. Eat a good breakfast, moderate lunch and very light dinner.  

When you take a meal allow four hours between meals. It takes 4-5 hour before a meal properly digests. Shun meat because some animal carry viruses, bacteria and other chemical concentrations.

Water

Your body is made up of 80 percent water. Drink filtered water. You can boil your water and allow it to cool overnight.

Drinking filtered water helps to lubricate your body and wash away diseases and germs from your body. Water is the fuel that makes your body function properly. You body needs about twelve cups of water everyday. That is why it is important for you to eat water-rich food. Lack of sufficient water in your body can dehydrate the tissues and cells and make it difficult for poisonous waste products to be eliminated; this will increase the rate of diseases and sickness in your body.

These are some of the healthy habits that I practice and for over fifteen years I have never been to any hospital for treatment. Again I must say that I believe so much in the ability of God to protect me from sicknesses and disease.

Matthew is a motivational speaker. He speaks in conferences, seminars and companies. For motivational speaking engagement in your conference, seminar and company, contact Matthew through his email: matthewoyebo@yahoo.com or call 0244088259.