a NaturalPresenceSummer is upon us and here are 10health tips to keep you performingin life at your very best.By Bill Weiland, President & CEO, Presence Marketing/Dynamic Presence24 OnTREND May/August 2013
1EXPOSE YOURSELF …to lots of fresh air and sunshine. Practice deepdiaphragmatic breathing so you expand yourabdomen with every breath. Next time you have theopportunity, pay attention to the way a sleeping infantbreathes. Before learning any bad habits, all children‘breathe into their bellies.’Shallow breathing is when you inhale and expand ONLYyour chest. A shallow breather will feel more tense andstressed and will not receive the full benefit of proper, deepdiaphragmatic breathing. When you inhale deeply, directlyinto your abdomen, you get a much higher oxygen load intoyour lungs and tend to feel more relaxed and refreshed. Sospend a lot of time outdoors and breathe deep - your bodywill thank you.It is also important to get some direct sunlight onto‘unprotected skin’, in order to stimulate your body’snatural production of vitamin D. Focus on non-peak hours,while soaking up the rays and be careful to avoid gettingsunburned. The amount of direct sunlight we can handlevaries greatly from person to person, based on background,ethnicity and certain genetic markers. For peak hours, orextended exposure, be sure to apply an all-natural sunscreen,as commercial varieties are toxic and have deleterious effectson the environment.2EAT THE COLORS OF THE RAINBOWConsume as much fresh, whole, unprocessedfood as possible. I attempt to have half of my totalfood intake (by volume) be comprised of fresh fruits andvegetables. In order to accomplish this, I seek to incorporatefruits and veggies into every single meal.The vegetable kingdom provides foods which possessa great ‘nutrient to calorie ratio’ and will provide your bodywith the fiber, vitamins, minerals, anthocyanins and othernourishing and protective phytochemicals and nutritionalco-factors, all of which will build your strength and immunity.Finding the optimal diet for oneself is a very personal andindividualized pursuit, as human nutrition is a broad andcomplex science, without a ‘one size fits all’ solution. Inorder to keep things simple, focus on the 50% rule (fruitsand vegetables 1/2 of daily food intake, by volume) at leaststriving to achieve that goal will give you a great start towarda varied and balanced nutritional profile.You will optimally augment this fresh food emphasiswith high quality lean protein, nuts, seeds, whole grains andorganic dairy foods, to round out your dietary profile. Ofcourse eating a vegetarian or even fully vegan diet will involveadjusting your menu choices, accordingly. Aim for the highestquality options when making food choices:• Organic, hormone and antibiotic free meatsand in the case of beef, grass fed, when possible.• Organic and non-GMO fruits, vegetable, nuts,seeds and grains• Organic dairy productsEven snacks and desserts should be natural and/or organic,whenever possible, though optimally, these foods will be keptto a minimum.3DRINK (A LOT)Let’s not confuse this as an ‘imbibing reference,’based on my newfound fascination with Mixology.I am referring to the style (yes style) and quantity/qualityof your beverage consumption. If you talk with any healthminded, nutrition oriented physician, they will tell you thatthe two most critical deficiencies in humans are adequatehydration and vitamin D levels. I personally believe that thevast majority of ‘bone density declines’, in the elderly, aremore a function of vitamin D deficiency than calcium.Here is a list of foods rich in vitamin D:• egg yolks• fortified milk products• sardines• cod liver oil• tuna• salmon• fortified cereal• pork• shitake mushrooms• oystersThe other ways we may effectively increase our vitamin Dintake is through exposure to direct sunlight, or a high qualityvitamin D supplement.Proper liquid intake is critical, toward achieving optimalfunctioning of all metabolic systems, as well as cleansing andpurifying our bodies. It is equally important to focus on qualitywhen choosing a beverage, while always being mindful tominimize sugar intake and avoid artificial sweeteners, flavorsand high fructose corn syrup. However, the foundation ofyour beverage intake should be centered on water and freshfruit and vegetable juices. A good general rule of thumb is toconsume 1/2 of your body weight in ounces (I am 190 pounds,so 95 oz. of water is my target - more when I am engaging instrenuous activity). I recommend a high quality deep sourcespring water, for your daily consumption, with a pH of 7.5 orhigher. Sip your water throughout the day, as you will absorba higher percentage of it into your tissues, versus chugging alarge quantity a couple of times per day.4EXERCISE (IT’S NOT A FOUR-LETTER WORD)Regular daily exercise is an important element forany ‘high level wellness’ platform and provides avariety of benefits to each and all individuals engaged inthis activity. Your exercise program can be as simple as briskwalking or light stretching, to weigh lifting, yoga, plyometrics,running, biking or other forms of strength and cardio training.Decide what your personal goals are and choose an exerciseprogram which aligns with the mission at hand. Simple,non-strenuous exercises are good for stress management,flexibility, muscle tone and increased absorption rate ofoxygen and nutrients.If you are looking to increase muscle mass, reduce bodyfat, or improve strength, quickness and agility, a rigorousstrength and cardiovascular training program, should beemployed. In this instance, I suggest working with a personaltrainer for at least an interim period, to improve yourtechnique and pacing, in order to receive maximum benefitfrom your workout program.May/August 2013 ONTREND 25
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