Everyday Advice
Before I went to bed last night, I realised that I was really, really thirsty. I hadn’t made the effort with drinking much water during the day, and I was really feeling it.
As I stood there at the sink, glass in hand, I started thinking about health stuff and how I hadn’t had the five portions of fruit and veg that is recommended we eat each day either, and for that matter I had skipped one of my weekly gym sessions too – eek! Bad health day 
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There are lots of things that are recommended we do each day for health, I’ve mentioned water, I think it’s eight glasses that’s recommended, and also the five portions of fruit and vegetables, but some of the other ones I know of are getting around eight hours sleep at night, at least 30 minutes of aerobic exercise each week, eating breakfast each morning, and flossing every day!
Do you follow any everyday advice that we hear about for good health? Why / why not?
Well, today’s started off much better with a full litre of water, yay! 
There is so much advice out there but as christians I think we must be careful what advice we allow to settle in us. Also, we cannot be completely consumed with health and fitness all the time…it really should be balanced or else it starts become an idle. I like to create a new good habit after I’ve mastered one already which gives me energy to focus on one thing at a time for e.g. I use to dislike water but applied myself to drinking alot of it everyday to a point where I crave it and it is no longer a problem. When I mastered that I decided to cut caffeine out of my diet. …mmm, what’s next?!
Hi Sands, great point about keeping things in balance, and I really like your idea of mastering one habit and building on from there, that’s great, otherwise it can feel a little daunting! Lots of love.
I am in a completely goofy mood right now. I saw your title and your picture and read your opening lines. You know how your brain jumps ahead and guesses what the author is going to say next? That is what I did. I thought you were going to say, “My advice to you is that you do not drink tons of water before bed because you are only going to have to get up about 5 times to use the bathroom, and that is not fun.” What was I thinking!!! :-) Health is no laughing matter! Although I have heard that one good hearty belly laugh a day will keep your immune system strong.
To answer your question… yes, because I want to live long.
Have a good day.
Ha, ha, ha, now that would be a funny post :) Yeah, laughing is a great one actually, there’s even that verse that says a merry heart does good like medicine (Pr 17:22) :)
My mum had me when she was 30 (she’ll kill me ‘well, I brought you into the world, so I can take you….’) if I told you her age, but since you know mine, you don’t need a maths degree… But I am amazed at her energy and vitality. I know it’s a combination of a healthy spiritual life and having a husband who insists they go to the gym at least twice a week, but you know, I’ve started paying close attention to what she does. She drinks water like a fish, eats plenty of fish, and holds no grudges against anyone. She does not drive a car, and regularly walks past her bus stop. 2 nights ago, she attended a funeral and was walking back at night on her own in the dark, in her high heels, while my sis and i were freaking out wandering where she was. I went out in my car looking for her and spotted her walking like a 30 year old and speaking to herself. With relief. I tooted my horn, she waved at me and was about to contunue walking on!!! I had to sotp the car, cross over and grab her (role reveral don’t you think??!!!)and drive her home. ‘Mum, what do you think you’re doing? This is London, you know?!’ ‘Well, I was enjoying my walk with the Lord, and speaking Psalm 121 as I walked along, dear!’ came the reply. I rest my case! A healthy life is a healthy spirit, soul and body. In the Biblical times, it was easier to keep the body healthy as there were less mod cons- nc cars, no wasing machines, no electric bread makers. if you wanted youer daily bread, you had to thresh, winnow and knead it by hand. We have to make an extra effort now, becauese everything is so convenient- remote controls, computers… I give health advice out so many times a day, that I know it’s important that I follow it too. But it is a balance. As a christian, I need to look after my body in all three areas, and it starts by developing healthy habits, so much that they become part of my daily life, without me thinking about them. It takes effort intially, but it’s well worth it. To be my mum’s age, and have the vitality, spring in her step and outlook in life that she has despite all she has been throug in life, si more than just hert genes. To have a good quality of lifem, to be able to enjoy the things you want to, it takes knowing that 9 times out of 10 , what we sow into our bodies when we are younger , we will reap as we get older. But even if we get it wrong, we have a gracious merciful God who gives us health we don’t deserve, joy that is deep and real and faith in His word that He is the God that heals. We still to apply basic non-faddy health principles to our lives. So, Birgit, how’s the 8 glasses of water ( if you drink 2 at each meal, you’ve covered 3/4 of your dialy allowance already!) and your 5 fruit and veg ( if you eat one at each meal, you/ve covered 3/4) and if you snack at midday and predinner with a fruit and glass of juice, you’ve covered your daily quota without really thinking bout it… No legalism, no big brother watching you, no condemnation if you dont; always get ti right. Thank God for putting into our bodies warning signals like thirst to say – ‘water me, water me’ or urgency to say ‘empty me, empty me’- your bladder talking!!) Nd if you’re getting uop 5x a night, get a commode!! Ha,ha!
what came to mind when i read was the daily reading of god’s word to wash ourselves clean from the world and the enemy and just like the ‘physical’ health things i may forget or just not bother to do, how often do i not wash myself celan with god’s word and presence?? Too often, too often life becomes busy and i busy myself with ‘other’ things, that for some reason i make far more important than god’s daily washing……
I agree with Sandy-Lee that nearly everything is about balance, including how we take care of our bodies. We do have a responsibility to take good care of them, but have to be careful not go to go extremes and obsess over this responsibility. I have found that I am not so great at replacing bad health habits with good ones in a short amount of time, but I have become gradually healthier by making small changes here and there.
I very very rarely have a day where I satisfy all those things you mention!! But I know if I do have a day like that, I feel really good. It is often to do with available time I find and also what your taste buds are feeling like (these sometimes need training and discipline). Also we are presented with so many choices it is usually a matter of eating what’s offered to you as a choice. As long as you have a healthy mental attitude and listen to what your body wants, then you will generally give it what it needs. When I stayed in Port Douglas for a few days, we were so busy swimming etc that we forgot about food and kept active. There was no shop near by and so we at generally healthy “real” food that didn’t come from a packet. I didn’t feel my body wanted all the other crappy things I feed it (chippies, coffee, chocolate, fries, alcohol). I thought that in the early days before capitalism, we were more in a natural rhythm of what our body needed. Usually we had to work hard to find our food, and tend to all the chores that needed to be done. When you were thirsty, water was really the only available fluid. When hungry, you certainly didn’t dip your hand into a bag of fat coated chippies. Funny isn’t it that sugary drinks and alcohol make you thirsty!! So living a productive, purposeful and authentic life and being in rhythm with our environment should lead to a happy mind, body and spirit. Now I want to go and live somewhere remote, read, do yoga write, spend time amongst nature away from this capitalist world we live in!!!
Health and fitness are important but they are not the source of life and legalism is a trap. It is good to take care of ourselves and we will always reap from this, however, the health of our “inner man” is so much more important. Yet, even with that, legalism is a trap. It comes down to finding the balance between discipline and legalism, ie, it is good to be disciplined but if we miss something, that is OK too. Grace is also something we can show to ourselves. Listen to Paul’s advice to Timothy: “For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things,” 1 Tim 4:8
I haven’t done a great job in this area lately…ahem…but I am now. I’ve got too much to do for the Lord not to feel good and be healthy. He really leaves everything up to us….
Thank you for this reminder…loves yas! ;)
I really believe that we are to be good stewards in all areas of our lives, including taking care of our bodies. Sometimes we think our bodies can take a lot of wear and tear and that what we put in doesn’t really make a difference but really it can’t, and it does make a difference.
A little while ago I was trying to save money by cutting on my food budget. I thought I’d be just dandy if I only ate toast and jam forever but my body didn’t like that!:) We have got to eat lots of veggies and drink lots of water and eat lots of protein. It shouldn’t be a heavy taking care of your body, but in all things you will reap what you sow.
B, a great reminder to slow down! Especially when I am busy and feeling rushed. Thanks for stopping by and checking in on my. Have been crazy busy. Means a lot. Blessing and prayers to you, Roxx
Dear Laura, I LOVE your stories and all the great insights you have. Wow! Your Mum is an inspiration huh? And how great that your Dad has been the motivation for your parents to go to the gym twice a week! You made so many great points, but one theme that really came through is that we can build good, healthy habits into daily lives with no real hassle – walking that bit extra, having water and fruit + veg at meal times to make up our daily quota … Thanks for the inspiration and great advice!
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Wow, I like that a lot Sally, thanks – the reminder to care for ourselves spiritually as we do physically, so as we cleanse our bodies, we make as much daily effort to cleanse our spirits with God’s Word. Thanks for this inspiration :)
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Hi theepiphany, lovely to see you and thanks for stopping by :) Balance is so important, that is so true, and continually being led by the Lord to ensure we have this balance right. I really like that idea of making small, gradual changes for the better where we can – I’m a big believer that the small things add up :). God bless.
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Hi Laree, lovely to see you, I really know what you mean about our daily choices often being determined by factors like available time – when I have more time, it’s easier to invest imagination and diversity into the meals I’m preparing, and it’s well worth it! Yeah, I think about the times when people exerted more effort naturally as part of daily life and generally seemed to eat more wholesome foods – it inspires me too! :)
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Hi Carol, lovely to see you too, I really agree with what you say about the health of “inner man” being so important. It reminds me to be as attentive about my times with God as my times at the gym :). Thanks so much for the wisdom about balance – finding that place of good discipline and also giving grace to ourselves too, God bless :)
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Such a great point Debs, we have too much to do for the Lord to let our health get away from us! Love that, love you too :)
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Hi ripplegirl, such a great point about stewardship, and taking care of our bodies, understanding that we will reap what we sow. I smiled when I read your trial with toast and jam – I remember eating a bread roll and jam each morning for breakfast when I was a student for a while too :). But it’s OK, I also had fruit and lots of water to go with it as well :)
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Hi Roxx, that’s so great you enjoyed it, it sounds like you have loads on right now, but so glad for you that you are able to savour summer too, thinking of ya, God bless :)
I really should follow the advice about drinking enough water, which is about a gallon a day, especially as I am breastfeeding. I am trying hard to keep this advice. Also I have signed up with this health website, realage.com, which is sending me every day an interesting piece of advice which foods to eat and why.
As for exercising I am really behind. I have zero enthusiasm, but I really should go skating or running and do yoga again as I did before my pregnancy. I love swimming, but the lake is a drive away, has a cold water temperature and I am no pool person. I got a bike months ago, but I have never gone on a bike ride. I am so lazy. I do go for walks with my baby and at the park I see everybody running, playing soccer, baseball, biking, skating and I almost feel guilty just sitting on a bench and walking around…
Well, one advice about health that I really try to follow is eating within the first half an hour of when you wake up. Not only do you feel better after breakfast but eating that soon after you wake up actually increases your metabolism!! I didn’t believe it until i actually started doing it. Now I am actually eating more and managing to both lose and maintain my weight as I want to. Best advice would be stick to oatmeal. It’s a guarantee to not upset your stomach so early and you stay satisfied :)