It is a well established fact that there are certain everyday strategies we can use to improve our health. The internet, magazines, books, and even TV shows give us our daily allowance of what we should do. Eating healthy and exercise are the two most important avenues we can take to become healthier. These lifestyle tools are especially important for those with chronic illnesses such as multiple sclerosis, lupus, diabetes, and chronic fatigue syndrome. Sufferers of chronic illnesses are already in a weakened condition.
Interestingly, the basic strategies for a healthier you are similar in both Western and Eastern practices. In a recent interview, Henry Zhen-Hong Lee, a NYS licensed acupuncturist, NCCA DPL, herbalogist and graduate of Beijing Medical College, discussed the two essential tactics that will help in the quest to improve your well-being. The two lifestyle essentials are: diet and exercise.
Your Diet and Chronic Illnesses
Sugar, carbohydrates (carbs), and processed foods play havoc on your immune system. Lee explains that the three simplest things you can do to improve your overall health are:
- Limit your sugar intake. Sugar actually stops the immune cells from functioning – this leaves you with no line of defense. Think of what would happen if a football team had no line of defense - they would have absolutely no chance of winning the game. In fact, they would be annihilated. If you are suffering with chronic illness, your body is in a constant battle. Keep this in mind when choosing the foods you eat.
- Along with limiting sugar, you need to limit the carbs in your diet. The reason behind this is because carbs are turned into sugar by your body and quickly raise your blood sugar level. The carbs that are important to watch out for are those that contain white sugar and refined grains. These types of carbs can usually be found in white flour and white rice.
- Next in line to limit, if not completely avoid, is processed foods. Processed foods are full of ingredients that are toxic to our bodies, some of which are known cancer causing agents. For those of you with chronic illnesses, including these foods to your diet is adding insult to injury. Your body needs simple and healthy foods to enable it to function as easily as possible. Eating processed foods, full of toxic chemicals, increases the burden of an already overburdened system.
Exercise Builds a Healthier Immune System
According to Lee, exercise increases circulation which boosts the immune system. While cardio is important, any form of exercise is helpful, including walking and swimming. Lee prefers yoga himself, but advises that you need to be instructed by an expert who knows what he/she is doing. You can do more harm than good if you do not learn the proper yoga positions – it is very easy to injure yourself.
In the exercise realm, Lee notes that mediation is very important. Mediation can help the immune system disorder by increasing energy to the kidney system. Lee recommends mediating everyday for at least 30 minutes. To start, you can begin with ten minutes a day and increase steadily until you’ve reached the maximum you can handle.
If you’d like to learn more about a healthy body please go to:
E.W. Natural Healing Acupunture P.C.
(516) 822-6722
Karen Cioffi-Ventrice - Karen Cioffi-Ventrice is an author, writer-for-hire, and freelance writer. To help others become informed about Multiple Sclerosis, ...
