Have you ever taken care of a newborn? They eat, they poop, and they sleep? It’s about all they do and well, they’re pretty good at it.

Fast forward to adulthood…and what’s changed? What are we good at? First of all, our society has mastered the art of eating! In fact we eat so well that as a result we now lead the world in diabetes, heart disease, obesity, and arthritis. We give new meaning to the phrase “Eat to live”… We live to EAT? But there are medications to help us “manage” our disease state, even medications to address obesity. Consider this: we should not want to manage our disease, we should want to PREVENT it!! Because everything we eat or drink does one of two things: either you are feeding your disease or you are fighting it.

What do you want to do? Let’s fight it! Did you know that losing just 5-10% of your body weight can have positive effects on diseases such as high cholesterol, hypertension, and diabetes? In addition, conditions such as sleep apnea and chronic inflamation are improved by lessening the burden of excess weight on your lungs and joints. And those positive effects can mean the difference between multiple prescriptions and none!! Think about it. Less medication means less side effects, which means less medications. It’s a cycle you want to be on. In short, take control of your health future! And the first thing to do? Eat lean and clean. Eat food as nature intended…fresh, unadulterated, colorful, and in moderation. We are born with a signal that tells us “we are full” recognize that signal and LISTEN to it! And just like a toddler, when you’re full, run away from the table!

Babies seem to rock the next aspect of good health-digestion or as we like to call it…the art of the poop 😉 They eat a well-balanced meal of mom’s breast milk, and the next thing you know, they’ve pooped. Like a well-oiled machine, the infant absorbs nutrients and eliminates waste and feels satisfied in the process. And if we consider, as adults, our “poop” status….let’s be honest…we’re constipated!! Once again, the American diet is a prime contributor to the constipating of America! But did you know that stress, a sedentary lifestyle and even our prescription medication can slow things down in the waste removal category?? The stress? Let’s breathe? We mean really breathe! And let’s move! If you’re not moving, your bowels won’t be either;) Sadly, some prescription medications will constipate, leaving you with the potential for another medication to resolve it:( Ask yourself why you’re constipated…and refer back to our last post “Peek-a-poo, I See You” to determine your root cause…

And finally, sleep…ahhh a sleeping baby… It’s a joy for all new parents. Unless your baby is currently at one of the sleep regression ages of course! In fact, getting a baby to sleep is not always easy. That being said, there are some golden rules to learn from sleeping babies. A baby sleeps when they’re satisfied; a full tummy, an empty bladder/gut, and a warm, cozy environment. Fast forward to adults and what do we do? We have entertainment 24/7, we have late night food feasts (followed by indigestion)…and we have an inability to get off the hamster wheel! For every person that says ” I can get by on 4 hours of sleep” we can show you a person that is unhealthy. By not getting your ZZZs, you are also not getting your RRRs (repair, restore, rejuvenate). Just like a baby needs its sleep for growth…as an adult, we need sleep for the same reasons! Maybe not to get taller, but skin cells, muscle cells, blood cells all need time away from the stress of wakefulness to repair and rejuvenate. Of course there’s a pill for sleep too (many pills in fact)…perhaps we should instead turn OFF the TV, turn OFF the computer, and turn OFF the phone! Your lack of good quality sleep can also contribute to disease states in a similar way that your diet does. Lack of sleep leads to elevated cortisol levels, tired muscles (which means no desire to exercise), and depression. The result? You could develop arthritis, hypertension, diabetes, depression, and anxiety. And you know what follows…more prescriptions, more side effects, more prescriptions, more…you get the picture? Look for your root cause for sleep problems…dietary choices, social media, no exercise…

So “baby” yourself…eat well, sleep well, and well…poop;) It’s your well-being after all, and we think it’s the most important thing you can do because we give Two Hoots about (your) Health!!