How To Live A Happier Life - Part 1, The Physical

Everyone without exception, dreams of living a happier life. Is that too much to ask? There are so many things we can do to improve the quality of our lives that are easily within our control if we have a little self discipline. Part 1 of this series will look at some suggestions on how we can live a happier life in terms of our physical well being. Part 2 will explore thought processes and Part 3 is about following your bliss.

The first thing to remember is that you are responsible for your own happiness. Most people would agree that while having a loving partner and supportive family, interesting job and exciting friends are critical aspects of life, it is really up to the individual to develop physical and mental habits that lead to sustainable health and happiness. No one else can do it for you! Here are a few physical tips for your consideration.

Detoxify the Body

Being happy when you are sick seems almost impossible as illness can be all consuming. We have all experienced those episodes when we were so ill, we didn't know what to do with ourselves. Detoxifying the body of heavy metals and toxins, in my view, should be number one on our "how to live a happier life" list because, simply put, heavy metals and toxins cause disease. If you want to be well, you need to detox on a regular basis. Published research proves that Activated Liquid Zeolite removes heavy metals and toxins from the body in a safe, quick and efficient way.

Get Off The Couch

We all work so hard these days and a large percentage of us get home and flop on the couch, staying there watching television for hours on end. With an estimated 10,150,000 televisions in our homes, statistics show that the average Australian spends 22 hours in front of the television per week living their lives vicariously through soapies. Australians are 7th in the world in terms of time spent in front of the TV with the United Kingdom and the Unites States at equal first - 28 hours per person per week. In fact, two sisters in Sydney, New South Wales, Joanne and Alanah Argyrou, 22 and 24, set a new world record on Thursday 17 June after watching 87 hours of uninterrupted television during the world cup. I am not sure if that is something to be proud of as there is a beautiful world out there just waiting to be explored. Rest and relaxation are a critical part of life and there are so many enjoyable things you can do. Buy a kayak, go fishing, join a team, play golf, go dancing, join a choir or find an interest that gets you "off the couch".

Breathe Deeply

Our breath is an incredibly powerful healing mechanism. Science tells us that a large number of toxins are expelled by breathing. Most of us have automatically taken shallow breaths during most of our life. The importance of deep breathing is one of the first things you will learn in a yoga or health improvement class. Expand your breathing and allow more oxygen into your lungs to live a happier life. Further to this, there is no need for me to labour the call to exercise as we all know how important exercise is to our lung capacity and to our well being. How many people do you know who say they feel happier and healthier now that they have joined a gym or bought a dog that they regularly take for walks, or started cycling to work a few times a week? As much as we might not want to hear it, exercise really makes you feel happier. It helps with stiff and sore joints, it gets you interacting with others, it lets the sunshine and fresh air into your lungs and you feel better about yourself because you are finally making an effort for your own sake. Deep breathing and exercise are critical keys to living a happier life.

Drink More Water and Less Alcohol

Water is the most important nutrient, next to oxygen, to the human body! Yet research has shown that a large percentage of Australians are chronically dehydrated and fail to consume enough water. Approximately 60% of the human body is made up of water including the cells, tissues and organs. This affects our body temperature, skin condition, effective elimination, joint health and muscle strength. If you are thirsty, you are probably dehydrated. It is important to drink 6-8 glasses of water a day as an adult or 4-6 glasses or water a day as a child to minimize the risk of dehydration.

So what role does alcohol play in dehydration? Alcohol is a known diuretic which encourages the body to lose more water than it takes on. Alcohol may also attack our stores of vitamins and minerals, causing an imbalance in the normal functioning of the body. There may be a reduction in potassium which may lead to thirst, muscle cramps, dizziness and faintness. Enjoy your alcoholic beverage with a glass or two of water in between and keep your long term goal of sustained happiness in mind.

Eat Well and Fast Occasionally

Most of us know at least some of the dangers of consuming too much fast food including an increased body mass index (BMI) and obesity, diabetes, heart disease, low fiber intake and food poisoning just to name a few. According to the Massachusetts Medical Society Committee on Nutrition, obesity is the second leading cause of preventable death in the United States and results in 400,000 deaths each year. They report that the American health care bill may increase by $93 billion a year because of obesity.

Excessive calories are another issue with fast food. For example, a standard hamburger with large fries and a large Coca-Cola is about 1,430 calories. 2,000 calories is the recommended daily intake for a healthy body, depending of course on factors such as age, weight, height, physical activity and gender. The Trivia Library reported that Ireland has the greatest calorie intake of any country in the world at 3,410 per day per person, with Australia in 7th place with 3,280. Th US is 3rd with an average of 3,330 calories per day per person.

To live a happier life, it is recommended that fast food be kept to a minimum. Try to achieve the recommended 2 fruit and 5 veg a day. Steam your veggies instead of boiling them and eat as much raw and non processed food as possible. Cut down, sugars and starches. In addition, why not consider fasting one day a week on water and fruit juices. This will give all the organs of your body a chance to rest and rejuvenate. You may even feel better for it.

Finally... There are several tips here for your consideration. In Part 2, we will discuss the importance of a positive mental attitude, the power of meditation, becoming a listener more than a talker, self talk and being at home with yourself. The power to live a happier life is in our hands.

If you feel, however, that your happiness is not in your hands for whatever reason, please seek help. Contact Life Line, Beyond Blue, the Kids Help Line, the Salvation Army or any relevant agency. Someone is there right now waiting to speak with you.

Jannette has researched health and well being issues for the past 20 years and holds a Bachelor of Applied Science in Health Promotion. Healthy eating, regular meditation, moderation in everything and taking the correct supplements can make an enormous improvement to the quality of our lives. Claim your free Aussie eBook "The Truth Revealed - Activated Liquid Zeolite" at http://www.CleansingZeolite.com or email Jannette at janobarr@gmail.com

Part 2