Exercise is King and Nutrition is Queen
When I was a child, I sometimes would awake early in the morning to watch Romper Room. Miss MaryAnn would be watching through her magic mirror. However, occasionally I would wake up a little too early and watch one of the VERY first fitness classes on television with The Jack LaLanne Show. He stated “Exercise is king. Nutrition is queen. Put them together and you’ve got a kingdom.” I used to do some classes with him because he was so enthusiastic and fun.
You’ve Got to Move It, Move It
Moving is key to making exercise king. And guess what exercise will do for you? Not only will it make you look better in your favorite pair of pants or dress, but other awesome things come from it as well. This includes:
- Reducing your risk of heart diseases
- Manage blood sugar and insulin levels
- Improve your mental health and mood
- Help keep your thinking, learning, and judgment skills sharp as you age
- Strengthen bones and muscles
- Reduce the risk of some cancers
- Increase your chances of living longer
- Sleep better
Exercise does not mean you have to be an Olympic athlete. Just move. Take a 20-minute walk, dance your butt off (literally), play with your kids, or do yoga. The idea is to get your heart pumping blood to your brain, which turns on hormones that make you feel good; dopamine and serotonin.
Eat to Live, Live to Eat
Socrates said, “Eat to live, not live to eat”. In some ways, I disagree with this phrase. Humans have become more educated on food. We do have the problem of eating too many processed foods. It is cheap! That’s why places like McDonald’s, Wendy’s, and Taco Bell are doing so well. But if we make informed decisions about our food we WILL do better.
Which one to choose. . . hmmm. I prefer to choose both. One “eat to live” is about obtaining nutrients that your body NEEDS; essential amino acids which are building blocks for protein, and a rainbow of vegetables to feed. Each color of the vegetable rainbow provides different nutrients that you need for your body.
Choosing “live to eat” means that you are making choices that occasionally maybe not be so good for your body. Having that DQ Blizzard, freshly cooked french fries from McDonald’s, or a glass of wine won’t hurt unless it is consumed in excess. The body just was not designed for the constant abundance of refined, sugary, and excess alcohol.
What is a Rainbow of Food?
Blueberries can help with inflammation and antioxidants. Broccoli provides high doses of vitamin K which may help protect the brain against damage. Oranges (real oranges not orange juice) provide vitamin C. This powerful antioxidant supports brain health as you age.
We don’t all necessarily like it, but fish such as salmon, trout, and sardines (my personal yuck) are high in Omega 3 fats (a good fat) and may slow mental decline. Your brain uses omega-3s to build brain and nerve cells which are needed for learning and memory. Not getting enough? It’s linked to learning disability and depression.
One of my other “favorites” in the rainbow is DARK CHOCOLATE. I’m not talking about cocoa. I’m talking about cacao. The above 70% chocolate bar, NOT Hershey’s! What’s the difference? Find out here. Besides the “obvious” effects of YUM, it’s packed with iron, magnesium, and antioxidants. Cacao can help with depression, stress, blood pressure, and heart health.
Embrace and love your body. It’s the most amazing thing you will ever own.
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Whether you decide to exercise daily or eat healthily, or not do either a couple days a week, the key is to be aware. Be aware of what exercise and eating right does for your body. If you treat it well, your body and mind will show kindness and reward you with looking and feeling better. After all, you only have this one body.
Leave a comment and let me know what you do to take care of your body that helps your mental health.
