There's a lot of information available about the overall health of us (in America). And things aren't looking so good. We, as a country, despite all the wealth and medical technology available, are among the world's unhealthiest people. How can this be?

First let me start by saying I'm not big on Western medicine in general; I tend to lean more toward Alternative medicine and prevention as opposed to 'fixing the symptoms'. So I read alot. I've practiced homeopathic medicine for over 20 years, with nary a glitch. I grow my own herbs to make tinctures and salves. I eat LOTS of garlic (a natural antibiotic). And I SEE myself as a whole, healthy person. In other words, I don't think about illness! I'm not saying that conventional medicine isn't valuable. It most certainly is. Broken bones and internal maladies are best treated with the help of MDs. But the thing is, more often than not, American doctors will treat the symptoms of a dis-ease long before they'll look for the CAUSE. (I make this statement in general terms. There are a great many very good doctors out there. It is NOT my intention to undermine their value!)

Recently I came across a couple of things that made me even more curious about the general state of our country's health. With all the talk about Health Care (or the lack thereof) and policy, there is equally as much talk about why it's such a 'hot topic' with our candidates. But I believe we're looking through this lense from a very warped perspective. What if we could start at home? What if, instead of blaming the government for the healthcare mess we're in, we opened up our refridgerators and had a look at the contents?

Our kids live on fast food and sugar. Many families don't even know what the term "dinner time" means. Sit down at the table together and share a healthy meal? Right. Parents are over-worked and out of time. They've got their kids enrolled in so many activities that most of them don't even see each other as a 'family' except on holidays. And forget about healthy meals in the schools. Those programs are long gone. It's up to parents to see to it that thier kids eat a healthy lunch. How often does this happen?

I've seen and heard teachers talk about how hard it is to teach because the kids are inattentive and jittery. Why? Because they didn't eat breakfast or if they did, it was filled with sugar, not fruit and grains. They eat twinkies for lunch and wash it down with some caffeine-filled beverage or an 'energy' drink. And don't get me started on the Latte thing!

Alas, I digress. The purpose of this entry is to pose food for thought. Let's start with "Self". The number one cause of most maladies in our society is STRESS. Stress has such a profound impact on our bodies that were we to eliminate it entirely, we'd have a fraction of the ailments we are now experiencing, from heart disease to cancer to depression to psychosis. And there are so many ways to alleviate stress, it makes me wonder why we don't all partake. We'd certainly FEEL better if we made these things a part of our daily lives. And think of all the good times we'd have if we never got sick! Start with "Self" and pass it on. Your kids will thank you for it (eventually)!

So, here are some things that are recurring themes in the medical community, whether it be traditional or alternative medicine. The majority of medical professionals agree on these simple practices:

1. MEDITATE: take some time EVERY DAY to sit quietly and calm yourself. Breathe deeply. Relax. Let go of all the day's 'STUFF' and just BE. 15 to 30 minutes is all you need. Do this for a week and see what happens! (Say goodbye to stress!)

2. EXERCISE: We've certainly heard this enough times to know it's a major factor in our health, both physical and mental. You don't have to run a marathon. Just get off your butt and walk for half an hour. Take in some fresh air. Look at the pretty trees (or flowers or whatever). Just get your heart beat up a bit and maybe even break a sweat. Does wonders for all sorts of things! Raises the metabolism. Also alleviates stress. Burns calories. Helps you sleep better. Keeps you from being so cranky. (actually too many benefits to name, but you get the idea)

3. EAT WELL: Again, pretty much a no-brainer. Lay off the fast food, fat foods, sugar-filled crap and buy some fruit! Prepare your meals instead of going out. Bake, broil, BBQ rather than fry. Drink water. Eat berries. Snack on carrots. You can still have your chocolate! Just make sure it has a high cacao content (60% or more) and is DARK (as opposed to milk) chocolate. It really IS good for you. Anti-oxidants and all that. Not to mention the fabulous-feeling hormones it produces. The point is, don't DIET. Just watch what you put in your mouth. Because if you eat it, you're going to WEAR IT. And the rest of your body (the parts you don't see) is going to pay for it too.

4. SLEEP: This is HUGE for us (Americans). Most folks in this country get an average of 5-6 hours a night. THAT IS NOT ENOUGH. 8 hours is the goal. 8 GOOD hours. We are a nation of sleep-deprived residents and it's taking it's toll in more ways than we can imagine. (Did you know that sleep-deprivation reduces your intelligence???? True, proven fact. It makes you stupid! Or at the very least, it diminishes your brain's ability to function at it's best.)

5. HAVE SOME FUN!: It's been proven over and over~ people who enjoy themselves, laugh often, dance, giggle, play, etc. live healthier, longer lives. Besides, we DESERVE it! If you were to sit down and map out your day from around 6 a.m. to around 10 P.M., I'd be willing to bet that you could find an hour to play. Turn off the TV. Put down the dreaded newspaper (it's all bad news anyway). Get off the couch. PLAY, for pete's sake!

If we were all to incorporate these 5 things into our daily lives, we'd all live much happier, healthier and longer lives. We'd have more vitality. We'd spread more joy. We'd fight less and love more. Am I a Utopian? You betcha. One thing I know for sure: it's made a WORLD of difference in MY life. What about yours?