I have spoken about this topic on various occasions and for some of you this may sound like white noise. That's ok because we need to hear it over and over again. Lifestyle modification is one of the hardest things to accomplish because it requires sacrifice. Sacrifice from a place that is comfortable and easy.

Do you know what the definition of insanity is? Doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results. If you don’t modify the things in your life, your situation will never change.

In the last 2 weeks I have asked two young men in their mid 40’s the following question, “If the direction of your health continues on the same path it is right now, where do you see yourself in 20 years?”

Both answers were just a little bit shocking. One said he will be 6 feet under and the second answer was a little more blunt, dead. It kind of leaves you speechless for a split second then you have to become the teacher.

Most people don’t know how to make change and it can be paralyzing to know where to start. The best thing is start with what you can do and accomplish and build off of that.

Drinking right. An easy place to start is with drinking water. The rule of thumb is ½ of your body weight in ounces per day. So a 150lb person would shoot for 75oz of water per day. That water should preferably be filtered or bottled water. If you are only drinking 16oz of water per day, increasing that to 50oz per day is a win and a start in the right direction.

Eating right. Let food be thy medicine. Simply stated, you can eat yourself to good or bad health. It is your choice. Every time we put something in our mouths, it is a choice. If we choose food that is depleted of nutrient like junk food, we are sowing the seeds of poor health. Once again making small gains, decreasing our consumption of soda, juices and energy drinks, which hide empty calorie’s is also a good start. Substituting a piece of fresh fruit in place of a cookie will get you going down a healthier path.

Moving right. The next thing we look at is exercise or lack of it. For some the change may be to exercise less for others it may be to just move 15 minutes 3 days per week. Some patients do too much cardio with no weight resistance. Starting with simple body weight exercises that can be done at home with no extra cost of joining a gym. Something so easy as grabbing a doorknob and doing 20 assisted squats or jumping rope or doing jumping jacks.

These 3 small changes can be the foundation to making serious change in transforming your health. When looking at our health, it is like a marathon, there are no quick fixes. You need to put in the hard work to see results. This hard work can start at age 5 or age 80, there is never a bad time to start making a change. I love this quote “You do not climb a mountain without taking the first step”.

I hope you found this information helpful. Stop by the pharmacy to set up a consultation to begin the change.. Until next time, be vigilant about your health!!