Sadly, our current system of “healthcare” has very little to do with “health,” and instead is focused on treating sickness and disease once they occur. 

And that means most doctors are of little to no help when it comes to giving advice on how to stay healthy.  You can’t teach what you don’t know.  

But that’s where I come in. 

Because my entire 30-year career in the health field has been about creating and preserving HEALTH! 

I’ve helped tens of thousands of people around the globe to achieve health improvements like better digestion and less heartburn, lower blood pressure, weight loss, stronger immune function, clearer skin, reduced blood sugar and much more! 

Now know this: Great health doesn’t have to be complicated!  It just boils down to a series of simple things done consistently. 

I call them my… 

Top 10 Ways to Stay Healthy For Life  

1) Have a healthy whole foods diet 

You didn’t think a nutrition coach like me would start with anything other than your diet, right? 

We all have different tastes and preferences and that’s fine, but here are the important rules of thumb here: 

Keep your meals simple.  Pair proteins with non-starchy vegetables and healthy fats for optimal digestion.  Choose organic meats, chicken and eggs whenever possible, and opt for wild caught (not farmed) fish   

Minimize grains and sugars.  Even though grains (which includes pasta, rice, breads, etc.) do provide nutrients, they also turn to sugar upon digestion, which causes imbalance in the gut microbiome, gas and bloating and weakened immune function. 

Never have fruit for dessert.  Unlike any other food, fruit is digested in the small intestine, but when its passage to the intestine is blocked by food in your stomach (such as when fruit is eaten for dessert), it can begin to ferment and cause gas.  Instead, eat fruit alone on an empty stomach. 

Stay away from unhealthy fats.  Although they have been marketed as “healthy,” fats like margarine, vegetable oils, hydrogenated oils, and fake fats are an abomination to your health.  Stick to real butter, olive oil, coconut oil, avocado oil, lard and tallow. 

2) Drink something other than coffee, soda or alcohol 

You know what I’m getting at here—WATER! 

You should aim to drink at least half the number of pounds you weigh in ounces of filtered water each day. 

So if you weigh 150 pounds, you should be downing 75 ounces of water each day. 

3) Optimize your Vitamin D level 

Although all nutrients are beneficial, Vitamin D’s got quite the extensive resume.  Some of its functions and health benefits include: 

• Digestion and absorption of nutrients 
• Lower blood pressure  
• Heart and cardiovascular health 
• Brain and mental health 
• Neurological health 
• Muscle health 
• Skin and hair health 
• Cancer prevention 
• Bone health 
• Immune health (including strong protection against COVID!) 
• Reproductive health 
• Respiratory health 
• Proper carbohydrate and fat metabolism 

Vitamin D is also a very common deficiency, especially in the Northeast region during the cooler weather.  To ensure you have optimal levels of this crucial nutritional superstar all year round, supplementation with our Optimum DK Formula with FruiteX-B is the way to go. 

Optimum DK Formula provides a therapeutic 5,000 IU dose of Vitamin D3, as well as its partners Vitamin K and the mineral boron.   

4) Quit smoking  

This one should be obvious, but I still see people everywhere smoking so clearly not everyone has gotten the memo. 

And please don’t make the mistake of thinking that vaping is a healthier alternative because you couldn’t be more wrong.   

Get the help you need (acupuncture has been shown to be helpful) and put that nasty habit behind you for good. 

Note that I must caution you about Chantix because of serious side effects.  There are many other (safer) ways to accomplish your goal.  

5) Brush and floss every day 

To help maintain the health of your teeth and gums, it’s crucial to brush and floss every day. 

I know most people are OK with the brushing part, but many people find flossing a nuisance or “don’t have the time.” 

Get over that already.  Flossing is essential to tooth and gum health, and it doesn’t take that long.   

I timed myself and it took me a minute and 11 seconds to do my entire mouth.  You have the time. 

6) Get 7-9 hours of sleep each night 

Not getting enough sleep takes its toll on you in numerous ways including: 

• Lower your immune function 
• Trigger chronic pain  
• Accelerate the aging process 
• Worsen depression 
• Encourage overweight and obesity 
• Even cause your brain to shrink! 

So if you’re a night owl, it’s time to hit the hay earlier, and make sure you’re regularly getting at least seven to nine hours of sleep each night. 

And if you find yourself having trouble getting to sleep or staying asleep, our Soothing Zzzz’s Blend Gummies can provide an effective 5mg of melatonin to help pave the way for a restful night’s sleep. 

7) Get regular exercise 

By “regular” I mean something you do for at least 30 minutes (to start), four times per week, and by “exercise” I mean an activity that will raise your heart rate and make you sweat. 

Once you start to build up, you can increase your exercise time to 45 minutes and eventually an hour. 

You don’t have to get fancy!  Even brisk walking is healthful, and most people can do that. 

Just be sure to get your doctor’s OK, especially if you haven’t exercised lately (or ever). 

No excuses allowed!  I’m 60 years old and work out 6 days a week for at least an hour each day doing martial arts or running. 

If I can do it, so can you. 

8) See your doctor and dentist once a year for a checkup 

So many health problems can be caught in early stages by going for regular check-ups and note that that also includes dental check-ups.   

If you shun the doctor’s office or Ronald Reagan was President last time you went to the dentist, it’s time to make an appointment, my friend.   

It will give you peace of mind, and if there is something not quite right, you can deal with it and help avoid it becoming something more serious. 

9) Keep stress low 

Nothing will ruin your health faster than to be under chronic stress day in and day out. 

Stress weakens your immune system functioning, encourages elevated blood glucose levels, impairs your mental functioning, makes you stress eat (and pack on the pounds) and is even a contributing factor in high blood pressure and digestive conditions such as IBS. 

There are a number of stress reduction measures that can help, such as counseling, meditation, yoga, prayer, acupuncture, regular exercise and deep breathing.  

Many people have also reported that it helps to take up a hobby or adopt a pet.   

10) Support your brain 

The old saying “if you don’t use it, you’ll lose it” applies to many things, and that includes your mind.   

And in our world of electronic entertainment, we’re just not challenging our minds like we used to anymore. 

So switch off the TV and computer, put down the cell phone and instead read a book, do puzzles or play board games to help keep your mind sharp. 

Note that our diets aren’t as brain-healthy as they used to be either, and that’s especially true when it comes to Omega-3 essential fatty acids. 

But you can help ensure your brain is getting what it needs by supplementing with a quality fish oil formula like VitalMega-3. 

VitalMega-3 provides a soothing, anti-inflammatory 1,200 mg of fish oils, including the EPA and DHA that are crucial for brain health. 

There you have it! 

I promise that if you stick to these principles consistently, you will see a difference in how you feel, and will be paving the way for strong health into your golden years and beyond! 

I can’t think of anything nicer than that. 

To your health, 

Sherry Brescia