Health is a very important factor that man should consider to enjoy life. It is being taught in schools, yet often neglected by the younger generation of the human society. As man starts to age, he starts to be healthy conscious and even starts to search for the fountain of youth.

To keep man healthy, he searches for so many complicated ways to maintain a healthy lifestyle. Yet there are simple ways that are right before our very eyes that most of us simply ignore.

There are eight simple ways to perfect health which are as follows:

1. Nutrition. Balanced diet and proper nutrition is often neglected in the most often fast pace of life. Oftentimes, because of too much hectic schedule, corporate workers simply grab a burger for lunch or take junk foods in between meals just to satisfy their hunger.

Balanced diet is simply taking the correct food groups at the right amounts and ratio. Thus, a simple meal should always include carbohydrates, proteins, fats, and vitamins. Too much processed food in the diet means less fiber. Less fiber in meals can slow down the flow of digested food in the intestinal tract, which studies have shown can lead to problems like colon and rectal cancers.

2. Exercise. We often think that by working in our jobs is enough to give us exercise. Wrong. Exercise should be taken at a wholistic point of view. Exercise should include all the body parts such as the circulatory system and the respiratory system. A brisk walk is very much recommended as it involves every muscle in your body, it triggers the blood vessels and the heart to contract more to circulate the blood, and it exercises your lungs. If you are not sure what kind of exercise to take or if you are suffering from any kind of ailment, it is best to consult your physician before engaging in any form of exercise.

3. Water. Water is every where, but not all liquids are water. Not all water is safe to drink either. It is proper to take only potable water at least six glasses a day. The more water we drink, the more body excretions will be washed out from our body. Precaution should also be noted with patients who may be suffering from hypertension, kidney problems, heart problems, and other ailments which affect water excretion from the body.

4. Sunlight. Except for people living in the polar regions, we see sunlight everyday. Many people just don't take advantage of it or abuse it. Early morning sunlight is always the best. Many Caucasians would like to sun bathe just to get a tan even during noon time. Over exposure has a high risk of skin cancer especially among Caucasians. Therefore, just get the right sunlight exposure at the right time.

5. Temperance. This simply refers to control over our lifestyle including the use of alcoholic beverages. Alcoholism can lead to many different illnesses such as hepatic cirrhosis, alcoholic hepatitis, pancreatitis, and a lot of other complications. While socialization is good, why should we practice a lifestyle that can shorten our life span?

Unhealthy sexual practices are best to be avoided too. As a reminder, diseases can also be transmitted sexually which include AIDS.

6. Air. Air is free. Our bodies need clean air. Polluted air can be in the form of inhaled smoke direct from cigarette or tobacco smoking, or secondary smoke which is exhaled by a smoker. In the US, smoking advertisements are already banned, whereas other third world countries continue promoting smoking. Should we regard money more than health? Other forms of pollution are polluted air from car exhausts and factory smoke. Let us all try to keep our communities free from pollution. Cigarette smoking is known to create abnormalities on an unborn child of a smoking pregnant mother. It is also known to create lung cancer and other respiratory complications.

7. Rest. Our bodies need rest too. Too much work without rest is unhealthy. Too much play without rest is not advisable either. Getting the right amount of sleep is highly advisable to maintain both physical and mental health. Fatigue can lead to poor body resistance. Poor body resistance leads to more susceptibility to diseases.

8. Trust in God. A wholistic viewpoint of a healthy lifestyle should include concerns not just for the physical and mental health, but it should include our spiritual health. Many of us believe in the living God, thus it is but proper to trust in Him.

These eight ways are all too simple, but without practicing them, the basics of maintaining a healthy lifestyle is hardly achievable.

About the author:

VMT Singuillo is a licensed physician in the Philippines and a freelance writer. Other subjects of interest include grandfather clocks and cuckoo clocks, native american indian artifacts, cheap hotels and cheap motels, and others.