4 The HBCU Advocate Editorial Good health gives us more of the things we love


and vegetables. The more we load up on these nutrient-rich foods, the less likely we are to binge on cookies, ice cream and potato chips.


Public enemy number one to


people who wish to have a healthy lifestyle


is sugar. When sugar is not burned as fuel by the body immediately, it turns into fat. Fruit sugar is better for us. We can put frozen fruit in a blender or a Magic Bullet along with almond, coconut or rice milk and it will taste very similar to ice cream but will have far fewer calories and fat.


Another BY ANGELA JONES


Maintaining good health is the key to enjoying all the good things life has to offer. We love our families, we love our homes and we love our favorite foods. Are we willing to make the sacrifices necessary to prolong our lives to secure more time to enjoy what we love? When we strive to have good health, we can enjoy all of the things we love – longer.


what we eat often degree


of good


Speaking of our favorite foods, determines one


health the will


achieve. It is often stated “Well, you have to die from something.” Would it not be one’s preference to die from old age rather than waste away slowly and painfully? It should be preferable to die with the dignity of knowing that every effort was made to not be a burden to someone else because of one’s unhealthy indulgences.


We all know the obvious bad diet habits – like eating deep fried foods and sugar-filled snacks. It is easier to avoid those unhealthy pitfalls


if we


eat more of the things that are good for us like salads and other raw fruits


healthy lifestyle one


must embrace to remain or regain good health is exercise. Twenty to thirty minutes of exercise per day is all that is needed to be of benefit to one’s health. Of course, anyone thinking of beginning an exercise routine should consult their physician to make sure they are fit enough to get started. Exercise does not have to be a chore. It can involve doing something fun like taking a walk on the beach or jumping on a trampoline with one’s children or grandchildren. It is important to just get moving.


exercising is strength training. This does not necessarily


to


Another beneficial form of have


be


done at an expensive gym or with heavy weights. One can use their body weight for strength training by performing pushups at home or getting in and remaining in a plank position for several seconds. Even lifting cans of vegetables with arms outstretched will give strength training benefits if repeated enough times.


While some people may prefer to


exercise at a gym, there are a plethora of exercise videos on the internet that can be viewed in the privacy and


comfort of one’s home. These videos include a variety of forms of exercise from ordinary aerobics to Zumba or from Pilates to Yoga. Some people simply enjoy turning on some tunes and dancing for thirty minutes in their


living rooms to remain or gain a fit physique.


One must remember to increase water intake when they exercise. It is important to always remain hydrated. Six to eight glasses of water is the recommended


amount of H2O;


however, when exercising, it may be necessary to drink more. Coconut water is a delicious way to rehydrate one’s self after a workout. Not all brands are created equal. Choose a brand that contains only coconut water. If the first one you choose does not taste as good as expected, try another brand. Some brands of coconut water taste sweet and some taste a little salty. All of them; however, should provide the needed electrolytes to recover from


a workout. Sports drinks with added sugar and chemicals are not necessary. Sunshine is also important to


maintain optimal health. Many of our ancestors were from areas that had abundant amounts of sun. This time of year, in the US, spending time in the sun may be a challenge. During those times, we can get the benefits of “sunshine in a bottle” labeled Vitamin D. It was recently revealed that many people are deficient in vitamin D. It is important to get a complete blood count test


to see if we are indeed


deficient in any vitamins or minerals. A multivitamin is often a great addition to one’s diet to help maintain proper levels of vitamins and minerals.


In fact, getting a physical and blood tests to determine our level of health should be the first place we start when we decide that we want to be in our healthiest state possible. Obtaining and maintaining


good health will


allow us the necessary quality time we need to enjoy the people, places and things we love. If we do not believe we should strive to be as physically healthy as possible, perhaps a mental health checkup is where we should begin.


Volume 1 Number 12


June/July 2018


The HBCU Advocate


Angela Jones, Publisher Chris Parks, Editor


Rae Willis, Graphic Designer Ida Davis, Contributing Writer


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