LIFESTYLE BALANCE
The other pillars to good health include balancing stress, exercise and sleep.
Good health, like a solid tabletop, requires all four pillars to be in harmony.
Sleep
Sleep is not just about getting zzz's. During this time, the body is working hard to rebuild and restore new cells and to purge deviant cells. Sleep time is when the liver's detoxification system is hard at work. Poor sleep with a disrupted circadian rhythm contributes to elevated cortisol, weight gain and fatty liver. Living in a modern world of 24-hour entertainment and electricity has interrupted our natural circadian rhythm. One in four Americans is estimated to have fatty liver. NAFLD (Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease) is increasing at an alarming rate in the U.S. and soon to be the leading indicator for liver transplantation.
Stress
Managing stress is critical to a healthy life. Elevated stress inhibits digestion, raises insulin, and negatively affects hormone balance and your metabolic state. Stress can come in many forms, and sometimes it cannot avoided. Recognizing how to manage it is essential to achieving good health.
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Exercise
Humans were made to move. Hunters and gatherers moved constantly -- they spent their daytime hours finding food! Driving to the local grocery store wasn't an option. A moving body decreases stress, improves circulation, contributes to weight loss and improves mental health. The key is to find an exercise routine that works for you.