+Plus Points for the health account

Through every healthy activity like moderate exercise, relaxation and good nutrition we add +plus points to our health account.
The food and lifestyle choices we make every day affect our health not just now but also tomorrow, and in the future.

We need more +plus points than -minus points in our health account to achieve optimal health!

In a healthy body lives a healthy spirit
Through every healthy, positive thought and relaxed or happy feelings we are adding +plus points to our health account. The "power of mind" or the "powerful mind", which we all heard of, is very real. "Think positive", is another phrase we know. We can not under estimate the influence our mind has on our overall health. Surely we can not treat our body separately, while disregarding the mind, spirit and soul, if we want to achieve a long-term health or gain recovery to health. This just makes sense. Do you agree? We need to actively manage our health account if we want to stay healthy. We have to find out what we need to do, so we can achieve an optimal personal, mental and spiritual state of health. And, of course, once we know what it is, what helps our health account, we need to advance from knowing to doing. Also, without thinking positive and health oriented, we will not reach any wellness goal. That is fact. The adjustment to accomplish anything begins in the mind! If we strain too much our spirit through negative and worrisome emotions or thoughts, then these negative or -minus points create a lack of balance within ourselves.
In other words: illness is very likely to happen. Bernie Siegel, M.D. documented this in his book: Love, Medicine and Miracles.

There are many books on the mind-body connection written and I have some listed on my homepage under links. Also Dr. Joseph Murphy (1898-1981), he had studied philosophy and science of world religions, published different interesting and well known books on the power of our subconscious mind. Actually, he tells us we can influence our subconscious mind! Dr. O.C. Simonton is a radiologist and oncologist and started to get interested in the mind-body connection through his patients in the early 70th. The results of the research he was getting, impressed him so, that he started to focus on this matter of psycho-oncology which has been getting more and more known in the medical field over the last 2 decades. I have red books from O.C. Simonton and was able to take classes from him. Still today I use meditation and visualization tools to empower my mind and spirit and I am grateful to know, how important this mind- spirit- body connection really is. As I promised on my "home" page, I gladly give you an insight of my personal +plus points which I know have played a great role of my saluto-genesis (well being).

My +plus points come from: * Meditation and visualization as well as * The strength from positive thoughts and * My faith * Doing something creative, calligraphy, painting * Reading inspirational books * Listening to soft music * Being out in nature

There are many different ways to positively influence our mind. You can find out about them from Dr. Murphy's above mentioned literature. Take your time: Think about what you can do for yourself and choose techniques you will enjoy in order to add +plus points to your health account. A good start is also to see and feel all the beauty around us. Acknowledge your blessings and be grateful for the small things in life.

Learn to be positive thinking! This way your spirit can influence your health in a positive way!
Even if your efforts are not always fruitful, stay with it, do not give up!

With consistency and persistence you will achieve your goal!

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A healthy body needs the right food.
Here is an important question for you:
With what kind of fuel do you "feed" your car?
With regular, super or super plus?
Can it be you give your car the "best" fuel?
Can it be your body gets much less quality fuel?
If so, then why is this the case?
Is your car worth more than your own health?

The headline from MedlinePlus reads: Healthy Diet May Prevent Additional Heart Trouble
"Study found patients who ate more vegetables, fruits and fish lowered their chances of heart attack, heart failure, stroke."
(MedlinePlus, Nutrition page, 12/03/2012)

"7 Daily Servings of Fruits, Veggies Best for Happiness, Study Finds"
In a joint effort with Dartmouth University, researchers at the University of Warwick examined the eating habits of 80,000 people in England and found that mental well-being rose with the number of daily servings of fruits and vegetables, peaking at seven servings a day.
"People who eat seven servings of fruit and vegetables a day have the highest levels of happiness and mental health, according to a new study."
(Ref: MedlinePlus, nutrition page, 10/11/12)

In 2007, the American Institute for Cancer Research and its affiliate, the World Cancer Research Fund in
the U. K., published a landmark report, Food, Nutrition, Physical Activity, and the Prevention of Cancer: A Global Perspective. The report was written by a panel of world renowned scientists who reviewed all the available evidence on diet, physical activity and weight management in relation to cancer prevention. They concluded that approximately one-third of all cancer cases could be prevented if everyone ate a healthy diet, was physically active every day and maintained a healthy weight.
The Second Expert Report contains an important message for cancer prevention and survivorship: There
are changes you can make in how you eat and what you do every day that can reduce your chances of developing cancer. The recommended changes can be grouped into three guidelines:
Here are the AICR Guidelines for Cancer Prevention:
• Choose mainly plant foods, limit red meat and processed meat
• Be physically active every day in any way for 30 minutes or more.
• Aim to be a healthy weight throughout life.
And always remember… Do not use tobacco in any form
(Ref: Facts on preventing cancer, American Institute for Cancer Research)

AICR's leading research focuses on how food, nutrition, physical activity and weight management affect the prevention, treatment and survival of cancer. They were the first cancer charity to fund research about diet and cancer as well as issue recommendations for cancer prevention. The new study published in November 2009 says 38% of breast cancer cases in the United States could be prevented thru nutritious diet, 30 minutes of moderate physical activities every day, and keeping a healthy weight. So, we have the answer to what can we do to stay healthy.
For good health, AICR recommends that we base all of our meals on plant foods. When preparing a meal, aim to fill at least two-thirds of your plate with vegetables, fruits, whole grains and beans.

Research shows that vegetables and fruits probably protect against a range of cancers, including mouth, pharynx, larynx, esophagus, stomach, lung, pancreas and prostate. There are many reasons why vegetables and fruits may protect against cancer. As well as containing vitamins and minerals, which help keep the body healthy and strengthen our immune system, they are also good sources of substances like phytochemicals. These are biologically active compounds, which can help to protect cells in the body from damage that can lead to cancer.

If we regularly strain our body too much with bad habits and inappropriate food, then the free radicals will accumulate more rapidly. Therefore we need to take even more health supporting measures - the right fuel.
The Nutrition Source of the Harvard School of Public Health states: Eat your fruits and vegetables and get plenty of it every day!

The science-based advice of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans in 2005, US Department of Health and Human Services, says: "Feel better today. Stay healthy for tomorrow."
Here is their advise: The food and physical activity choices you make every day affect your health—how you feel today, tomorrow, and in the future. Find your balance between food and physical activity.
Get the most nutrition out of your calories. You may be eating plenty of food, but not eating the right foods that give your body the nutrients you need to be healthy.
Eating right and being physically active aren’t just a “diet” or a “program”—they are keys to a healthy lifestyle. With healthful habits, you may reduce your risk of many chronic diseases.

My other +plus points come from:
* Moderate sport like bicycling and walking/hiking
* Regular exercise like using the trampoline, also called rebound, and gymnastics
* And getting daily as much as possible antioxidants, as mentioned under anti-oxidants from different fruits and vegetables.

An important part of my ongoing therapy has been the nutritional aspect. These basics of nutritional value are very much present in my family. Our diet does not include cheap fuel and I rather skip the sweets as in cakes and invest in "Super or Super Plus" fuel for my family's health.

Even though we put a lot of effort into getting and eating all the suggested portions of
fruit and veggies, we noticed that we were not able to follow through on a daily basis. For more than fifteen years we are able to close that gap. If you like to know how, you can find out right here: