The Health Trifecta

There's no "1 size fits all" solution for your health. You can't overload on veggies and expect it to supplement exercise. And there's no amount of working out that can make up for a lack of sleep.

Think about it this way. If you wanted to fix up an old Chevy, you wouldn't spend all your time changing the oil. You have to get new tires and remove the rust and dents too. Your body is the same way. A single treatment won't work.

So today, I want to share with you my best tips for the "Health Trifecta:" sleep, food & exercise. So you can figure out what you're doing great at. And what your body needs a little more of.

What's on Your Plate?

We've all heard the saying "you are what you eat." And even if it's a little overused, it still rings true today. If we use the car metaphor from earlier, the food you eat is your body's fuel. Feed it good fuel and it'll run for a long time. But put in bad fuel? You'll see parts breaking down earlier than they should.

So that begs the question: "what is a healthy diet?" And the answer is quite simple. There are 2 parts of the puzzle here:

1. You take in fewer calories than you put out
2. You eat the right mix of foods

The first feels fairly self-explanatory. As long as you're bringing in fewer calories than you exert, you'll lose weight. Now, only focusing on calories and not changing the foods in your diet won't work forever. That's why I added the 2nd piece of this puzzle.

You need a healthy mix of foods in your diet. First off, they're usually lower in calories, so you can eat more and still keep a low calorie count. But a good mix of healthy foods also gives your body all the vitamins and nutrients it needs. Here are the different food groups you should make sure are in your diet:

• Protein. The building block for all cells in our body. You won't make it far without protein.
• Fat. Believe it or not, you actually need some kinds of fat. It's our most efficient form of energy.
• High Fiber Foods. These are key for keeping our digestive system healthy. It's especially good for your heart.
• Vitamins. There are 13 different vitamins we need to keep our bodies strong and healthy. An easy place to find these are in fruits and veggies.
• Minerals. Minerals can often be overlooked, but they're just as critical to our health as the rest of this list. Minerals build strong bones and teeth.

Are You Getting Enough Sleep?

Sleep isn't just the way we get our kids and grandkids to stop screaming for a few hours. It's an important part of our health.

Some folks have claimed that they don't need much sleep to thrive. But over time, we see that doesn't ring true. Most sleep scientists suggest that we need more sleep than we think we do. Not less.

Being sleep-deprived is a serious condition that we don't always take seriously. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimates that every year about 100,000 people crash because of fatigued driving. The result? Nearly 800 fatalities and about 50,000 injuries.

The important lesson here is to be aware of your own sleep patterns. Are you an early riser? Maybe turn off the TV earlier in the night to get some extra shut eye. Are you a night owl? Plan your morning out so you can spend a little extra time in bed.

Feel the Burn with Exercise

We all know that exercise is important. I don't think including it on this list is groundbreaking.

But why should you exercise? And how hard do you have to push yourself?

Well, one of the big benefits is it helps your blood flow. Exercise gets your heart beating faster. So you have better circulation (which is a key to good health). Most folks recommend somewhere between 20 minutes to 3 long sessions per day.

The key is to ease yourself into it. It's easy to see people online lifting 400 lb weights or running marathons and wanting to be there right now. But we have to pace ourselves. Rome wasn't built in a day. And your body isn't marathon-level after 10 minutes on a treadmill.

For some of us, that much exercise would be a struggle. But there are other ways to get the blood flowing. For example, many foot massagers come with shiatsu nodes that help boost blood flow. It's a nice, relaxing option that even works after exercise.

Of course, it can't fully replace all the benefits of a good workout. But it's a great option for those of us who don't have the time (or the strength) for a long exercise session.

That's my "Health Trifecta." Do you agree? And are you already doing these things in your life? Let me know with a comment below this article. God Bless.