In article #50 I promised that I would spend the next few articles reviewing the step by step process that I call “Just One More Thing.” If you haven’t read that article please ask for a copy. As a quick review, just one more thing is the process of incorporating just one more healthy habit into your daily activities until it becomes part of your lifestyle. When it is habit you then pick a new just one more thing and work on it. If you stack up enough of these good habits, you will direct your health along a pathway that will lead to a longer and greater quality of life.
For those who know me well you would probably predict that step 1 would have to do with chiropractic care. You would say that I think the most important “just one more thing” is the weekly adjustment. And you would be wrong. It is my opinion that the single largest determinant of wellness is genetics. Although the environment is critical, the environment acts upon your genes. Therefore, I like to say that when you are born you are as healthy as you are ever going to be. And while there are exceptions to that statement, it is generally true. But since we have no control over our genetic makeup that mom and dad gave us, let’s move on to the next step, water.
We are 98% water. Water is necessary for all life and for a healthy expression of life. It is in every cell of your body. It is between the cells in your body. In fact the only place in your body it does not exist are the cell membranes or covers. While it generally does not directly participate in the chemistry of your body it is still required for each and every chemical reaction to work properly. It is the solution in which all chemistry happens. It is both an acid and a base. It is to your body chemistry what air is to you. You need it and you need it in abundance. So without adequate amounts of it, chemical functions can become lethargic, or even shut down and fail. When there is failure in the body there is sickness, disease, and eventual death. Additionally, water is your front line antioxidant. It is the chemical that universally helps to protect your cells against damage by free radicals, oxidizing chemicals, in short pollution. Finally, it helps in the flushing out of all the junk that builds up in every nook and cranny. So it’s kind of important.
So step one is to make sure you drink at least 64 ounces of water per day. That is 4 of your typical 16oz. water bottles. Carry a bottle with you at all times. Buy a quart sized refillable bottle and drink its quantity twice a day. Do this every day in and out and when it become habit, you are ready for your next “just one more thing.”
For those who know me well you would probably predict that step 1 would have to do with chiropractic care. You would say that I think the most important “just one more thing” is the weekly adjustment. And you would be wrong. It is my opinion that the single largest determinant of wellness is genetics. Although the environment is critical, the environment acts upon your genes. Therefore, I like to say that when you are born you are as healthy as you are ever going to be. And while there are exceptions to that statement, it is generally true. But since we have no control over our genetic makeup that mom and dad gave us, let’s move on to the next step, water.
We are 98% water. Water is necessary for all life and for a healthy expression of life. It is in every cell of your body. It is between the cells in your body. In fact the only place in your body it does not exist are the cell membranes or covers. While it generally does not directly participate in the chemistry of your body it is still required for each and every chemical reaction to work properly. It is the solution in which all chemistry happens. It is both an acid and a base. It is to your body chemistry what air is to you. You need it and you need it in abundance. So without adequate amounts of it, chemical functions can become lethargic, or even shut down and fail. When there is failure in the body there is sickness, disease, and eventual death. Additionally, water is your front line antioxidant. It is the chemical that universally helps to protect your cells against damage by free radicals, oxidizing chemicals, in short pollution. Finally, it helps in the flushing out of all the junk that builds up in every nook and cranny. So it’s kind of important.
So step one is to make sure you drink at least 64 ounces of water per day. That is 4 of your typical 16oz. water bottles. Carry a bottle with you at all times. Buy a quart sized refillable bottle and drink its quantity twice a day. Do this every day in and out and when it become habit, you are ready for your next “just one more thing.”