My take on being Cooperized - What's that?

In living we face our three enemies of cardiovascular, cancer, and diabetes. These three diseases touch all of us no matter what age we are. Cooper from the Cooper aerobics Center has set up a health program he calls get Cooperized. In this months newsletter there are articles of interest for you.

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One article can give you the edge against diabetes if you get Cooprize. Seven of the steps everybody agrees with. There are different opinions about supplements but I think you're good to follow your doctors advice for your own personal plan of health. Each one of these steps can be a game changer with diabetes. Here is my take on the steps:

1. Get to a healthy weight. Personally I've been reading less health articles and I allow myself one day a week where I follow my sources to new information. I've been putting more my attention to quit eating insanely. Also I've been looking for opportunities throughout my day to move more an exercise. Mentally I've been focusing on my writing and ministry to Liberia.

2. Make healthy food choices most of the time. This is such a good point that's easy to forget. Life isn't perfect and if you have a weight problem being less-than-perfect can really mess with your head. Lately I have had more success looking at my crazy behavior and eating in being more mindful. I know how to eat right, but I also I'm very capable of doing the craziest things, like binge eating or eating large amounts of food in less than a minute. It's unbelievable.

Adaptive push up

3. Exercise most days of the week. 30 minutes of walking can really help someone with type II diabetes. A couple days a week I do a TRX program and resistance bands. Every day I do 2 or 3 sets of modified push-ups, situps, squats, Heel raises, dips and lunges. I call them my fat man exercises. 

4. Take the right supplements for you. Ask your doctor about supplements and which ones might fit you better. Most of these benefits can be obtained with healthy food. But there maybe things that help you and that's the bottom-line.

5. Do not use tobacco. If you have a death wish there is nothing better that you can do but smoke three packs a day of Lucky Strikes. For most people death comes a little earlier. But you have to be prepared to live a while and you can't breathe. You could be very likely have your mouth or jaw, or tongue, Voice box ripped out of your body. Maybe you'll be lucky to have hardened arteries due to smoking for a instant death of heart attack. But then you could be one of the few who lives into their 80s connected to an oxygen tank this cigarette in the hole of your neck. With tobacco you never know but there is no support whatsoever that it doesn't hurt your health. Do you feel lucky, well do you?

6. Control alcohol. If you drink 2 or less drinks a day alcohol may have some benefits. There are no benefits to your health with three or more drinks a day. Even a little alcohol that could help the heart may be an increasing your chances for certain cancers and diabetes. When you look at the big picture we have every reason to get control of our drinking.

7. Manage your stress. Stress kills and is a factor with the big three things that kill us. Stress can put us into a cycle where we quit doing the things that help us and increase the chances that we may lose in heart disease, cancer, and diabetes. Learn about the stress in your life and find ways to deal with it. I am a big fan that everybody should have a mental health professional on their medical team. Much of the way that exercise helps against the pain of arthritis and dependence on painkillers; learning how to deal with stress reduces the need for any kind of medication.

8. Get a regular, comprehensive physical exam. By the time you get to be 40 you need to develop a health team starting with a good GP. Never sit and stew with worry about what is going on your body. Please get over your fear and see your doctor. Being on top of your problems is a life saver. I get it, I have no idea when I will pass away. But getting check ups gives you a better chance to live a little longer and even a little better. Keep walking