Healthy kingdom: 6 habits

Oh, so you wish for a healthy, kingdom? I know the feeling, with children, parents and responsibilities that line the castle wall, sometimes I think the king and queen will never find time to make healthy choices. How will they choose wisely when they are trying to storm the castle, slay the dragons and look lovely for the kingdom?

Their health needs to become a priority, so the kingdom can be well but how will they have time? Healthy habits if established early on can keep the generations going strong and it has to be scheduled into their day. So how does the kingdom start doing what they need to do to implement these lifestyle changes?

They can begin by choosing these 6 healthy habits. Go slow and be easy on yourself. Implementing them takes time. Some days it will go great and other days you will feel like you will never be able to make it happen, but don't let that stop you. Keep moving forward. Challenge yourself with small daily goals. Your health is worth it and you should never give up on it, no matter what. So choose one habit to start with and then move to the next one. It takes about 21 days to establish a new healthy habit.

Six Healthy Habits

1) Exercise — 30 minutes of cardio daily, strength training every other day for 30 minutes — weights help keep your muscles healthy.

2) Sleep — 7-8 hours of interrupted sleep a night to heal from a day of activity.

3) Food and drink — according to Sears and the Zone, a balanced diet has protein of 30 percent, carbohydrates 40 percent, fats 30 percent. Water for hydration of 8-10 glasses a day.

4) Intellectual stimulation — reading, study, classes, news, Internet education.

5) Spiritual — worship, arts, music, family traditions.

6) Mental health — Deep breathing for relaxation, meditation, guided imagery or prayer.

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Sheree DiBiase, PT, is the owner of Lake City Physical Therapy and she and her staff are here for you as you work to make healthy lifestyle choices. Live well!! Call us in Coeur d'Alene at (208) 667-1988, in Hayden at (208) 762-2100 and in the Spokane Valley at (509) 891-2623.