What should I do to live a healthy life?

• Treat the planet as you want it to treat you -- love fresh blueberries? Indeed they are quite a treat, but if we don't choose organic blueberries, we contribute to soil conditions that may mean blueberries won't be around as a treat in the future. Organic saves water and protects the nutrient density of our food.
• Health gain vs. weight loss -- there are lots of ways to lose weight that compromise health (poor quality 'diet foods', chemotherapy, skipping meals) but when you focus on health gain (organic food, portion control, better sleep habits) your weight loss will be one of the benefits as well.
• Eat food vs. food products: our bodies know what to do with food but they get confused, overwhelmed and irritated by preservatives, chemicals and processing that offers them food in forms they don't recognize.
• Be pro-choice, it's healthier for you. When we make choices about what we eat and drink -- I choose the chocolate over the wine and the cheese -- we enjoy our choice and feel empowered as opposed to deprived.

Each of us was born as a natural, organic being. We, like the plants and animals, have basic natural tendencies that are often thrown off balance by the craziness of modern life. The traditions of Yoga and Ayurveda teach us that by relieving imbalances in the body like illness and disease as well as imbalances of the mind like stress and emotional turmoil, we can live better, healthier lives. Here, in a state of greater balance, we find peace.

To live a healthier life, begin with resolving issues in the body. Eat simple, whole foods that have been grown locally and not processed or packaged (i.e. eat fruits, vegetables, and simple grains instead of frozen foods/meals, packaged convenience foods, and soft drinks). Drink hot water first thing in the morning instead of coffee. Refrain from eating the last four or five hours before you go to bed. Eat only until your stomach is half full. Even if you were to follow just these few basic guidelines, your whole body would start to rally around the changes that begin to take place.