My 2011 Health Plan

Why am I always sick and tired?  Well, a blasé approach to my health and wellness probably has something to do with it.  That, and I’m usually too depressed and exhausted to give a crap about what I’m eating and how much exercise I’m getting.  Generally, I just want to get through the day if I can.

That’s all going to change.

This is a list of things I’m doing this year in order to improve my health.  This list will undoubtedly change, but it’s a start.

Short Term Goals

1. Drink 9 – 8oz. glasses of water per day or more.
2. No more sports drinks, except when extremely dehydrated due to illness – emergencies only.
3. Eliminate purchase of mocha coffee beverages, hot and frozen.
4. Make my own coffee at home, but only when I really need the pick-me-up.
5. No refined sugar or high fructose corn syrups.  Replace with organic sugar, stevia, agave nectar, raw honey, and, on occasion, artificial sweeteners (eventually remove the artificial sweeteners as well).
6. Reduce fast food intake to once per week, at most.  Preferably once per month.  Reduce eating out at restaurants as well, and make better food choices while eating out (pick the gluten free food items, as they are less likely to be processed, etc…)
7. Eat more raw cheese products (unpasteurized).
8. Reduce intake of artificial, processed foods, ingredients, and beverages.
9. Bake my own bread using whole grain flours.
10. Gradually reduce and eventually eliminate wheat intake.  Replace with other grains, such as rye and spelt.
11. Take a 400-1600 mg of Quercetin daily for allergy relief and as an energy boost.
12. Take 1 multi-vitamin daily with chromium supplement included.
13. Flax Seed Oil daily for omega 3 – good for mood support.
14. 1250 mg additional Vitamin C via a supplement to support mood, allergy relief, and to boost the immune system.
15. Continue taking prescribed medications (Zyrtec, Nasonex, and Prozac…in addition to Benadryl and Epinephrine as needed).
16. 30 minutes of exercise 4 days per week or more.
17. See the dentist ASAP (I’ve gone a year without seeing the dentist).
18. Discuss allergy shots with my doctors.
19. Reduce stress and practice various relaxation techniques.
20. Keep a log of my adherence to the plan and my progress.

Long Term Goals

1. Completely remove sugar and artificial sweeteners from my diet, replaced with stevia, agave, and raw honey only.
2. Research safety on increased amounts of Vitamin E and Vitamin C intake.
3. Research more sophisticated water filtration systems to remove more contaminants and additives such as fluoride.
4. Research how grain free and dairy free supposedly cures allergies.
5. Go on allergy shots and track my progress.
6. Research alternative medicine and treatments.  Try them if they seem legit and safe.
7. Go off the prescribed medications.

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So far, this is my plan.  And I start tomorrow (Monday, Jan. 3, 2011)!

Written & Updated: Jan. 2, 2011.