"Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? 20 For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body [a]and in your spirit, which are God’s." - 1 Corinthians 6:19-20, NKJV
You should treat your body as a temple. Make sure you eat, exercise, lead a life that is pleasing to God, be ready to do God's will, and help further His kingdom. It can be hard to get in a routine of healthy living for God, so be sure to set reminders through alarms on a smart phone, notes in a note app or to-do list, or simple sticky notes around your car, home, and work.
NOTE: This is not medical advice, only simple yet effective health tips. Please consult your doctors to construct a healthy living and dietary plan.
Healthy Eating
Hygiene
Sleep
Exercise
Spiritual and Mental Health
Social Life
Work
"So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God." - 1 Corinthians 10:31, ESV
Experiment, fine-tune, and select items that best fits you. These options are excellent sources of nutrition. Look for organic or non-GMO and without harmful additives or processed ingredients.
Breakfast
Almonds, Walnuts
Apples, Bananas, Blueberries, Strawberries, Pineapple
Applesauce, Cereal, Oatmeal, Spinach, Yogurt (Probiotic)
Chicken Bone Broth, Scrambled or Hard-Boiled Eggs (Chicken or Quail)
Manuka Honey
Lunch
Broccoli, Carrots, Green Beans, Peas, Kale Salad Cup
Chicken, PB&J on Whole Grain or Sprouted Bread
Dinner
Rice, Seaweed, Sweet Potatoes
Chicken, Lamb, Quail, Wild Alaskan Salmon
Snacks
Dark Chocolate, Fruity Trail Mix, Nutritional Bars, Almonds, Chia, Flaxseed, Pumpkin Seeds, Walnuts
Plantain Chips
Seaweed, Veggie Pouches
Turkey Jerky
Toppings
Himalyan Salt, Manuka Honey
Drinks
Drink 20oz of water when you first wake up to jump start your body. Drink 100/oz daily (adjusting for your body weight). Reverse osmosis or purified/filtered water is best.
Fruit Smoothies, Juice (avoid too much so your system doesn't become too acidic), Kombucha, Water, Whole Milk
Vitamins and Supplements
May not be needed if you have a healthy lifestyle and your body is not deficient in any of these. Some of these will also help boost your immune system in the winter or if you interact with a lot of people.
Vitamins
B12, C, D3
Suppliments
Echinacea, Elderberry, Probiotics, Zinc
What To Avoid
Processed foods, fast-food, acidic foods, food with artificial sweeteners and coloring, canola oil, table salt, and high fructose corn syrup. Also avoid MSG or nitrates if you are prone to migraines.
Look for organic and natural chapstick, deodorants (metal free), soaps, shampoo, and toothpaste.
Favorite Brands
Burt's Bees
Toms of Maine
"It is in vain that you rise up early and go late to rest, eating the bread of anxious toil; for he gives to his beloved sleep." - Psalm 127:2, ESV
7-8 hours is recommended for your body to repair itself and to receive full REM sleep.
Consult a TMJ specialist if you are having trouble snoring or sleeping.
Use only warm, amber, or yellow lights before bed. You can purchase LED amber light bulbs for light fixtures.
Turn on night mode on your smart TV, phone, tablets, and other electronic devices if you have to use them before bed.
"Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord." - Romans 12:11, ESV
Cardio and HIIT exercises are the most beneficial for overall health and weight loss.
Cardio
Running and biking are excellent cardio exercises and swimming if you have access to a pool. You don't have to put in a lot of miles, and don't want to put in a lot of miles for example with running that could damage your bones from impact if you are running on concreate or asphalt. Running a mile or biking a few miles, just a few times a week is very beneficial.
HIIT, or High-Intensity Interval Training
This type of training includes exercises that are anaerobic and you perform them in short and intense burts to the point of exhaustian, followed by rest, and repeating numerous times. Consult a doctor before attemping this, especially if you have heart conditions. This type of training alters your metabolic function and keeps your body constantly in a healthy state. Most of the time these require no equipment so you can exercise most anywhere and anytime.
Example exercises include, burpees, crunches, high knees, jumping jacks, lunges, pullups, pushups, and sprints.
Try performing these exercsises in various combinations.
Spiritual Health
"Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life." - Proverbs 4:23, ESV
Try your best to attend corporate worship, through Sunday School and Sunday Worship at your church.
Have a morning and/or night routine having prayer time, reading the Bible, reading devotions, or singing songs by yourself or with your family. If you are musically talented, perform some hymns or children's praise songs. If you don't know what to pray, then start with the Lord's Prayer and go from there.
Memorize Bible verses that counter your personal weaknesses and fortify your strengths.
Mental Health and Stress Management
"Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand;do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." - Philippians 4:4-7, ESV
Exercise is a strong tool. It improves your mood, and lowers symptoms of mild depression and anxiety.
Find a hobby or something that you are passionate about that can take your mind off everything else or bring hapiness into your daily routine. Some examples, are art, crafting, music, reading, sports, and video or board games. It can be something unique to you that is your own time, or you can do these things with other people, adding to your social life.
"Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil.10 For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow. But woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up!" - Ecclesiastes 4:9-10, ESV
Social life with friends and family are important for good spiritual and mental health. Remember to avoid a worldly life and strive to live a Godly life in your actions, thoughts, and passions.
Be sure to spend at least a day or part of the day with a friend every two weeks as a minimum.
Once a week go on a date night with your spouse. At the minimum, go to a simple and inexpensive restaurant. Check with family and friends for babysitters and check with your church for a babysitting list or if they have date nights.
If you have children, spend at least 2hrs a day with them (school and work life permitting). If you have multiple children, set aside at least one day, once a month, that you spend a day with just them. You can also have special time each day where you spend at least 10 minutes with them doing an activity that they pick. Have a father and daughter or mother and son date night.
Date Night (or daytime) and Friend Activity Ideas
Indoors, aquarium, ax throwing, art museum, board, card (Fluxx), and video games, bookstore, coffee or icecream shop, concert hall, dining out, group classes, indoor climbing wall, movie theatre, open art studios, orchard (apple and peach), sports (baseball or hockeygame), vintage arcade
Outdoors, art festivals, concert, cultural festival (Greek, Scottish), disc golf, gardens, geochaching, hiking, historic sites, local markets, one day road trip to the mountains or beach, zoo
Family Time Ideas
Adventures and Outdoors, hike in nature,
bike ride, disc-golf, gardening, gardens, indoor climbing wall, playgrounds (local or travel to one far away), scavenger hunt (print off internet), sprinklers, swimming
Art and Music, coloring books or pages, crafts, how-to-drawing books, local art or music class, Playdough, sing-a-long movies or singing songs
Books, child read to the family, make your own book, storytime
Places, aquarium, art museum, book store and library (B&N, 2nd and Charles, comic book store, for reading, browsing, and storytime), Build-a-Bear store, children museum, comic book conventions (family friendly), ice cream or yogurt shop, local arcade (Frankies Fun Park, SpareTime), historic sites, LEGO store, orchard (apples and peaches), sports (baseball or hockeygame), sweet shop, trampoline park (research trampoline park safety first), zoo
Games, board games (HABA and Peacable Kingdom brands), card games (Go Fish, UNO), checkers, chess, hide-n-seek, video games (Nintendo Switch, Animal Crossing, LEGO games, Luigi's Mansion 3, Mario Kart 8, Mario Kart: Live, Mario Party: Superstars, Party Party Time, Paw Patrol, Pikmin 3, Super Mario World 3D, Team Racing Sonic, Yoshi's Crafted World)
Science and Technology, microscope to look at objects in nature and around your home, telescope to look at the moon and stars
Toys, dominoe toppling, Hotwheels racing sets, Legos, pretend kitchen, pretend with action figures or dolls
"You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven." - Matthew 5:14-16, ESV
Glorify God with your work. Imagine you a directly working for the Lord and have that same attiude and effeciency and effectiveness in everything task and job you have. Be a shining light for God so that your co-workers or people in your industry will wonder why you are the way you are and ask questions.