5 Ways to Live a Longer, Healthier Life

Here are five simple yet effective ways to live a longer, healthier life for those who, like me, want to enjoy to the fullest all that life has to offer:

Eat more alkaline-producing foods. Our bodies need an alkaline/acid balance of 80/20, 80% alkaline and 20% acid. Why? Because the more alkaline the body, the harder it is for cancer and other diseases to thrive in it. Some of the best alkaline-producing foods are fresh cucumber, guyabano (soursop), avocado, malunggay (moringa), okra, bean sprouts and olive oil.

Plus, guyabano and malunggay are now widely known to prevent cancer and other dreaded diseases.

Maintain healthy bowel movement. Alternative/natural medicine specialist Dr. Jesucita Lao Sodusta states in her book "Health Comes First" that we should be able to eliminate wastes from our body at least three times a day, depending on the number of meals taken. Studies have also shown that many diseases such as heart problems stem from chronic constipation. Who knew something as simple as having regular bowel movement could prevent heart disease?

Things you can do to promote healthy bowel movement:

• Eat plenty of fruits and vegetables because they contain plenty of natural bulk fiber which aids in the process of waste elimination.
• Chew your food properly.
• Drink warm drinks after meals. Cold drinks reduce digestive power.
• With the exception of soup, don't drink any water or liquid while eating.
• Drink plenty of water everyday.
• Exercise regularly.

Regularly flush out toxins from your body. This can be done in a variety of ways, the most common being exercise, sweat baths, saunas, colon cleansing and other detox regimens. You can also make your own inexpensive detox regimen at home by squeezing one fresh lemon or lime into four glasses of room temperature water and drinking it first thing in the morning upon waking up. Take this lemon water flushing-out formula every day at least one hour before eating breakfast. Do not add sugar, honey or other sweeteners as it will reduce the formula's potency in flushing out toxins from your liver, kidney, and bowel.

Use organic natural products. Did you know that harmful chemicals from shampoos, soaps, lotions, deodorants, and other products seep through our skin and accumulate in our body and sit there like a ticking time bomb? So why risk cancer and other diseases when you can use organic products with no harmful chemicals? I personally have replaced all my chemical products with organic ones such as the ones from Human Nature and Amway.

Do yoga, meditation or other stress-releasing activities. These days, everyone knows that stress, negativity, and other emotional disturbances greatly affect physical health. So be happy! Do daily affirmations, take care of a pet, pursue a hobby, surround yourself with positive people, and most importantly, learn to love yourself! The more you are able to love yourself, the better your chances of living a longer, healthier life.