Aug 11, 2011

Healthy Marriages begin with Healthy Partners

Divorce and General Articles

Healthy marriages begin with healthy partners and what better way to sustain your healthy relationship than with healthy living.    Since I’ve used the word healthy four times in the previous statement, let’s begin this month’s conversation with what is “healthy”?   According to Webster’s,
healthy means in good physical or mental condition or helping to maintain or bring about good health as in a healthy diet.

For many of us, healthy means functioning well or feeling good and feeling good is all about balance. It’s important for a healthy you to balance work life with time spent with loved ones, to balance between what we eat and how much we exercise, and to balance our energies between the physical and the emotional.

In today’s world of cars, computers, TV and every possible convenience imaginable, it’s tough for adults and kids alike to be physically active – and it shows.  According to the Surgeon General’s report on Physical Activity and Health, more than 60 percent of adults aren’t physically active on a regular basis, and 25 percent aren’t active at all.  Children soon follow in their parents’ footsteps. Nearly half of young people are not vigorously active on a regular basis, with dramatic declines occurring during adolescence.

Sedentary people of all ages miss out on the many benefits of physical activity. These include reducing risk for chronic diseases such as heart
disease, diabetes and high blood pressure, as well as promoting a healthy weight, strong bones, muscles and joints and a sense of well-being.

So the first step in maintaining your healthy marriage is to get physically healthy and create a sense of well-being within yourself.   So
schedule that annual physical with your doctor and get checked out.   Stop smoking if you smoke, lose the weight, start the exercise program, make time to provide for yourself a sense of well-being for whatever it is that completes you.  Being physically active is fun and feels good
– here is a list of ideas to get you started!

• Head out for a family walk or bike ride each evening after dinner.
• Spend a weekend afternoon roller-skating, in-line skating or playing touch football.
• Go on a family vacation that includes lots of hiking, swimming or biking.
• Participate as a family team in a charity fun run, fun walk or car wash.
• Purchase a family membership at the community recreation center, YMCA or health club.
• Practice sports such as basketball, baseball or soccer with the kids.
• Take tennis or golf lessons together. Check your local park district for opportunities.
• Team up to do housework or yardwork.
• Visit walking-friendly places such as museums and zoos.