Live your Best Life

So Oprah is spending the entire week on living your Best Life. Starting the new year off on the right foot, and making this year and yourself the best it can possibly be. Today was all about being as healthy as possible. Ask yourself, "Why are you worthy of getting healthy this year?". For myself, I'm turning 40 this year, so this year needs to be all about becoming the healthiest and best I can possibly be as I turn 40.

Here are Dr. Oz and Oprah's top tips for optimal health:
1. Schedule a check-up.

2. Know the five to avoid:
-high fructose corn syrup
-sugar
-"enriched"
-trans fats (hydrogenated)
-saturated fat

3. Add healthy foods to your diet
-antioxidants (5-7 servings daily)
top antioxidant sources: tomatoes, broccoli, red, kidney & pinto beans, blueberries, and artichokes
-omega 3s (3g daily)
top omega 3 sources: flax seeds, walnuts, salmon, soy beans, squash
-fiber (25g daily)
top fiber sources: lentils, black beans, peas, raspberries, pinenuts, oatmeal
-olive oil (1 T. daily)

4. Take a multi vitamin (with iron, no more than 5,000IU of vitamin A)

5. Know your numbers
-vitamin D
-c-reactive protein level
-thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH)
-LDL <100, HDL >40
-resting heart rate under 80, close to 60
-waist size under 37"
-blood sugar level
-blood pressure 115/75 is ideal, 140/90 is bad

6. Find a health advocate

7. Organize your health information

8. Get yearly medical tests
-annual physical
-dentist 2x a year
-eye exam every two years
-annual gyno exam
-annual mammogram (from 40 on)
-annual skin test
-men can add a yearly testicular exam
-after 50 add echocardiogram, bone density, stress test, and colonoscopy
-after 60 add annual hearing

9. Exercise
-walk 10,000 steps a day
-raise your heart rate for 60 minutes a week
-flexibility training five minutes a day
-strength training 30 minutes a week

10. Sleep 7-8 hours a night

Other things to do TODAY: write down your commitment to exercise, change one bad sleep habit, pick three foods to stop buying and three foods to start buying.

It sure sounds like a lot, but I have a feeling that once you make a part of your lifestyle, it becomes second nature. I sure hope so at least!

For more information visit the Oprah website here.