Many of us have heard the phrase “live within your means.” If I want to start to live well, I must have the “means” or resources for a healthy life. What are some of the keys to a healthy life? We must have the best thoughts, eat the best food, and take the best actions.
How does this relate to “eating to live” and getting fit for life? If I am not a person who likes to exercise, but I enjoy eating every day, I really shouldn’t say, “I don’t have the means, resources, or time to be healthy.”
If we are honest, some of us are not being disciplined, and we are not using our time effectively to take care of the beautiful body God has given us.
What we do with our time can contribute to our wealth and our health. I can’t tell you how many times I have set the alarm to do a 30-minute workout before leaving the house, but I made the mistake of picking up my phone and starting to scroll through social media.
The Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan writes in his book, “A Torchlight for America,” on page 124, “It is sad that watching television several hours a day takes precedence over scheduling a few minutes of exercise that would help keep our bodies and minds fit.”
Social media is the “television” of today that so many of us, myself included, may waste time on. I would be so upset with myself because I got distracted by being online and missed my opportunity for an early exercise. I am grateful that I am often disciplined enough to complete a short workout later.
Why is it important that I exercise? If I don’t exercise and intentionally move my body every day, I am going to build up “fat savings” because I am not putting myself in a position to burn or use the fuel that I have just consumed. I found myself gaining weight when I worked a more sedentary job.
The Most Honorable Elijah Muhammad touched on this topic when He wrote in “How To Eat To Live, Book 1, on page 46, “If your work is light office work or light housework, you could eat once every other day if you wanted to without any hindrance.”
Sitting down all day is not good for your health. If we eat the proper foods, we would also have more energy throughout the day, but sometimes we eat too many sweets, which actually rob us of energy.
The next time you feel like you want a cookie or crave something sweet, go take a walk or do some like stretches. Do something good for yourself and watch how you will actually feel better. It is our responsibility to take care of our bodies.
In “A Torchlight for America,” the Honorable Minister Farrakhan wrote on page 123, “While I support a reasonable universal health-care coverage plan, making America healthy must become the personal responsibility of each citizen, and not the responsibility of government, except in those cases where preventive care is not adequate.”
Did you know exercise is part of preventive care because it can help you stay away from diabetes and high blood pressure if you couple it with healthy eating? Exercising also helps to reduce stress. This is important to note because stress can lead to many ailments and weaken our immune system.
Keep in mind that exercise is highly beneficial for individuals with diabetes as it helps regulate blood sugar levels and improves overall health. The wealth of health is priceless. Let us focus on building it.
May Allah bless us all with peace, love, health, wealth, and happiness.
Dr. Audrey Muhammad is an educator, aerobics instructor, and author of “Get Fit to Live: Be Your Best You!” Contact her at [email protected] and for more information, visit www.virtuetodaymag.com. Please consult a physician before beginning any new exercise or dietary program.