However, to eat as we are eating and to put in our bodies the kinds of poisons that we are ingesting, is to act in diametric opposition to the Law of Life itself.” 

He further states, “Too much Fat in the body is an accumulation of swill (garbage.)  EXCESSIVE FAT [The Minister’s emphasis, not mine] is an enemy, and we must take it as an enemy,” Minister Farrakhan continues.

Since we know that “self-improvement is the basis of community development,” we also know that keeping garbage (bad and unhealthy foods) out of our bodies will help us develop a healthy, safe body to live in.

What does it mean to make our bodies “safe?” According to Webster’s online dictionary, one definition of “safe” is “free from harm or risk.”  Safe also can mean “secure from threat of danger, harm, or loss.” 

When we “eat to live” as taught by the Most Honorable Elijah Muhammad and exercise, we help keep our bodies safe from harm and risk. What are some of the risks we want to avoid?  One is the risk of having high blood pressure or diabetes. 

Did you know that walking five times a week for at least 30 minutes a day can help regulate your blood sugar, reduce your stress and elevate your mood?  

Moving throughout the day is very important, along with building our muscles.  Building muscles helps to strengthen our bones and protect us from falls.  

In the Holy Qur’an, Section 2 of Surah 17 is entitled “Every Deed Has a Consequence.”  That title serves as a reminder to us of a principle we see throughout our lives. That principle is that with every action comes a result. 

As a result of not taking charge of our bodies in various ways, our bodies are not as healthy as they could be. As we make our bodies healthier, we can make our communities healthier.

Never underestimate the power of movement.  Several years ago, I had a desk job as an academic advisor.  I taught only one class and spent most of my time sitting at a desk, advising students.  I noticed that everyone in the office was overweight. 

After a month of working there, I also noticed I was putting on weight, even though I still exercised for at least 30 minutes or more a day.  Do you know what the problem was?  I was still spending about six hours sitting down.  A sedentary job is a silent killer of your metabolism and slows down your body’s ability to burn fat.

One day, I went to the transcript office to ask a question and met a very slender woman. She was using a standing desk!  I said, “Oh, is this why you are so slender? She just smiled and mentioned that a standing desk keeps her more active. 

I asked her where I could get a standing desk.  I got one for my office that week and started slimming back down because of that one simple adjustment. 

What is a simple thing that you can do this week to improve your health?

Insha’Allah (God-Willing), we will share more in an upcoming article. Read the books, “How To Eat To Live,” by the Most Honorable Elijah Muhammad to learn about which foods you should include and avoid on your health journey.

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 audrey.a.muhammad@gmail.com and for more information, visit www.virtuetodaymag. com. Please consult a physician before beginning any new exercise or dietary program.

The post Improving our bodies for optimum health appeared first on Final Call News.

In Proverbs, chapter 23, verse 7, it reminds us how we should think. Thinking good thoughts is a good deed because “As a man thinketh, so is he … .” If we think more positively about ourselves as children of Allah (God), we will not only feed ourselves better, but we will treat ourselves better.

People who own pets make an effort to walk them every day, rain or shine. This activity benefits both the pet and the owner because it is good for the heart and uplifts their moods. Unfortunately, some of us may show more care for pets or our cars than we do for ourselves. We must also believe and do good for ourselves.

In a recent Final Call article published in Vol. 45 No. 8, titled “Just a Few Good Men,” the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan talked about the three states of goodness. When we apply these stages to fitness and health, we gain a powerful plan for understanding not just what we do for our bodies, but why we do it.

Stage one: Doing good for a visible reward

The first, and lowest, stage of goodness is when we exercise to look better. We are able to see the visible benefits, such as a flatter stomach or more defined muscles. There is nothing wrong with this—it’s good. Who doesn’t want to look and feel good? Exercising for visible results is a nice starting point.

We may work out for an upcoming event, a vacation, or because the doctor told us we had to. But the challenge is that when the visible reward fades—or comes too slowly—so does the consistency. Some people never grow beyond this level because they stop when the results are not as visible. Instead, we should see it as a duty we owe ourselves to take care of the body Allah (God) gave us.

Stage two: Doing good without immediate benefit

The second stage of goodness is higher. This is when you do good even when there is no obvious or immediate payoff. In fitness, this looks like taking a walk even though the scale doesn’t move. It’s stretching, lifting weights, or choosing better foods when no one is watching.

This is where character and good habits begin to form. You may not see instant changes, but internally, something is shifting. Blood pressure improves. Stress decreases. Discipline grows. This is the stage where exercise becomes less about appearance and more about obedience to what you know is right.

In “How To Eat To Live,” Book One on page 44, The Most Honorable Elijah Muhammad writes, “… live right, think right, eat right and do right. You will not have to die to go to heaven to be like angels; you will be like them while you live.”

Sometimes our good actions are in hopes of getting likes on social media, praise, or attention. But when you move your body simply because it needs to be moved and it is the best thing to do for your body, you are training not just your muscles, but your mind and spirit as well.

Stage three: Doing good because it is your nature

The highest stage of goodness is when doing good requires no effort because it has become a part of your nature, like stretching in the morning. This is fitness at its highest level. You don’t ask, “Should I move today?” You move because that’s who you are.

A soldier is always training or being active. You don’t have to think about choosing chips over cherries; you will choose the healthier food naturally. Exercise is no longer an unwelcome task, but an expression of gratitude.

Doing good for the sake of good is the level we want to be at daily. Allah (God) hates ingratitude. If you are given a beautiful machine that can heal on its own, that is an object worth taking care of, right?

Fitness is not just about looking good but also about being good to our bodies. We should make a weekly plan to exercise our bodies, or else we can become a part of a conspiracy to destroy ourselves and not know it.

May Allah (God) bless us all with peace, health, wealth, love, and happiness.

Dr. Audrey Muhammad is an educator, aerobics instructor, and author of “Get Fit to Live: Be Your Best You!” Contact her at audrey.a.muhammad@gmail.com and for more information, visit www.virtuetodaymag.com. Please consult a physician before beginning any new exercise or dietary program.

The post Believe and do good to yourself for your health appeared first on Final Call News.

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 audrey.a.muhammad@gmail.com and for more information, visit www.virtuetodaymag.com. Please consult a physician before beginning any new exercise or dietary program.

The post Building an abundance of health appeared first on Final Call News.

What type of soldier could I become if, along with practicing “How to Eat to Live” daily, I also trained my body and enriched my mind by studying every day? I would be a powerful soldier for Allah (God).

Even though I am no longer in the M.G.T. Vanguard age range (16-35), like my daughter, I can still “hang out” and train with her sometimes, but not always at the Vanguard class time (smile).

Granted, I am not as concerned about being a certain size, but I do want to continue being healthy and be able to move out wherever I want. However, to continue being active, I must start by living right and having a healthy lifestyle.

In the June 9 issue of The Final Call article entitled “The War Against Obesity (Fat),” part 2 continued, the Honorable Minister Farrakhan makes reference to the wife of Mr. W.D. Fard’s uncle, referenced in the Supreme Wisdom Lessons for registered Muslims of the Nation of Islam.

“The whole Believing Community of the Nation is a wife of the uncle of W.D. Fard. We weigh other than ourselves whenever we think and act other than our righteous nature; we are overweight, sloppy and slovenly.

Do not think because you are thin, you are healthy. Some of you are skinny, sloppy, and slovenly. Any pig-eater that is thin is unhealthy,” said Minister Farrakhan.

The wife of the uncle of W.D. Fard also has high blood pressure. I am sure you realize that disease does not discriminate. Skinny and overweight people can have high blood pressure. Did you know that exercise can help prevent a number of diseases, especially when practiced along with “How to Eat to Live?”

According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), the top 5 diseases and issues that exercise can help prevent are:

• Heart Disease and Stroke
  Regular activity lowers blood pressure, improves cholesterol, and strengthens the cardiovascular [heart] system.
• Type 2 Diabetes

Exercise helps maintain healthy blood sugar levels.

• Certain Cancers

Being active is linked to a reduced risk of several cancers—breast, colon, endometrial, kidney, lung, bladder, and stomach.

• Obesity/weight gainPhysical activity supports weight management and prevents unhealthy weight gain long-term.
• Osteoporosis and falls
  Especially for older adults, exercise improves bone density, muscle strength, balance, and coordination, lowering fracture risk.

If we want to continue to be active, we must keep our muscles strong through strength training. We can even use our own body weight to perform squats and lunges to help keep the muscles in our legs strong.

If we do not continue to use our muscles and develop them, we will begin to experience muscle loss, which can lead to difficulty walking down the street or climbing stairs. May Allah (God) bless us all with good thoughts, peace, health, wealth, love, and happiness.

Sister Dr. Audrey Muhammad is an educator, aerobics instructor, and author of “Get Fit to Live: Be Your Best You!” Contact her at audrey.a.muhammad@gmail.com and for more information,visit www.virtuetodaymag. com. Please consult a physician before beginning any new exercise or dietary program.

The post Eat right and exercise to have the best of health appeared first on Final Call News.

This article will discuss the final four steps. We will begin with reviewing step number five which focuses on taking action to show you are sorry for what you did. Step five states: Atonement—Meaning to make amends and reparations for the wrong.

One reason I am grateful for the monthly three-day Nation of Islam National Fast is because it allows me to cleanse impurities from my body and reset my diet. Fasting helps me to make “amends” or improve my diet.

I always feel better after a fast. You should consider taking the time to write down everything you have eaten for the past three days and evaluate it. Point out anything that you know you need to change. Small changes can make a big difference.

I remember taking my father to the doctor and finding out his blood sugar levels had started going back up, but his weight was basically the same. The doctor asked if his diet had changed. My father was quiet. I said, “I still feed him navy bean soup and the majority of his meals are vegetarian. I then asked my dad if he had started returning to McDonald’s.

He said he only goes there a couple of times a week for a “small fish sandwich, small fries, and small cola.” (Notice his emphasis on “small.” Smile). Wow! If eating fast food a couple of times a week can have this effect, imagine what eating it every day and not exercising is doing to people.

Let us look at the final steps of Atonement and see how we can incorporate them into our fitness lifestyle. (Quotes are from Minister Farrakhan’s Million Man March Atonement Message on October 16, 1995.)

1. Atonement: Atone means to make amends. What are we going to do to start the process of fitness atonement? Are we going to fast for three days and then promise ourselves to eat a healthier diet? Are we going to start walking five times a week? Are there some items you need to cut out of your diet or replace in your daily diet? We have to make amends to our bodies before it is too late.
2. Forgiveness: We have to grant ourselves pardon for what we have done, or else we may spend too much time “beating ourselves up” and be unable to make a change.
3. Reconciliation/Restoration: “After forgiveness, we are going to be restored. To what? To our original position … . So, restoration means the act of returning something to an original or unimpaired condition,” the Minister stated in part during his address at the Million Man March/Holy Day of Atonement on October 16, 1995.

Wouldn’t you like to have a healthy 20-year-old body and you are 40 years old? Because of our poor lifestyles or “death styles,” we age a lot quicker than we should.

8. Perfect Union: When we are in perfect union, we are using our body and treating our body the way Allah (God) intended. We also will have a beautiful feeling of peace.

Wouldn’t it be wonderful to lay your head down tonight knowing that you have prayed, eaten a healthy meal, exercised, and were kind to yourself and others? Wouldn’t it be wonderful to be able to say, “I have not wronged my body today?”

May Allah (God) 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 audrey.a.muhammad@gmail.com and for more information, visit www.virtuetodaymag.com. Please consult a physician before beginning any new exercise or dietary program.

The post Forgive yourself and improve your health, part II appeared first on Final Call News.

I would like to focus on the first step, “Point out the wrong.” Sometimes it is not a person pointing out that something is wrong, it is our body. If we have high blood pressure or if our blood sugar levels are high, our body has told us what is wrong, or if we are going in the wrong direction.

Another way the wrong gets pointed out is through our clothing. Whenever I notice my garments getting a little snug or tight, I know I have been eating too many sweets or processed food or have slacked on my workouts.

The clothes do not lie (smile). Therefore, we must be honest with ourselves. How are your clothes fitting? Are we grateful for our body or do we mistreat it by feeding it poor mental and physical food? Do we overfeed it or deprive it of fresh air, sun, and physical exercise?

Let us look at the first four steps of the Eight Steps of Atonement from Minister Farrakhan, and see how we can incorporate them into our fitness lifestyle. (Quotes are from Minister Farrakhan’s Million Man March Atonement Message on October 16, 1995.)

1. Point out the wrong: Minister Farrakhan said that this first step is often the most difficult because, “when we are wrong and we are not aware of it, someone has to point out the wrong. The most difficult thing is when somebody points it out. Do we accept it?”

How do we respond when someone points out that we are gaining too much weight or eating something we shouldn’t? Most important, can we point out the wrong in our diets? Have we committed a “wrong” to our bodies because we don’t exercise?

We must know what needs correction. Therefore, we must each perform a self-examination and self-analysis to perform a correction. It would also be a good idea to get a physical so that you may have an up-to-date reading of your body.

2. Acknowledge the wrong: “To acknowledge means to admit the existence…,” the Minister said in part. All we have to do is look around and we can see the health problems of our community and ourselves.

3. Confess: Our first confession should be to Allah (God) to help relieve your soul of the burden it bears. “The Holy Qur’an says it like this: ‘I have been greatly unjust to myself and confess my faults. So, grant me protection against all my faults for none grants protection against faults but thee.’

It is only through confession that we be granted protection from the consequences of our faults, for every deed has a consequence and we can never be granted protection against the faults that we refuse to acknowledge or that we are unwilling to confess,” Minister Farrakhan explained.

If we know we eat too much junk and fried foods, confess and move on to the next step.

4. Repentance: When we repent, we feel such remorse or shame, that we are determined to never conduct ourselves in such a way again.

Minister Farrakhan stated that,“Until we repent and feel sick and sorry over what we have done, we can never, never change our mind toward that thing; and if you don’t repent, you’ll do it over and over again.”

We should feel bad about eating an entire bag of chips or a pint of ice cream. If we don’t feel shame, then we are on our way to silencing the voice of Allah (God) within. That is something we definitely don’t want to do.

What is it that you don’t want to do? God-willing, we will discuss more in an upcoming article. May Allah (God) 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 audrey.a.muhammad@gmail.com and for more information, visit www.virtuetodaymag. com. Please consult a physician before beginning any new exercise or dietary program.

The post Forgive yourself and improve your health, part I appeared first on Final Call News.

The Basis for Community Development study guides, in the Will of God, Part 1, it states that “attitude” is defined in part as a “tendency or orientation, especially of the mind,” and it also states, “Attitude can give you—or damage your ability to perceive reality.”

How can we help improve our situation? We need to change our attitude or tendency from being weak or negative to optimistic or strong. What is our attitude toward eating to live?  We should gradually work on improving our attitude. 

The Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan has been giving us wonderful reminders in his “The War Against Obesity (Fat)” articles published in The Final Call. 

If we are still eating two to three meals a day, one suggestion is to replace all snacks with fruit like a banana or apple. Try to only eat fruit in the morning. You will start to feel better, eating “pure” food and you may start to see the pounds start to come off. Why? 

Fruit is low in calories and high in fiber which means your body will receive help getting rid of waste.  Also, you are more likely to have a feeling of being “content” rather than feeling “stuffed.”  This will allow our stomach to go back to its normal size.  We really overstuff our stomachs.  Believe me, I have done it also.

Lastly, we should make walking a daily part of our regimen. How are we, especially as sisters, going to go out into the streets with our people if we are tired after walking a block? What if we had to walk for a mile or more to safety after a disaster? 

We have to work on that gradually and practice.  After all, we are soldiers and all soldiers should be found working out, at least three to five times a week. 

Did you know that exercise and “eating to live,” helps to slow the aging process?  According to page 157 of the book, “Prescription for Nutritional Healing,” by Phyllis A. Balch, “Exercise is most important in slowing the aging process because it increases the amount of oxygen available to body tissues, a key determinant of energy and stamina.

Brisk walking and stretching exercises are good. … Exercise can ward off conditions such as arthritis, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and osteoporosis, and because it releases endorphins into the body, exercise can also help overcome depression.”

Aren’t these benefits worth 20 minutes of exercise in a 24-hour day? 

What happens if you have tried “everything,” but are still not getting results?  The Honorable Elijah Muhammad said in his book “How to Eat to Live,” Book I, on page 31, “There are some people who claim that they do not receive beneficial results as they should. 

This is due to the wrong mental food that they are eating, which has an effect on their digestive system.  To get good results from eating the proper foods, we must have good thoughts.”

May Allah (God) bless us all with good thoughts, peace, health, wealth, love, and happiness.

Dr. Audrey Muhammad is an educator, aerobics instructor, and author of “Get Fit to Live: Be Your Best You!” Contact her at audrey.a.muhammad@gmail.com and for more information, visit www.virtuetodaymag. com. Please consult a physician before beginning any new exercise or dietary program.

The post Understanding principles of action and what hinders you, Part 2 appeared first on Final Call News.

What hinders us from exercising? What stops us from setting and achieving a goal? Maybe it’s a lack of knowledge, or maybe, it’s the presence of pain. In Study Guide No. 6 in “Self-Improvement:

The Basis for Community Development,” it states that “Desire is the food source of the Will. In addition to nourishment, the Will needs direction and support. What are the principles of action which direct and support our Will in the Way of Allah (God)?”

We “exercise” the Will by overcoming resistance. The principles of action mentioned in Study Guide No. 6 which “direct and support the essence of our being are: Prayer, Zakat (Charity); Fasting; Hajj (Pilgrimage), and Jihad (using one’s utmost efforts in contending with an object of disapprobation).”

Notice that prayer is listed first because it “generates the Desire to perform the other principles of action, out of Love and Adoration for the Creator.” Out of love and gratitude for the Creator for our life, we should strive to “actively” preserve and care for this wonderful vessel He has given us. We should, as the Holy Qur’an says, “Pray and do Good.” Pray and set a goal.

Set your goal and take a little step toward your goal each day. Start with daily goals. For example, if I have a goal that I will not eat any sweets today, I have just set a small, but achievable goal. Remember your “intention” before you reach for that delicious chocolate chip chewy cookie.

Believe me, I understand the allure of chocolate. It’s the serotonin that is a substance that acts as a neurotransmitter and can uplift your mood. Ask yourself “Is eating this going to bring me closer to my goal or away from it?”  

Keep the goal of “weighing properly” in mind. Think about it. Also, review the lecture, “Belief in Allah,” by the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan. It gives excellent inspirational guidance for achieving goals. (Visit www.store.finalcall.com)

We are encouraged in the Study Guides to use “practical application.” In Study Guide No. 5, it was suggested to break a habit that was destructive to our Will.

Three habits we should strive to break are: eating between meals, eating large portions of processed foods (macaroni and cheese, white bread, etc.) and not exercising. Instead, work on disciplining yourself, managing your portion sizes, and intentionally engaging in some type of daily exercise.

May Allah (God) bless us all with good thoughts, peace, health, wealth, love, and happiness.

Dr. Audrey Muhammad is an educator, aerobics instructor, and author of “Get Fit to Live: Be Your Best You!” Contact her at audrey.a.muhammad@gmail.com and for more information, visit www.virtuetodaymag.com. Please consult a physician before beginning any new exercise or dietary program.

The post Understanding principles of action and what hinders you, part 1 appeared first on Final Call News.

If a person understands the principles and science of business, they will less likely be swayed by the promises of getting rich quick scams.

The same can be said for “lose weight fast” diets that promise you will lose weight by eating certain foods or taking a certain pill. We know the money will not be made in one day and the weight will not come off in a day.

If you realize how business works, you know there is a cost associated with everything—be it time, effort, money or quality. We need to study the science of business and eating so that we can have an abundant life.

The Most Honorable Elijah Muhammad gave us insight into business and economics on page 171 of his book, “Message to the Blackman in America.” He encouraged us to live below our means and to “Stop buying expensive cars, fine clothes and shoes before being able to live in a fine home.”

Living below our means can also be related to “eating to live.” We should eat the best of foods, but not eat too much of any food. For instance, the Most Honorable Elijah Muhammad said, “You may eat some sweets, but do not make an entire meal of sweets and eat them every day.” (“How to Eat to Live,” Book Two, page 10)

If we are exercising but still eating cookies and cakes every day, we will continue to pack on the pounds. Remember, you cannot outrun a “poor diet.” We should not be eating sweets every day. I was in better shape when I limited my sweets to a slice of bean pie 1-2 times a week. However, whenever I deviated from “How To Eat To Live,” I started gaining weight.

For example, when I made a daily habit of buying a sugary coffee drink and eating pastries, I began to pack on more calories than what I could burn. This can easily be related to being in debt. We charge things on cards we cannot afford to pay off, but that is another story for another time (smile).

Brothers and sisters, we must live within our means regarding our finances and our food. If we would just stick to “eating to live,” we would save ourselves a lot of stress and help to prolong our lives.

With every diet that comes out please refer back to the “How To Eat To Live,” books that give us the “science of eating.” Sure, you can lose a few pounds by reducing your calories and cutting out certain foods, but are you getting a well-balanced meal? Some diets encourage people to eat red meat.

Red meat is known for clogging up your arteries because it is high in saturated fat and cholesterol. According to a 2021 University of Oxford article, a study showed “red and processed meat is linked to increased risk of heart disease.”

The Most Honorable Elijah Muhammad said, “Let us try not to eat so much meat—especially animal flesh. No meat is good for good health and longevity.” (“How To Eat To Live,” Book Two page 130).

If we do eat meat, please follow the guidance in “How To Eat To Live,” and use these books in the foundation for your fitness journey. As a people, we love our fried chicken and fish, but the Messenger said, “Get away from eating a lot of greasy foods and eat more vegetables and fruits.” (“How To Eat To Live,” Book Two, page 18)

In our study, “Self-Improvement: The Basis for Community Development,” study guides by the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan, we are encouraged to replace one bad habit with a good habit.

When stressed, instead of reaching for that drumstick or bag of chips, reach for a dumbbell or go for a walk. 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 audrey.a.muhammad@gmail.com and for more information, visit www.virtuetodaymag. com. Please consult a physician before beginning any new exercise or dietary program.

The post Stay away from diet scams: Get fit for life! appeared first on Final Call News.

However, do we believe, that as “children of the Most High,” we deserve the best? Becoming a better person is a great investment, right? Are we worth it? Absolutely, yes!

Gratitude is demonstrated when we show appreciation for something. How do we show appreciation? We show appreciation for a gift by caring, respecting and showing kindness to and for that gift. Overfeeding your body with sweets and junk food is not showing kindness to your body.

What can we do to show gratitude for the gift of life?

1. Pray: “Prayer will give us the security and peace of mind that will relieve our irritation”—Minister Farrakhan via Twitter, June 9, 2014;
2. Eat to live: Eating navy bean soup, fruits and vegetables will help give us adequate vitamins and minerals, especially vitamin C. Stay away from the “white stuff” such as processed white bread, white rice, white sugar, etc. What does the book “How To Eat To Live,” by the Honorable Elijah Muhammad, say about processed foods such as spaghetti and macaroni? He writes: “If you are overweight, do not eat it at any meal, and if you want to live a long time, do not eat it at any meal.” (pages 30-31, Book One).

Also, eating processed food slows down your metabolism, which is your body’s ability to turn food into energy.

1. Get proper sleep: Did you know that inadequate sleep affects your metabolism? No more trying to survive on 4-5 hours of sleep. Not good!
2. Reduce stress: We do this by being dutiful and obedient to our God-given instructions to, “Live right, think right, eat right and do right,” as stated in “How To Eat To Live.” (page 44, Book One).
3. Lastly, exercise: Exercise trains and strengthens your heart. Think about it. If you only fed a baby and never gave the child a chance to move about, the child would not be healthy. Exercise is necessary for all ages.

If you don’t have a current training program, you can start with one simple exercise: walking. Walking is one of the best exercises that we can perform. It is an exercise that improves your heart, lowers blood pressure, strengthens your muscles, strengthens your bones, improves your sleep and uplifts your mood. All it takes is 30 minutes or more five times a week. Take it one day at a time.

Some of us are in the “redemption and restoration” process of getting and keeping our bodies healthy. Redeem means “buy back” or “to gain or regain possession of something in exchange for payment.” That payment is the work and effort we put in. If we are not working on our body, we will not help it regain a healthy state.

“Restoration,” according to Study Guide No. 13 in “Self-Improvement: The Basis for Community Development,” by Minister Farrakhan, means: “A return of something to a former, original, normal or unimpaired condition. Don’t we all want to continue to have a healthy body or return back to a healthier state?

What are two “get fit for life” tips we can incorporate this week?

1. Stop eating pasta and other processed foods;
2. Walk 30 minutes a day.

Let’s continue to move because movement is a sign of life. Remember to count your blessings and count your steps (smile). 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 audrey.a.muhammad@gmail.com and for more information, visit www.virtuetodaymag.com. Please consult a physician before beginning any new exercise or dietary program.

The post The power of gratitude: Foundation for a healthy mind and body, Part 2 appeared first on Final Call News.