Now’s the Time for a Total Health Breakthrough

“In health there is freedom. Health is the first of all liberties.” – Henri Frederic Amiel

Back in May, I injured my rotator cuff while training. At one point, I could barely raise my arm above my shoulder. On the advice of a surgeon who repaired my Achilles tendon a few years ago, I didn’t baby the injury. Instead, I pushed myself to work out (even though routine push-ups made my shoulder ache) to keep the joint moving and get it to heal faster.

The shoulder is now as good as new. And I’m sure it healed as quickly as it did in part because I’ve worked so hard to stay in good physical condition. A healthy body heals faster than one that’s been left to atrophy.

This experience got me thinking seriously about the steps I’ve been taking over the past few years to stay fit and healthy. Now, I want you to take a minute and consider just what you’ve been doing to maintain or improve your own personal well-being. And if, after taking a look at yourself, you realize that you aren’t in the shape you’d like to be in, I’m going to give you three ways you can start improving your health right now.

I’ve always felt strongly that you need a working body and an energetic mind to accomplish your life goals. Keeping your body in tip-top condition will help you attain wealth faster, allow you to grasp opportunities when they present themselves, and improve your confidence. And that’s why staying fit and healthy should be a priority in your life – something you work on each and every day.

Becoming healthier is largely a matter of developing healthy habits. Two of the most important habits you can form are:

1. Eating well

Eating well doesn’t mean subsisting on boiled chicken and water. And it doesn’t necessarily mean that you can never again eat a brownie. What it does mean is that you eat more of the foods that are good for you.

Fill your plate with healthy, lean meats (like wild fish, grass-fed beef, and free-range poultry), whole fruits and vegetables (especially those that grow above ground, such as spinach, dark lettuces, zucchini, string beans, sprouts, etc.), nuts (walnuts, almonds, cashews), and berries.

Eat small amounts of citrus fruits, tuber vegetables (carrots and potatoes), rice, butter, processed vegetables, and whole-grain bread. And only very rarely should you consume any sort of cake or candy, refined starches (like pastas and white bread), fruit juices, or soda.

2. Exercising sensibly

From reading ETR, you probably already know that aerobics is NOT the way to go about getting fit. Instead, you should start exercising with a two-part regimen of bodyweight exercises (squats, push-ups, pull-ups, step-ups, lunges, leg bridges, and leg raises) and short-duration, high-intensity exercises.

To burn fat and become fitter, you’ll want to focus on high-intensity cardiovascular exercises. With this type of exercise – which Dr. Sears teaches in his PACE program – you want to exert yourself at about 80 percent of your top effort for one to two minutes. Staying in motion, you’ll lower the intensity for a few minutes (while your body recovers), then return to the higher level of intensity for another one to two minutes. Repeat the whole process seven or eight times.

Exercising this way builds your heart and lung capacity and burns calories even after you’ve stopped working out. And the best part is, you can apply it to almost any kind of cardiovascular exercise – swimming, running, biking… even walking.

There is a third healthy habit you can develop. And forming this particular habit can help you learn how to melt off the pounds, pack on muscle, and eliminate the underlying causes of disease. And this habit is as simple as opening an e-mail once a week.

Here’s what I mean…

In recent years, we’ve noticed that health is one of the most popular topics in Early to Rise. We have received literally hundreds of responses to our various health articles, thanking us for everything from exposing the truth about modern medicine… to sharing well-proven natural remedies… to uncovering the fastest ways to burn fat and build muscle.

And our regular health writers, including Jon Herring and Dr. Al Sears, have done a great job of providing you with honest, straightforward, and reliable information on how to transform your health, prevent disease, and unlock the healing potential of your own body.

So the third habit that you can develop that will improve your health is to subscribe to our brand-new e-letter, dedicated to your well-being. It’s called Total Health Breakthroughs. This weekly publication – which is absolutely free – will give you the latest breakthroughs in alternative medicine, fitness, and nutrition, as well as motivational guidance to help you achieve your health goals.

The panel of experts writing for Total Health Breakthroughs is headed by Dr. Sears, who, as you already know, is one of the world’s leading authorities on what it takes to build a powerful, disease-free heart and maintain optimal health.

Plus, you’ll get valuable advice from…

• Shane Ellison, an expert in breakthrough fat-loss and cholesterol-reduction techniques – natural methods that his old bosses at Big Pharma didn’t want to hear about, leading this medicinal chemist to quit and develop them on his own…
• Craig Ballantyne, a strength and conditioning coach who knows the key to fat loss and muscle building, and is continually breaking new ground with his own research in training, supplements, and nutrition…
• Ray Sahelian, M.D., an authority on simple, easy ways to improve your health and well-being through natural supplements, herbs, and proper diet – approaches that he knows work, because he has tested them on himself…
• Matthew Anderson, a motivational speaker and counselor for 30 years, who advocates a spiritual path to reach weight-loss goals and regain a healthy lifestyle…
• Mike Adams, who was obese, depressed, and chronically diseased until he discovered the truth behind the medical establishment, prescription drugs, and the harmful foods and beverages we ingest every day…
• Norma Ried, who left a comfortable government job to become a certified life coach and follow her ambition of helping others – from those in search of a healthy lifestyle to struggling business owners seeking to fulfill their goals and be successful…
• Douglas Ramm, Ph.D., a board certified clinical psychologist who has discovered, through painstaking research, the formula for attaining happiness and a rewarding quality of life…
• Scott Martineau, who developed techniques for achieving breakthrough personal growth and self-development and the keys to spiritual and emotional well-being during his years as a motivational speaker and best-selling author…
• Tim Reynolds, M.D., a certified emergency room physician and former Green Beret medic, who promotes taking control mentally and physically. His philosophy is that you only live once, so make sure you enjoy life to the fullest.

The goal of Total Health Breakthroughs is to give you the best information available anywhere, to help you build a stronger, healthier mind and body. And with such a strong cast of health, fitness, and motivational experts running the show, I’m confident that you’ll find something actionable – an exercise, a diet plan, or even a much-needed push in the right direction – to take away from each issue.

Make these three habits a part of your day-to-day life, and you are practically guaranteed to become leaner, stronger, more flexible, and healthier than you have ever been. A healthier body will energize your mind, extend your life, and allow you to accomplish all your goals much faster.

[Ed. Note: Mark Morgan Ford was the creator of Early To Rise. In 2011, Mark retired from ETR and now writes the Palm Beach Letter. His advice, in our opinion, continues to get better and better with every essay, particularly in the controversial ones we have shared today. We encourage you to read everything you can that has been written by Mark.]