Each year with the dawning of the New Year, we see hoards of people resolving to be healthy and flocking to the gym. Have you ever wondered how many of them decide to change their lives instead and get active by hiking the hills, carrying a weapon weighing five to ten pounds, in search of organic food?
I’m not big on these resolutions made on the first day (Day One) of each year. Instead, each day I write my visions and, as these Day One friends do, I always include health. On the coming of the new year, I reflect upon my life.
My! Oh, my! How events stack up in our memories. The accomplishments, the struggles, the family and friends who’ve touched our lives, the goals we’ve reached, and the blessings that have occurred.
This year in counting my blessings, my thoughts ran to my dad. They do this daily, but this year they settled on him. You see, it’s a fifth anniversary since the doctors diagnosed him with, and he succumbed to, cancer. I also lost my brother many years ago, and I remember the fifth year sans sibling to be a difficult one. (Don’t ask me why five years, for I cannot explain the grief that occurs when we lose loved ones.)
Although I cannot bring back those that I cherish, what I can do is strive to live a healthy life in hopes to be here longer for those who revere me. I also work to stay upbeat, to lead a happier life, which also leads to health.
Since my father and a few other family members were taken by cancer, I’ve often looked up things to help stave off the disease. These are anticarcinogens. Have you ever taken the time to review some of these articles? Today I’ll reference one because it lists ‘Top 12-Cancer Fighting Foods’, and we may not all make it to the gym, but we all must eat.
Check out the list and give yourself a score. How are you doing in eating healthy?
‘Top 12-Cancer Fighting Foods.’
- Leafy Green Vegetables
- Cruciferous Vegetables
- Berries
- Brightly Orange-Colored Fruits and Vegetables (Citrus Fruits, Squash, Sweet Potatoes, etc.)
- Fresh Herbs and Spices
- Organic Meats
- Cultured Dairy Products
- Nuts and Seeds
- Healthy Unrefined Oils (Coconut, Flax, Cod Liver and Extra Virgin Olive Oil)
- Mushrooms
- Traditional Teas
- Wild-Caught Fish
Upon looking at the above list, I think of my lifestyle; The hunting lifestyle. When we’re out in the backcountry for numerous days, we catch fish, collect wild greens, mushrooms, and berries to supplement our meals. Some of my favorite snacks in my backpack are mixtures of nuts, seeds and dried fruits. Then, of course, our goal is to bring home organic meat.
You see, the hunting lifestyle is already one that supports cancer-fighting qualities. Then you add in the miles we hike through the most beautiful scenery upon which you’ve ever placed your eyes. According to the National Cancer Institute, stress increases the likelihood of cancer, plus exercise increases health. An experience, such as hunting, that brings joy is anti-carcinogenic.
For my Daily Visions, I’ll be continuing my quest for health and spreading the news that hunting is healthy. Best wishes to you each day and in the New Year. Get outside. Live healthily. Be happy.
