How to stay healthy and happy, physically AND emotionally!

By Elyssa | April 10, 2015

Everyone wants to stay healthy and happy, both physically and emotionally! It would be pretty hard to name even one person who wanted to be sick and grumpy, wouldn’t it? ;)

Health and happiness go hand in hand, because to be healthy, you have to be happy and not be stressed, and to be happy, you need to take care of yourself. Herophilus wisely said: “When health is absent, wisdom cannot reveal itself, art cannot manifest, strength cannot fight, wealth becomes useless, and intelligence cannot be applied.”

Many wonder, “How can I achieve total happiness and health, AND, stay that way?” I’m here to share the tips, tricks, and tactics I have been able to learn so I can share my fortune with YOU.

With that, let’s get started! Here are some do’s and don’ts on staying healthy and happy emotionally:

Do make friendships, relationships, and strong ties with other people.

Don’t be around people or in environments that drain your energy!

Do take the time to the scriptures. The scriptures are key to getting answers in all aspects of life, so please read them!
Don’t do what you don’t like to do. OK, you may be asking, “You mean I shouldn’t do my chores?” Well, I’m not saying, “Don’t do your chores”, but I am saying you should love your job, whether you have one now, or will have one in the future.
Do go outdoors, see nature, and spend time with a pet. Even if you only go outside once a day, it will make the rest of the day better, and animals are are sweet, loving, make you feel better, and lower blood pressure!
Don’t restrain from being a part of a community or religion. Volunteer, express your opinion, etc. You’ll find it is very comforting to be around people, whether they share your beliefs or not.
Do have some ME time. In the school schedule, it’s kind of hard to have some time for yourself, but you can always squeeze it in. Before bed, read a chapter of a good book, chat with a friend, or listen to some of your favorites albums, bring something to do during recess, or on Saturday, watch a movie or ask your parents to have a play date with your friend.

Now, I’ll be sharing the Do’s and Don’ts of staying happy and healthy physically.

Don’t eat fast foods. Your situation may be that your parents take you to those unhealthy restaurants. If that’s your reality, it’s sad, but that doesn’t mean you cannot change it! Have you ever considered asking your parent(s) about the foods you eat? Maybe they think that you like this food, so they buy it for you. Politely asking them to give you healthier options might persuade them to do just that!
Do stay active. You can stay active simply by running, jumping, walking, and jogging.
Don’t eat an excess of grains or sugar. Grains and natural sugar found in food are healthy, but can be deadly if you eat too much. I am a pasta-and-pizza-lover, so I have decided to start reducing my intake of grains for good
Do sleep well and rise happily. The secret to good sleep is to not have a bright screen, turn off the lights, turn on relaxing music, and as Doctrine & Covenants section 124 says, “Retire to thy bed early, that ye may not be weary; arise early, that your bodies and your minds may be invigorated.”
Don’t keep your bad eating habits. Good eating habits are sitting down while eating, having 3 meals a day, and avoiding laying down or slouching after eating to digest food well.
Do make healthier versions of the food you love! It is always fun to make more nutritious foods you like. For example, last week we made a vegan pizza loaded with vegetables and dairy-free cheese.

One important component of being physically healthy is being able to visit your doctor. On Wednesday, Julie Pippert from Moms Rising (an organization that solves problems in our community) organized a thank-you event dedicated to Mayor Rawlings, who made it possible for the 60,000 kids and teens of Dallas to be eligible for healthcare. YAY! A lot of the City Council was there, along with NLC and other partners who all spoke. Julie even invited us to share our thoughts about this wonderful project. I said that “Every kid deserves to be healthy and happy.”

About happiness, Actress Audrey Hepburn stated: “The most important thing is to enjoy your life – to be happy – it’s all that matters.” She is absolutely right! The second most important thing, though, is to live your life well and be healthy!