Be healthy

Nothing is more important than good health, except perhaps good relationships. And good health is never more important, or more challenging, than when you are poor. But it need not be expensive (if you have access to that greatest of all national treasures, a public healthcare service).  Two things of course: exercise and nutrition.

Exercise. Note to self: get some. All it takes is minimum half an hour walking per day, for starters, and that is totally free, except for shoe leather.  Exercise is the best way to stay happy on the cheap, and have fun.

You know about endorphins, right? They have to be part of any strategy to stay positive and have fun on a limited budget. You need them.  Get the low-down here. (ignoring the gross, and I would say not strictly truthful, weight-loss ads). The way to get more of them?   Yup ...... Exercise.

Need a bit more info? lots on the NHS (National Health Service) website, and check out the Ramblers Association, or walking and hiking groups.

And beyond walking there is all over movement. For real peace, beauty and inner strength, consider Tai Chi.  Is this the physical equivalent of the picture above?  Can it be done in tandem?  Cosmic.

Find out more from the Tai Chi Union of GB, the Tai Chi Finder or the Taoist Tai Chi Society of GB

And if extremity is more your thing, check out The Longest Climb - two crazy guys who are going to climb the height of Everest, from sea level mind you, not some base camp halfway up already.  It's going to take them 15 hours straight, or about 600 times up a climbing wall, and all for charity and a brand-new world record. Good luck lads -  great job.  One of them's my nephew.  Chip off the old block

These guys are young (although probably poor too), so not all of us could do what they are doing, but here's a really great example that neither age nor poverty are barriers to exercise and the health and well being that it brings. No excuses.

BTW have you tried searching for "grannies" on YouTube?  Don't go there. It will totally destroy what remains of your tattered faith in humanity.  But do scroll down the comments on the Granny video for a really yucky one.  I signed on just to give it another little red thumbs down, and you could do the same (you can't miss it).  It never stops, does it?

And finally a quick word about nutrition.

I’m going to be writing a lot about this because its soooooo important. After all we’ve gotta have energy if we are going to move, and buying organic, local, seasonal, fare trade, free range, ethical, good carb, high nutrition, long-chain Omega 3, delicious food can be expensive, not to mention contradictory and you need a spread-sheet.

So I'll be looking at joining food co-ops and vegetable clubs and serious stuff like that in later posts, but before we get there, let’s just remember the four major food groups: soul food, nursery food, comfort food and chocolate. I make sure I get plenty of each during the week, and that keeps me happy and positive. Yum

And yes ma'am, a little bit of chocolate is good for you too, the darker the better. Got anti-oxidents and linked to endorphins too. Check here for shed-loads of really cool facts, factoids and pix of chocolate. Who does all this stuff on Wikipedia?