I notice that somehow an important message is missing in nearly all available health advice. I feel that most things like diets, healthy eating, exercise, massage and whatever will do us little good if some more important factors are misplaced.

My health has not always been as good as it is now. I too wanted the one and only universal secret, one and only true way. I listened to wise doctors and life coaches, put all the things through my own critical thinking “filter” and, actually, came to some useful conclusions that have helped me a lot.

1. When you run after health, health runs from you. When you follow your dream for which you need good health, then the health comes back to you and stays with you.

2. It is important to celebrate the fact that you are alive and always feel grateful for the gift of life that you have received.

3. It is important to find joy in small things and to allow that joy flow freely in your soul and body.

4. For all the above to be successful, you need forgiving heart. In the first place, you need to accept yourself and forgive yourself your weaknesses and past failures.

5. It is important to keep, value, honor the words you speak and the promises you give.

6. It is important to respect yourself as sexual being, celebrate your sexuality and be grateful for it.

7. Above all, it is important to have things that you do for “no good reason”, simply because you like and enjoy doing them.

If all these things are in place, there is a good ground for expecting that your good health will be back soon and stay with you. They work for me. From the moment when I decided to take them seriously, they have worked wonders.

If any one of these things is misplaced, and this is not a complete list either, then pills, diets, exercise, healthy eating, you name it, will hardly be able to help you. They may only give some short term improvement if any at all.

Wise doctors say that all illnesses and also good health, they all source from the way how we think. I have tested that in my own life. I dropped my sick, unrealistic thinking. I started to focus, watch and observe, and think critically before I act or make a conclusion. I think it is called mindfulness or mindful living.