2. Find which foods work best for you and eat them most of the time. Keep it simple. Your body will generally tell you what foods it needs, unless your desires are so strong that you can no longer hear what your body's trying to tell you. Let us help you understand your body type, so you know which foods are likely to keep you the healthiest, then experiment for yourself. The lower on the food chain that you eat and the fewer animal products in your diet, the best chance you have for keeping a healthy heart and body.

3. Find an exercise program you enjoy and do it regularly. Whether it's swimming, running, kayaking, yoga, aerobic dance, racketball, walking, or dancing, do it for at least l5 minutes four times a week. Consider it an insurance policy for staying healthy.

4. Take a high-quality multivitamin and mineral for life. Most of our lifestyles are high-stress. Environmental exposures are, unfortunately, all around us. Our soils and foods aren't as nutritious as they once were. Many of us ingest substances regularly, such as alcohol, caffeinated beverages, sugar, tobacco, and a number of prescription medications, which actually counteract the nutrients we get through our foods and supple -ments. We consider nutritional supplements as another form of insurance for a longer and healthier life.

5. Surround yourself with people that make you feel good. We've all gotten our share of negative messages in our lives. Choose to give and receive love and friendship from people who will draw out the best in you and will support you on your life's path. Create a protective shield around yourself to screen out inappropriate criticism and negativity.

6. Take care of unfinished business. Do whatever you need to do to release your anger, resentment, fears, worries, insecurities, or anything else that keeps you from being happy and healthy. Whether it's through meditation, counseling, hypnosis, affirmations, or anything else that works for you, do it as soon as possible so you can move on with your life.

7. Heal you relationship with your parents. We chose our parents so that we could learn exactly those lessons we need in this lifetime. Most of us experience some of our greatest challenges from our relationships with our parents. No matter what hurts or insults or conflicts we may have had with our parents, we need ultimately, even if they are no longer alive, to heal those rifts and to forgive in order to complete those lessons.

8. Make fun and relaxation a priority on your daily schedule. Remember that you're here to enjoy yourself! As they say, "When life serves you lemons, make lemonade." Make the best of every situation. Understand that it's happening to you for a reason and learn the lesson it brings so you won't have to do it again. What seems in the present, through our limited vision, like a misfortune often turns out later to be a blessing.

9. Learn to love yourself. Really. This is a challenge for most of us. Know that whatever you've done, no matter how awful you think it is, you're forgivable. The more you recognize yourself as a lovable, deserving, talented human being, the more health and happiness will flow into your life.

l0. Find your inner peace and hold on to it. There is nothing more important in life than finding that still center within you from which you can face all of life's challenges. Use whatever techniques you need to in order to discover that peaceful place. We'd be happy to help. Whenever you have a decision to make in your life, ask which solution will bring you the greatest peace of mind and decide accordingly.

ll. Connect with your Source as often as you can. Whether you want to call it God, Divine Spirit, Higher Self, Inner Guidance, Universal Love, or whatever, doesn't matter. What is important is that you are able to tap into that highest source of knowlege, inspiration, intuition, love, and guidance. The more often you are able to act from a place of connectedness and union with Source, the more wonderful your life is likely to unfold.

12. Treat the earth well. We can't live without her! Use the least toxic materials possible in all aspects of your life for your own sake as well as that of Mother Nature. Recycle, garden organically, live lightly on the earth, and be conscious of your effect on the environment. Environmental contaminants are increasingly implicated as causes of cancer and other degenerative diseases. Live according to the laws of nature.

l3. Do the best you can and trust others to do the same. We're all here to learn our own unique lessons. It's hard enough to figure out our own lessons most of the time much less try to figure out each other's. We are here to work on ourselves. Criticism, gossip, and rumors will ultimately lead to unhappiness and suffering.

14. Stay light. Don't take yourself and your life too seriously. The more we can take our lives with a grain of salt and take a few steps back to look at our lives objectively, the easier we'll make it for ourselves. Getting stuck in our own pain and suffering and "mellow dramas" always makes things worse. Keep your life in perspective and remember what's really important: loving staying connected with your Source, and serving.

l5. Ask for help when you need it. We're all here to help each other. It makes our hearts feel warm when we know we've made someone feel better. Help is always available to us in some form or another, even though we may not always see it. Don't forget to ask for it!

l6. Create a refuge for yourself. Try to create a living situation for yourself that is calming, nurturing and really feels like home. Surround yourself with objects, pets and nature which support your peace. Create a sanctuary inside of yourself, regardless of what disturbances might be happening on the outside.

l7. Take care of your body. It's the only one you've got for now. Your body is your temple. If you treat your body with kindness and attention, it will be your friend for life. Listen to your body and know that any symptoms carry a message for you. Use the gentlest and least forceful healing methods whenever possible. Give your body plenty of rest, lots of fresh air, and pamper it when it needs it.

l8. Enjoy sex as loving communion. Sex is a sacred opportunity to conect intimately with your partner and to share mutual pleasure and love. ėt's a means to connect with the Source of Divine Energy which is the spark of our creativity on all levels. Share your sexual energy consciously, lovingly, and passionately.

19. Embrace nature as your healer. Walk barefoot in the grass, cool yourself in mountain streams, draw fresh air into your lungs as deeply as possible. The trees, sky, flowers, waterfalls, wind, and rainbows are gifts to fill us with joy, peace and healing. Spend as much time communing with nature as possible. Invite the unlimited healing power of nature into your life so that you can be invigorated, revitalized, and rejuvenated.

20. Live each moment to the fullest. Be completely present. Few of us focus our total attention on the present moment. We are trapped by the pains of the past and fears of the future. Be as fully and conscious and present as possible here in now and your experience of life will be infinitely richer.

2l. Cultivate and treasure silence. Regularly, every day. Our daily lives are filled with busy-ness and noise. It is only when we are able to still our minds that we can really develop clarity and concentration. It is best to be silent for at least l5 minutes every day, preferably alone. Some people set aside a day a week, or an hour at the beginning or end of each day, to silence the chatter of their minds. Try it and you'll find it brings you greater peace and increases your mental capacity.

22. Patience is not just a virtue, it's a necessity! Many of us are in such a hurry that life's precious moments pass us right by unnoticed. There are very few things that really have to happen immediately. Take care of the few things that are urgent. Then, take time to appreciate and enjoy the rest of your life. Impatience creates nervousness, interpersonal conflicts, and can make you sick and miserable. It's definitely not worth it.

23. Know what makes you tick. Do what makes your heart sing. No one knows better than you what you're here to accomplish. But many of us are confused about our life's direction and have spent so much time pleasing other people that we don't even know who we are or what we want for ourselves. Connect deeply with yourself. Live on purpose, in integrity, and in alignment with what makes you really happy.

24. Take responsibility for your own life. No one else will. We create our own reality and draw to us the fruits of our own thoughts. We are not victims. No matter what happens to us, good or bad , we can choose how we respond to the challenges of our lives. Take charge of your life. Make it more wonderful than you ever thought possible. Share your happiness, positivity, and enthusiasm with others. It's contagious.

25. Make loving and being of service your highest priority. There's nothing more important than to help each other as much as we can, whenever we can, and with as much compassion as possible. We're all in our particular predicaments for a good reason, even though we might not understand why while we're in the midst of it. Adversity creates the perfect opportunity to help each other.

Drs. Judyth Reichenberg-Ullman and Robert Ullman are naturopathic and homeopathic physicians and cofounders of the Northwest Center for Homeopathic Medicine in Edmonds, WA. They are coauthors of The Patient's Guide to Homeopathic Medicine and Beyond Ritalin: Homeopathic Treatment of ADD and Other Behavioral and Learning Problems. They can be reached at (206) 774-5599.