Dr. Jenkins is a primary care chiropractic physician in Litchfield, Conneticut and is an avid blogger that focuses on many Integrative Health topics.  He specializes in the treatment of people with chronic disorders.   In a post in June of 2012 he wrote that there are three things he recommends to patients as the foundation of a health and wellness.  His list is a bit unconventional, but the intriguing.

1. Unplug your microwave and throw it out.
2. Turn off the TV.
3. Use anything but a car or motorbike for all trips under three miles.

The idea behind these three recommendations actually has little do so with the recommendations and more to do with what is beyond the recommendations.  For example, the use of a microwave usually coincides with the consumption of foods that are heavily processed and contributes to many chronic health problems.  Likewise, sitting in front of the TV results in long hours of sitting and often mindless eating.  Using cars and other motor vehicles further increases sedentary activity.  On the contrary, unplugging the microwave forces you to prepare food differently and choose different types of food to eat.  Turning off the TV free’s up extra time and furthermore, without TV, there is increased time to walk or bike.  This increase of exercise can lead to better physical, mental, and emotional health.
In essence, what Dr. Jenkins really is suggesting is:

1. Elimination, or at the very least reduction of processed foods
2. Reducing sedentary activity
3. Increasing exercise

Perhaps on an even deeper level, Dr. Jenkins is recognizing that asking ourselves to stop doing complicated habits is different than asking ourselves to to start doing simple tasks.  When large challenges are taken in smaller steps, especially when those steps force us to re-examine the way we approach our lives, they can make a big difference in our lives, and perhaps a bigger difference than we could ever imagine when we started doing those simple tasks.