The 3 Pillars of Health and Wellness
Health and Wellness especially when we age, but of coarse relevant to all age groups, is like an onion many layers, but the “pillars” or foundation is rooted in three major categories- Physical Movement, Nutrition, and Sleep. Each work in conjunction to ensure you have a full productive, healthy life- free from regular Doctor visits and enhancing Brain function.
I will elaborate more on each subject tagging studies and what has worked for me, but in short form lets start with Movement
The easiest thing to do is what we learned an an infant- Walking. You don’t need to start with a 4-6 mile walk, start with a short distance, but use a faster pace than your used to. It’s taboo for me and I would highly encourage you to eliminate distractions such as a phone, instead focus on your breathing and specifically Nasal Breathing. We spend too much time breathing through our mouths, so this is a great time to FOCUS on breathing and almost using the walking and the sense of breath-work as a form of meditation. Pump your arms to improve blood flow, and do this as much as you can through the course of the day. I start with a 3-6 mile fast pace walk every morning to energize my morning, and I typically do it at sunrise to get my internal clock going. A nice walk is encouraged after each meal as well to help with digestion. The distance will increase dramatically as long as you are consistent, and I really believe that your day, outlook and energy will change your life as it has for me.
Nutrition
You Are What You Eat- Are you addicted to sugar, alcohol, processed foods, because there is a path to freedom from these addictions and it starts with the aforementioned idea of movement. You will have a more positive outlook and create a pattern of health leading to willpower. There are eating patterns which can really help such as intermittent fasting. Doing a 12 and 12 window is not very hard to do and teaches discipline- no counting calories, or you can try what Dr. Hyman suggests in: Blood Sugar Solution: 10-Day Detox Diet
Book by Mark Hyman
Cut out Refined Sugar, sugar substitutes, Dairy, Gluten, processed foods, seed oils Remove:
Margarine
Safflower Oil
Sunflower Oil
Rapeseed Oil
Vegetable Oil
Cook with:
Tallow
Lard
Coconut Oil
Avocado Oil
Ghee
The 12- 12 fasting cycle for me is 2 meals/day with no snacks in between. I’ll usually have breakfast at 10am and dinner at 8pm so I’m keeping my eating “window” 10 hours-again no snacks so make the breakfast and dinner count
I’m a big proponent of regenerative farming for my meats, organ meats, bones and bone marrow and include organic fruits and vegetables. Regenerative farming is good for the environment and the animals are raised on pastures, not force fed and pumped with antibiotics. There are several farms in your area that practice regenerative methods- seek them out they work their tail off and really need our support Beer Farms in Mason Mich and BP farm in Dundee are a couple of my favorites as well as Pure Pastures Grocery Stores in Plymouth and Dearborn (he sells an Alaska Salmon and Cod which is unlike anything I’ve had anywhere).
I would highly recommend to avoid plastic water bottles, Teflon coated pans ( I use Stainless steel pans) and vegetables, fruits that have been introduced to pesticides. There are documentaries, literature, and many studies linking those toxins to many health issues- remember we are here for the long haul. I feel this subject cannot be adequately covered in a paragraph or two so I will continually add more in future blogs
Sleep
Are you getting 6-9 hours of sleep/ day if not there are several studies cited by Matthew Walker and others that without proper sleep you will be on the path of the killer D’s Dementia, Depression and Diabetes
Matthew Walker is Professor of Neuroscience and Psychology at the University of California, Berkeley, and Founder and Director of the Center for Human Sleep Science.
Build a routine to help you “wind down” and prepare you for sleep- I suggest watching one of his many you tube videos to get full value of the topic. Surprisingly what you do when waking up is part of the Circadian Rhythm-
Your circadian rhythm helps control your daily schedule for sleep and wakefulness. This rhythm is tied to your 24-hour body clock, and most living things have one. Your circadian rhythm is influenced by outside things like light and dark, as well as other factors. That’s why I like to get my walk in 1st thing in the morning and make it a permanent part of my morning routine.
Hope this helps