*Collaborative post.
For many of us, getting healthy seems like a perennial challenge. No matter what we try, life always somehow finds a way of beating us down and making things difficult!
But it’s not just our circumstances that are problematic. It’s also the lack of reliable information on what we actually need to do to become healthy that’s a problem. When you think about it, this fact is a bit of a joke. We know exactly how to make a horse healthy, or a mouse healthy. And yet, apparently, we have no idea how to keep people healthy. Everyone is different, society says. And there’s no one-size-fits-all process. We’re all too complicated.
Well, as you might expect, that’s not true. While we’re all unique to some extent, we share a massive percentage of DNA and biochemistry. And that means that basic health practices work for most people, most of the time.
So what is the secret to lasting good health? Let’s take a look.
Don’t Take On All The Responsibilities Of The World
Many of us feel the weight of the world on our shoulders all the time. Everything in life seems so serious – like it matters a great deal. We panic about losing the things we need, like our romantic attachments, jobs and property.
Psychologists believe that western people are afflicted by a habit of taking on responsibility for everything. We feel that we have to work hard and take life seriously all the time and can never step back and just enjoy the process. In fact, the very suggestion that we chill out is often seen as insulting or impractical.
But, as it turns out, the only real way to lasting happiness is to view life through a different lens. Instead of seeing everything as dreadfully serious, viewing it as a process that everything is going through can be much more productive. When you change your perspective, you find yourself getting lighter, and the whole of your life becomes easier and less severe.
Move Your Body In Good Form
Moving your body is important for lasting health. You want to get at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity activity per week, and preferably more. But being healthy is about more than just moving your body. It’s also making sure that you do it in good form.
We all know somebody who pushed themselves too far in the gym and wound up creating an injury that stopped them from training. So we don’t want to be in that group of people if we can help it. A much better exercise strategy is to move the body in good form. This way, we can avoid some of the pitfalls of regular exercise and keep ourselves in tip-top condition long-term.
Perhaps the best type of exercise to try is yoga. This practice developed over thousands of years through trial and error. Over time, practitioners discovered which movements enhanced their health, and which damaged it, refining their practice over time.
Take Some Time Out
Here’s another thing that we often fail to do in the modern world: take time out. Many of us are so busy rushing from one errand to another that we never take a break. Instead, we’re on the go all the time, getting progressively more exhausted as the week drags on.
The body needs rest – a surprising amount of it, actually. When researchers study indigenous tribes with no Western contact, they find that they usually work around six hours per day, from the morning until lunchtime. After that, they spend the majority of the afternoon and evening just relaxing and enjoying themselves. They aren’t worker bees, continually pushing themselves to the limit.
As Westerners with adrenal fatigue and high cortisol levels, we have a lot to learn from these people. The more that we can rest our bodies, the more we can recover from the challenges that we face. And the healthier our bodies will be over the long-term.
Always See Your Doctor
Are you one of those people who puts off going to the doctor’s? If so, you’re not alone. Millions of people put off seeing a physician because they are worried about what they might find.
If that’s you, you have options. First, you can use a service like Simple Online Doctor. The idea here is to provide information via the internet and recommend next steps. You can also try going to the doctor’s with a friend. Having somebody with you can help you cope with medical anxiety.
If you’re still struggling, you can schedule regular physicals and checkups. This way, you’re not going to the doctor to test for any specific problem. Instead, you’re asking them to just keep an eye on you and then alert you if something is wrong.
Eat A Whole Food Vegan Diet
The world is very resistant to the idea of eating a wholefood vegan diet. Back in the 1970s, professionals worried that eating too much fibre would clog up our feeble digestive tracts leading to devastating constipation. Then, later on, the medical world fell in love with the idea of keto diets for their ability to permit weight loss.
However, researchers have known since at least the mid 1980s that a whole food vegan diet is the best option for the vast majority of people. These foods not only regulate weight, but they also contain compounds that actively keep cells in our body healthy. Many of them stimulate longevity genes and pathways, allowing us to grow old without actually growing old. Life-long vegans are often healthy into their nineties, able to do things that people twenty years younger would find extremely challenging.
Be Kind To YourselfLastly, if you want to remain healthy long-term, it’s critical to be kind to yourself. Constantly beating yourself up for being a failure or not getting to where you want to be in life is a drag on your wellbeing. Just remember that life isn’t as short as you think it is. Even if you’re in your fifties, you still have decades ahead of you to get what you want and be content with your life.
I'm Squibb Vicious, better known as Haydy!
Happiest with a craft beer in hand, eating til my heart is content or exploring somewhere new.
Here you can read about my adventures!