My Top 11 lifestyle health tips – no great financial costs involved

08 Apr My Top 11 lifestyle health tips – no great financial costs involved

1. Breathe deeply, diaphragmatically, deeply into the belly – take deep breathing holidays throughout the day. Do engage in daily focused breathing, i.e. Pranayama, Chi Gung, various types of Breathwork, the Wim Hoff Method. Diaphragmatic breathing, in conjunction with targeted movements is wonderful for treating backache.
2. Drink adequate filtered water, as per thirst. Don’t drink to a program.
3. Eat real, non-processed foods. Cut inflammatory foods like industrial seed oils and spreads e.g. Sunflower and Canola oils, margarine like substances, grains, excess carbs and all sugar. Cook with Virgin Coconut Oil instead.
4. Protect and nuture your internal microbiome: avoid antibiotics, eat naturally fermented foods like Kimchi / Sauerkraut, Kefir, Kombucha, real full fat unprocessed yoghurt or Maas. Consider the use of a liquid live probiotic like Efficient Microbes – Rawbiotics.
5. Consider intermittent fasting – i.e. skipping breakfast – benefits include: improves insulin sensitivity, thus reducing the risk of diabetes and overweight.
6. Move more! Engage in movement, exercise, sport and recreational practices. Introduce movement into your home and work place i.e. alternating between standing and sitting desks. The mind/ body movement practices :Yoga, Pilates, Internal Martial Arts, Dance are particularly good for creating more equanimity in one’s body, and thus reducing the effects of stress as well.
7. Spend more time in nature, much of us suffer from NDD – Nature Deficit Disorder . Just walking through, and mindfully observing nature is known to reduce stress and blood pressure.
8. Get regular sun exposure. The Sun does more than form Vitamin D in the body. Sunlight promotes the release of Serotonin (the feel good hormone) and Melatonin (the sleep aiding hormone) . Build a protective tan, and avoid industrial, toxic sun creams.
9. Adequate rest, relaxation, recovery and sleep. During deep sleep, much of metabolites / toxins left over from day, are disposed of. Organ regeneration takes place during sleep. Try for the daily 3 X 8 hours system: 8 hours of work for Remuneration; 8 hours for Recreation (doing things that bring interest and joy to you); and 8 hours for Restoration (Regenerative sleep).
10. Consider regular cold immersion – e.g. The Wim Hoff Method. Regular cold immersion creates a widespread vascular and lymph ‘pump’ throughout the body. Encouraging movement of nutrients to the depths of the tissues, and moving waste products out. Preventing stasis at the physiological level. There are also other psychological and physiological benefits from cold exposure.
11. As much as you can seek joy, purpose, meaning and contentment in life. I like the deeply grounded soul work, beautifully illustrated in the writings of Thomas Moore – Care of the Soul, and James Hillman – The Soul’s Code.