In the age of medical and pharmaceutical interventions, GLP-1’s and supplement overload why should one care about lifestyle? Great question, well if you don’t think lifestyle is a worthy exploration than you’re probably not reading this post.
Every generation has seen its’ share of “miracle enhancements.” I’m old enough to remember, water pills, having your jaw wired shut and of course bariatric surgeries being the preferred weight loss strategies. Coming from the professional dance world tragically many individuals utilized harsh methods which led to tragic eating disorders such as purging and starvation diets.
Humans can be powerfully swayed to think a “short-cut” might be a temporary solution and forgo looking at the longer-term impact. I’m not saying you should or shouldn’t go the route of peptides or a weight loss drugs. That is a personal decision, as is every single evaluation one needs to make about our health. I do believe though we have no idea of what the long-term consequences of ANY of these interventions may be.
What I do propose is that you diligently and consistently try lifestyle first. Not just for a couple days but in many cases months and years. What caused you to have poor health didn’t happen overnight. I also advocate for looking outside the current sick-care system which played a role in creating the global health crisis, with sky-rocketing rates of chronic diseases, obesity, Type 2 Diabetes, Auto-Immune Diseases, Alzheimer’s and more. See 50 Years of Poor Nutritional Advice and Waiting for a Magic Pill.
OK, so what CAN I do?
Build yourself a health toolbox. Tools are not simply for repairing things but also for assembling and creative construction. As moving creatures, the body requires constant attention for maximum performance.
Let’s use the car as an example. If you want to get the most miles and utilization out of your automobile you don’t wait till it breaks down to monitor it. You do regular maintenance visits, change the oil, rotate your tires, keep an eye on the battery and pay attention if something starts to feel “off.”
I can hear the comments already, don’t have time, overwhelmed by conflicting health information, tried many avenues before with little success and my doctor says it’s just me getting old. It can be a monumental task to resume energy and effort if previously unsuccessful. However, maybe you didn’t have a good toolbox?
In any change process one needs to first look at what IS working. Maybe you have a strong community (WIN), learned from past experiences (WIN), working on your sleep and stress (WIN) or any of these scenarios. Congratulate yourself and keep honoring regularly those successes.
Put More Tools in the Toolbox
In coaching circles there’s a philosophy called stacking. Putting habits one at a time on top of each other, just as you would a pile of books. List on a sheet of paper the things you feel good about and let’s put a few more on top of those.
I’ve written numerous times about the two big levers to pull to age with strength.
- Adequate Protein Intake (preferably animal-based products)
- Resistance Training
If you’re not paying attention to those two, there’s your task. Figure out how to calculate a good protein intake and start experimenting. Remember there is no perfection only progress. If need be, engage a coach or other to support you.
There’s a myth that one must spend hours in the gym to be fit (sorry not all of us have exponential hours like Peter Attia to work out). Two times a week according to long-time fitness aficionado Dr. Ben Bocchichio is more than enough. Even ER doctor and long-time fitness trainer Dr. Doug McGuff says if done properly, as in HIIT, 1 time a week. Or tap into a home fitness routine like X3 or train virtually with a professional to maximizes your time and efficiency. It doesn’t need to be complicated, doing something is better than nothing.
The Three S’s; Stress, Sunshine and Sleep
With technology taking over so much of our lives, creating space to focus on reducing stress, incorporating daily sunshine and restoring the body with a regular sleep routine are all necessary tools in a healthy toolbox.
On stress, focus on what you can control. Try to not waste energy on uncontrollable pieces like the future and what people think of you. Focus on improving how you talk to yourself and developing a daily positive mindset towards health. Utilize mental breaks across the day away from a device. Find a breathing or meditation routine that speaks to you. Or keep it simple, just step outside regularly and let your mind slow down.
No person at the end of their lives ever said I wished I spent more time watching the TV or scrolling on social media. Time in nature is very healing. If you do it on a regular basis it is as if you’re keeping your battery charged. For more see The Magic of the Sun.
Final Thought
Fix the biggest problem first. As mentioned above we can’t change everything at once. But if your roof is leaking and the rain is pouring down, fix the biggest hole first, then move on.
Example
If you’re not sleeping get to work on adding that to your toolbox. If need be, do a formal sleep study to assess your situation, start applying ALL the hacks, devices off early, make the room cold and dark, stop eating late and reduce blood sugar volatility, set a consistent going to be and rising timeframe. In other words, work on it daily.
“Sleep is that golden chain that ties health and our bodies together.”
~~Thomas Dekker
Our current “sick care” system is not designed to keep you healthy. Have the right tools, be it for creative construction or maintenance repair puts YOU way ahead of the pack towards vibrant health.
