MY SIX PILLARS OF HEALTH

Fitness and well-being is sometnhing to be taken seriously. Over the years, I have come to witness and understand the various factors that can keep us stay flying high, or bring us crushing down. I have also realised that fitness in the wider context (encapsulating the mind and body), is not so much a state but a process.

My Six Pillars of Health are: habits and routines, sleep, hydration, nutrition, exercise and finally mindset. I also believe that their order is releavant, even if there is some inter-twining..

1.     Habits and Rouitnes

As Aristotle said “we are what we repeatedly do”. 

Habits are so important because the lay the foundation of how to live your life.

Good habits will be empowering and align to your goals and ambitions. Bad habits will make the road that bit harder, like running in the wrong shoes!

Habits can be built into powerful routines. Here are two that book-end your day.

-       An evening routine that will set the scene for a great night. This should involve a period of shutting down; I refer to it as the “shut-down hour” where the body and mind are placed in a state of calm. Activities could include: a warm bath or shower, breathing, stretching, and reading. By the time the light goes off you may fall asleep within minutes for great night’s sleep. Going to bed at the same time every day is ideal and if you must lie-in the best day is Saturday (not Sunday!).

-       A morning routine that will provide that window to get those personal things done to kick-start the day with clarity, purpose and positivity. Activities to consider: a workout, meditation, gratitude, reading and journaling. No need to do it all.

Much has been written about habits, as these can lead to great performances and even a life of high performance. 

2.    Sleep

It should be easy to sleep well. It’s something that as humans we have been doing for thousands of years, so by now we should be great at it. However, a large percentage of the population does not sleep well.

Sleep affects every organ system in the body and insufficient sleep is related to obesity and type 2 diabetes. If you get up tired and it’s a rush first thing, then the food choices are unlikely to be the best. Similarly, a tired body will not consider a workout a priority.

From a biological standpoint, when we sleep many hormone processes are taking place, if sleep is deficient then these are out of balance. Take cortisol for example, which is referred to as the “stress” hormone; insufficient sleep will raise this hormone which then will affect insulin (another hormone) which will determine how we lose or keep our fat reserves. Also, during sleep the mind is flushed of toxins from our cognitive daily activity.

In addition, poor sleep will affect our mood and how we relate to others and finally how alert and sharp our cognitive abilities are. In summary, it is essential that sleep is prioritised as it is linked to so many health benefits.

3.     Hydration

Most people are under hydrated. It’s so easy to forget to drink water and simply dive into that latte or any other beverage.

Being well hydrated is a game-changer in relation to your health and well-being. The benefits of proper hydration are may.

Our energy levels are increased. Consider also that the human brain is around 80% water, thus drinking water helps you think, focus and concentrate better and be more alert.

Adequate hydration promotes weight loss, as it’s less likely your body confuses hunger with thirst.

Drinking water will remove by-products of fat and reduces the amount you eat, as it will make you fuller and assist in your body’s metabolic processes; water has zero calories. In addition, water flushes out toxins and improves skin complexion by moisturizing the skin.

Finally, being well hydrated will maintain a regular bowel movement aiding digestion and preventing constipation. The recommended amount of water according to the WHO is around 2 litres a day as a minimum. The optimal intake will vary depending on the climate and your level of activity. Start with 1 or 2 glasses first thing in the morning and notice the positive and good feeling!

4.     Nutrition

The essence of good nutrition is that it adds value to the body in terms of micronutrients by providing it with the resources to function optimally.

Little space will be given to discussing the avoidance of processed foods and sugary products; this by know is obvious.

The phrase “we are what we eat” is so true. And what we eat, should be aligned with what we do and even what we plan in terms of energy output and our body composition.

If you wish to lose weight and tone up, then a calory deficit will be required. One big misconception is in the understanding of the 3 macronutrient groups which are protein (animal or vegetable), fats and carbohydrates (carbs). It is paramount to understand that all macro groups are of equal importance and none should be avoided. There are many diets which involve focusing on one group, such as the carnivore diet (meat), vegan (no animals), vegetarian (vegetables and eggs). Then there are variations on the 3 macros such as a low-carb diet which will reduce some types of carbs, like pasta, potatoes and rice. An extreme form of low-carb is keto or ketogenic diet, which looks to consume under 30 grams of carbs per day.

The key in nutrition is that it is aligned with your life goals and daily level of activity.

Also, what’s key is the window for eating. Fasting has been shown to have great benefits in terms of reducing inflammation and resting the digestive system. Done regularly, it can help the body become more efficient at burning fat, as it will have longer periods of time (12-16 hours) where only water, tea and coffee are consumed.

During lab testing with rats, where these were fed every other day during their life, their life-span was increased by 60%. It is now accepted that regular fasting, such as missing several breakfasts per week can have important benefits. It must be pointed out that fasting’s main benefit is not the reduction in food quantity, but the window for consumption, meaning that the whole daily amount is to be consumed during the feeding window.

To reiterate, nutrition needs to support your goals and well-being.

5.     Exercise

Before discussing exercise it’s worth understanding that are bodies are the evolution of thousands of years, in fact, in terms of the current man over 20,000. The relevance of this is to understand that for thousands of years man was extremely active, as this would dictate his survival.

Today, we can spend hours siting down and often find it challenging to do 30 minutes of exercise per day.

Exercise and activity are key as Tony Robbins often says “Motion is Emotion” meaning that we can change our state of mind through activity. The important thing here is to be conscious of regular activity. The WHO recommends 180 minutes per week.

Any exercise is good, from walking, swimming running, cycling, playing golf and many more. The aim from a well-being and functional perspective to keep the machine (the body) with its linkages and hinges in optimal condition. The activities should be varied and focus on:

• Cardiovascular activity - where the lungs and heart get exercised. Activities such as running of HIIT (high intensity interval training) could be considered.
• Resistance training activity - to maintain the muscles in the body and associated ligaments and tendons. As we age, we suffer from muscle loss due to lack of exercise. This reduction in skeletal muscle is characterized by loss of muscle mass and strength; this is known as sarcopenia. Note that muscle is stimulated in 2 ways. By resistance training through body-weight, weights or machines. Also, by the consumption of protein found in food.

The main reason that many people end up in care homes is due to lack of mobility which is often as result of lack of strength and muscle. It is important to be mindful of this now and not let our body and muscles deteriorate prematurely.

6.     Mindset

A positive mindset is key to achieving your goals. There needs to be that positivity and belief that challenges can be overcome and that there are strategies that are supportive of this.

External factors will always be there and will impact on our life. It is how we acknowledge and relate to these that will dictate whether or not we are moving forward. There are various strategies to develop a strong mindset. Reading personal development books that challenge thoughts and show other options.

We are the average of the 5 people in our circle of influence. Chose to be with people that support you in your vision and goals and avoid negative influences.

Having a positive attitude and understanding the value of gratitude. It has been shown that regularly practicing gratitude can have a positive effect on how we understand life.

The practice of mediattion on a daily basis will help with our sense of peace and help to reduce stress. You don't need to be a gury to do this, simply sit down, relax and breath through your abdomen, also known as "belly breathing". Start with 5 minutes a day. A good time is during that shut down hour in the evening.

These are my 6 pillars of health to lead a healthy and happy life !!

Kindly share your thoughts.