Today’s Health Tip ~ The 4 Pillars to Good Health

Health fads come and (thankfully) go. Despite the shiny promises that one particular superfood/workout/biohack will get you in the best shape of your life, the truth is, you don’t need to overthink (or overpay) to get healthy.

The Four Pillars to Good Health

1. Diet ~ The secret to simple, healthy eating? Variety. Choose different kinds of veggies, fruits, and other plant-based foods, since they all have phytonutrients that contribute to good health in unique ways. The same goes for protein foods. Try new kinds of fish, poultry, meats, beans, and legumes. And don’t overlook nuts and seeds.

2. Exercise ~ No matter if you’re thin, it’s still important to keep working out. Research has even found that people who are obese and cardiovascularly fit have better health outcomes than people who are slim and not fit. Aim to be active 150 minutes each week, spread across five or six days instead of just one or two. Your body benefits more from daily increases in your heart rate and oxygen consumption—just like your system benefits more from food and water that’s consumed over the course of a week, rather than a giant feast eaten in a single day.

3. Stress ~Stress is inevitable. But its cumulative effects over time are what damage your health. Chronic stress has been linked to a host of issues, including anxiety and depression, weight gain, inflammation, digestive issues, fertility problems, even poor memory. The way to avoid repercussions is by dealing with stress in the moment, as it happens.

   The idea is to become psychologically flexible—or in other words, to learn to balance your exposure to stress with self-soothing efforts. I often equate this to standing on a surfboard, on top of a bowling ball. You can lean into your uncomfortable emotions, and then discipline yourself to pull out of that discomfort. Being able to toggle back and forth like that will make you more resilient.

4. Sleep ~ Your brain is pretty binary when it comes to sleep. It has to rest. When you sleep, your brain rids itself of waste products and consolidates memory. Sleep also keeps your heart and circulation working, and your digestion regular. It’s not yet known why we have to be unconscious for these things to happen, but we do. On average, people need 7½ to 8 hours of sleep each night. Lots of people say they do “fine” on 5 hours. But they’re more likely to be functional despite mild sleep deprivation. “Functional” and “doing what is best for your body” are not synonymous.

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