Hello friends,
I have learned that pretty much everyone wants only two things in life.
Happiness and Health.
My ultimate goal in starting this blog is to empower you with knowledge to create more happiness and health (and wealth, but that comes naturally afterwards). The habits I present here all share two things:
Simplicity and intuitiveness– which for me form the basis of a good life.
When it is all said and done, I hope that these ideas help on your journey.
In case you missed it, here is the first article titled “Habits for Happiness and Health.”
Here we go my friends.
Number One: Breathe Slower and Through Your Nose
Have you ever wondered why all the yogic practices of the world focus on the breath? The reason is simple.
It is one of the best things for your happiness and health.
Research shows that breathing slowly through the nostrils can induce calm, improve depression, and lower blood pressure. Navy seals practice tactical, or “Box breathing” to create calm in stressful situations. In my opinion, breathing in meditative way has mood benefits beyond what scientific evidence at the moment can show. I think that breathing well consistently energizes your body and grounds you to the present, which not only strengthens your body but also invigorates your spirit.
So how do you do it? For a quick way to reap the benefits, try this:
Sit or stand with your chest upright but relaxed. Breathe through your nostrils slowly, focusing on a slow inhale, hold, and exhale. Do not rush the exhale. Focus on the sensation of air moving through your nose, your throat, and lungs. Feel the air fill your lungs as you drop your diaphragm (a.k.a “breathe into your belly”.) Finally, feel your body loosen with each exhale, as if you are returning to water.
Do this exercise for a minute or two at a time, preferably while by yourself during a calm part of day. Ideally, perform this exercise in a place open to air in a green space. Nature, too, is a great healer. Overtime, this habit will find its way into the rest of your day. Embrace it, because good breathing habits become the foundation of good health.
A tip to maintain good nasal breathing is practicing good tongue posture, which not only assists in breathing, but may also improve facial bone structure through bone remodeling over time. A good mantra to practice is: “Lips together, teeth together, tongue on the roof of your mouth.” For more information on tongue posture, check out Dr. Mike Mew’s YouTube Channel.
Number Two: Take Smaller Bites and Chew Slower
A good diet consists of fresh (preferably organic) vegetables mixed with a good variety of unprocessed meats and carbohydrates. In addition to healthy food choices, an important determinant of health is how we chew our food.
Firstly, eat food with a decent amount of natural fiber or collagen to work your mastication muscles. This not only tones your facial muscles to make you more attractive, but also promotes conscious chewing. Chewing your food thoroughly is important because it helps the food mix with saliva. Enzymes in the saliva pre-digest the food, and allow for better absorption when the food enters the small intestine.
Another reason to chew thoroughly is that it promotes slower eating, which helps your body to feel full sooner. There is a tendency to overeat when you are simply stuffing down food, and slower eating will nullify that tendency.
To summarize,
- Choose quality food.
- Cook food yourself.
- Chew slowly and thoroughly before each swallow.
Number three: Do not Eat so Much and so Often
Much of the modern obesity crisis is contributed to massive over eating.
In my personal experience, the phrase “three meals a day” is over simplified. Against conventional belief, your body is not damaging itself during brief periods of fasting (12-16 hours). To be on the balance, I do not recommend prolonged low carb dieting or ketogenic diets. There remains controversy regarding these terms, and long term data on longevity and safety are lacking for ketogenic/ low carbohydrate/ meat only diets, compared with the very established low fat, plant based whole food diets including the DASH and Mediterranean diet. For a great read to understand what ketones and ketosis is, I suggest reading this article by Dr. Peter Attia.
Listed below are my recommendations:
For most people, the period from dinner to breakfast should be no sooner than 12 hours. This means eating in the early evening, around 6 to 7 PM. Theoretically, you could, and perhaps should, still eat three meals a day with this schedule if you so desire. The importance of this window is that it gives your body time to down-regulate the amount of insulin in your blood and restore normal insulin sensitivity.
Type 2 Diabetes and pre-diabetes are essentially diseases caused by having too much sugar too often. Over-exposure to sugar leads to insulin resistance and lowers your body’s ability to use sugar. So how can you reverse insulin resistance? The simple answer is to fast.
Some people in the natural health world endorse an 8 hour eating window, also known as intermittent fasting. This means essentially two sizable meals per day: Breakfast and lunch or lunch and dinner. While I do not endorse this, many people have found success with it in short term weight loss goals. On a personal level, I do not always eat breakfast, or always dinner. But the most important thing is consistency, which your body loves. The truth is that the specifics are not as important as the big picture, and fads are not as important as habits.
In Chinese there is a saying: “In the morning, eat well. At noon, eat to be full. In the evening, eat small.”
I think that is a true and succinct statement to live long by.
Number four: The Chinese Arm Swing Exercise
This one may seem out of place, but be assured that it is as powerful as it is simple. The Chinese arm swing, also known as “Ping Shuai”, is an ancient meditative exercise that has many benefits. It is performed with the rhythmic swinging of your arms to shoulder height and down taking slow breathes. In China it is considered one of the best exercises for longevity. The theory is that it improves circulation of blood and lymph throughout the body, leading to better waste removal and nutrient delivery. In western alternative medicine, exercises such as this are referred to as “lymphercises”.
Here is a video demonstrating how do perform Ping Shuai.
I suggest doing this exercise anytime that you have a few minutes. It can be done in the morning, afternoon, or at bedtime. It is a relaxing way to finish your work out, fill a break in your busy day, or to unwind at night time. Again, it’s best done in a quiet environment with an emptied mind.
Alternatively, another great lymphercise is rebounding, which is simply bouncing up and down on a trampoline. But to be fair, any kind of consistent movement will help tremendously.
Number five: (For men) Semen Retention a.k.a NoFap
This advice may seem controversial in a society that normalizes frequent sexual activity and masturbation. I am not here to demonize either of those activities. I simply want you to consider a trial of celibacy. I especially want you to consider it if you find yourself frequently masturbating to pornography. It is well documented that porn addiction has real and devastating effects on a person’s energy, confidence, and mood- Not toe mention desensitization leading to erectile dysfunction. Without belaboring the point, I simply ask you to try to avoid all sexual stimulation for a week or two. There is a good chance you will start to feel more confident, grounded, and at ease with the world.
In ancient texts, semen is considered the sacred essence of masculinity, and should not be carelessly wasted. To me, it seems that the energy and nutrients used to produce semen may be redirected to the building up of muscles, connective tissue, and brain matter. The constitution of semen includes vital nutrients often too sparce in the modern diet, such as zinc and magnesium, and frequent ejaculation can quickly deplete their stores.
Personally, I have found my energy to be higher, skin to be brighter, sleep to be better, and mood to be more grounded while on NoFap. If you reap these benefits, try to use the energy you would have expended on sex/masturbation to work on yourself, be it your body, mind, or creation.
If you are addicted to pornography, there is a community on the internet called NoFap comprised of individuals who are actively trying to quit. It features inspirational stories of success, as well as numerous strategies and tips to help you end this addiction. I have traveled this journey myself, and have found it to be tremendously rewarding.
Number Six: Grow Jar Sprouts and/or Garden
While fresh vegetables from the supermarket are good, fresh veggies straight from your garden to your mouth is best. If a garden is not possible, try growing sprouts in jars. They are as nutritious as they are cheap to grow. The nutrient profile for sprouts are often just as good if not better than conventionally grown vegetables. The soil in North America has been declining in its nutrient concentration over several decades, and the quality of the produce arising from it has suffered as result.
I suggest a small personal garden with organic fertilizers, focusing on easy to grow greens such as chard, kale, and spinach. With sprouting jars, it is important to find organic seeds and use the cleanest water possible. The advantage of jar sprouts is that it is fast and convenient, yielding nutritious sprouts in a matter of days, while the garden provides a steady supply of food and a great way to connect with nature.
My personal favorites are broccoli and radish sprouts.
Number Seven: Exercise in Different Ways and In Nature if Possible
You may start to see a trend on my website. That trend is nature. Going to the gym is fine if you are trying to get into shape. Overtime, your knowledge about working out will expand, and working out becomes less about following routines as it is about creating them based on the mind-body connection you have attained.
Even if you are not at that stage, I offer you an idea. Your body was designed to move in nature. Our ancestors jumped, ran, and climbed on a regular basis in forests, beaches, and mountains. Health is not simply the ability to perform physical tasks at certain standards. Health is holistic, and is a journey of self-exploration.
If possible, try exercising barefoot on grass or sand. There remains scarcity of evidence for the benefits of so-called “grounding” (explanation here), however I am a firm believer of low risk therapies that may hold potential benefits. I personally feel better after lying on the lawn or beach for several hours- And if it is placebo, I would take it gladly. If you would like to do the same, make sure the area is clear of needles or other potentially dangerous debris first.
For a simple cardiovascular workout that you can do anywhere, check out this article of mine.
Number Eight: Develop a good relationship with your GP
This is the only conflict of interest of this article. With all that I have said, I hope that I have conveyed my motivations to you.
In latin the word doctorae means “to teach.” While my professional role may include diagnosis, prescription, and referral, the goal of my career (and this blog) is to provide you with as much knowledge as I can to empower and heal yourself. Knowledge is power, and power is freedom. While you may not like doctors, I hope that you understand that most of us simply want to help. The reason is that most human beings, regardless of profession, simply want to help. I am no different from you in the most essential ways. What I desire for you is what I desire for myself and loved ones.
An honest dialogue can often benefit both parties. Remember that you are also teaching your physician during a visit. This is because you have experiences and knowledge relevant to health that a doctor may not know. A good relationship with your family doctor is one of teamwork and understanding. Do not be afraid to share your fears, ideas, feelings, and hopes to your doctor as you would with a close counselor.
On that note, I hope that this article has given you some ideas to consider on your journey of happiness and health.
If you have any questions, do not hesitate to leave a comment.
Until next time.
Your friend,
-Tie
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