What Does It Mean To Lead A Healthy Lifestyle?
The vast majority of people in the modern, developed world live in the best times in history right now. Of course there are still a lot of issues we need to resolve, for instance the time pressing climate issue, but majority of people - and perhaps humanity as whole - possess an enormous potential to thrive and live a good long life in the modern world. Because whether we recognize it or not, majority of people in the world are very privileged to be living in a modern, developed, high-tech, convenient, anything-is-possible world.
However, the great paradox is that these are also the times in history, when the majority of people are the most sick of the so-called lifestyle - or mismatch - diseases like high blood pressure, obesity, high cholesterol levels, stress, anxiety, diabetes… and the list can go on.
As many physiologists, scientists, phycologists and researchers from all over the world have now concluded - the key to such paradox is our modern lifestyle that does not support how humans were built to live.
Our Current Lifestyle Contributes To Our Diseases
The way we have become accustomed to living is sadly what causes us to be sick. Too much processed food, too little movement and exercise, too high pace of daily lives with a thousand things on the on-going to-do list and too little socialising, despite living in time when social media is becoming more and more popular day by day.
Our sedentary, stressed out, high-paced and unnatural way of living is not what human bodies essentially are meant to thrive in. What our bodies are essentially built for is movement, proper and consistent sleep, natural foods, lots of time outdoors and strong social realtions.
The art - or rather an urgent necessity - is for us to figure out how we can implement more of the basics for great human health into our modern way of living to not only prevent lifestyle diseases that wa ourselves have control, but help our bodies and minds thrive, so we can feel and do our best and live our lives in a healthy, mindful and fulfilling ways.
Lifestyle As Our Healer And Medicine
One of the world-renowned scientists that has dedicated his life to research of how our lifestyle affects our mental, physical and emotional health is professor David Katz from University of Yale. In his words:
“We have enough data to perceive lifestyle as medicine. My own research focuses on diet, movement and exercise, and when we talk about this combination, there is strong evidence that proves that healthy lifestyle reduces the risk for chronic diseases among people in high-risk groups. Healthy lifestyle can change the way our genes show up and therefore change the development of chronic disease. Healthy lifestyle can also effect the development of chronic disease, when it has already occurred, and create an improvement. When we take a look at the spectrum of positive effects of living a healthy lifestyle, there is no doubt: it is medicine. Actually, the best medicine.”
What we do every day matters more than what we do once in a while. And in the same way as certain things can make us ill, other things can heal us.
Living A Healthy Lifestyle
I believe that we all know this simple truth that our lifestyle can either heal us or make us ill. However behind this truth many of us lack action. Perhaps this has something to do with the fact that unnatural way of living has become the new normal in the modern society; that living healthy lifestyle is perceived as a whoo-hoo kind of thing with many rules, restrictions and weird habits.
The fact is though, that the normal our modern society dictates is not the normal that people were essentially built for. Processed foods, high pace, stress, lack of movement, social isolation and a lot of time indoors behind television or computer is normal today. However, natural foods, proper rest and consistent sleep, time outdoors, natural movement and exercise, strong social connections and living in tune with our bodies is the kind of normal were built for.
So how can we sum up what healthy lifestyle means?
What We Think Healthy Lifestyle Is
Strict routines
Counting calories
Exercising too much
Staying disciplined
Restricting and depriving yourself
Saying “no” to things
What Healthy Lifestyle Actually Is
Nourishing yourself holistically
Going back to simple basics
Saying “yes” to joy
Regularly moving your body in exercise that feels good to you
Consuming nutritious foods and staying hydrated
Prioritizing sleep and rest
Prioritizing your mental health and inner peace
Figuring out what works for you rather than chasing current trends
Having strong and loving relationships
Less Is More
Living in a high pace of the modern world we do too much. However, what we truly need is to start doing less and go back to simple basics of nourishing our bodies, minds and souls holistically, naturally and sustainably, so we can thrive, feel our best and enjoy our lives to the fullest.
Remember: health is not a destination - it is a vehicle that allows us to live a healthy, mindful, fulfilling and nourishing life. And it is your biggest asset.