Health tips can be found in the millions. We are bombarded with the latest diet crazes, miracle tonics and exercise fads, but cavemen knew that health relies on just four fundamentals.
In the process of finding the perfect lifestyle, we often lose the very essence of it all, which is that of staying healthy. Here are some basic, no-nonsense and simple tips that we should relearn to be healthy.
Hydrate!We all know that our bodies are mostly water. If man were a car, water would serve as its lubricant, break fluid, transmission fluid and fuel all in one.
Water enables organs to function properly, facilitating digestion, promoting the absorption of nutrients and enabling detoxification just to name a few.
It is advisable to take in at least 8 glasses of water a day. The Paleo Diet recommends following the “3P rule”—drink three pints of water before 3pm each day to properly hydrate. After 3pm, drink fluids according to your thirst.
Some suggest that drinking four full glasses first thing in the morning on an empty stomach can jumpstart the body’s system, leading to numerous benefits while lessening, if not curing, diseases such as diabetes, high blood pressure and even cancer.
Skeptics abound for such claims, but there seems to be no harm in believing it. We know a lack of water definitely leads to death, so why shouldn’t its presence lead to life? The only downside might be urinating more than usual.
Eat Right
Yes, mom was right—we are what we eat. That's why eating healthy is so important to living healthy.
Consuming lots of vegetables, fruits, lean meat and fish with a minimum of processed foods most closely simulates the Paleo Diet.
Eating a variety of different foods and produce that are in season provides the nutrients for normal bodily functions.
Keep in mind that food shouldn’t be stored in the stomach longer than necessary, so a diet rich in fiber, such as green leafy veggies, oat bran, pineapple and currants, will help flush out food waste along with all the harmful toxins our bodies don’t need.
Choosing a diet that works for your body type and eating the right portions is essential to good health. Go organic and stick to slow food as much as possible.
Sweat Every Day
With the right fluids and foods in place, it’s time to use them. After all, what’s the point of properly providing our bodies with essential nutrients when they are not put to work and play? Active movement strengthens the body and rids it of toxins through sweat.
Condition your body by doing exercises that are diverse. Unless you are into bodybuilding, exercises need not be that strenuous to keep fit.
Consistency, diversity and intensity are key to effective exercise. Cavemen stayed fit simply by surviving. Their diverse daily activities were a necessity. They ran to escape animal attacks, covered long distances to hunt, and lifted prey to bring back to the camp.
Such activities were conducted in no particular order and accomplished in short durations. They were also intense. With this in mind, it makes sense that an intense 10-minute daily workout will do the body good, with variations to avoid boredom.
You can run, climb trees, play catch with a heavy rock, kick a ball around or swim. Keep your muscles guessing and growing.
Be Happy
Good health depends on more than the right combination of water, nutrients and exercise. Psychological factors are involved, too.
Try exercising and spending time with positive people. Get motivated by seeking good health for the benefit of loved ones as well as for yourself.
Developing a positive attitude along with self-discipline is a sure path to mental as well as physical health.
And don’t forget to have fun. Staying healthy is something to enjoy; don’t let it be a chore.