Simplicity and Serenity

Health is supposed to be simple. Even animals understand and act on that rather intuitively. When dogs need to improve digestion, they increase their fiber intake, or as some claim when they are sick, they sniff and eat grass.

In fact, even wild animals like the hare, who are in constant danger, manage their stress levels well and live normal and productive existence. Animals are generally calm and do not worry unnecessarily. They sleep when they have to, and then wake up and “work” when they have to.

Our pets do not even worry about the food they will eat. We generally bring it to them or they find food themselves in their environment. We humans do worry a lot and that adds problem to our health.

What The Experts Say

No doubt military men have to be the healthiest and sharpest of all because of the life and death situation of their jobs. And I have always thought that they are like the Rambo type – the muscular go-getter guys that defy basic rules of humanity by their mental “suicidal” prowess, muscular hulk shapes, and high-dose-of-caffeine no sleeping habits!

Yet the US Army tells otherwise. They neatly developed a performance triad that experts on these areas have been espousing all these years.

No less than the Lt. Gen. Patricia D. Horoho, the surgeon general and commanding Officer of the U.S. Army Medical Command, spearheaded the program in 2013. The program has been part of the US Army’s vitality “DNA” since then.

Sleep Well…

A SAP executive in India died at at ender age of 42 despite his strict diet and regular exercise. It was found that the simple reason was not having enough sleep – he only slept 4-5 hours a day!

The US Marine have long understood that if their troops’ brain is their greatest asset, then it must have enough ammunition of sleep. So they decided to require at least 7-8 hours of snoozing.

To think that we have always thought of soldiers and policemen as terminator-type of people who can function well even when sleep deprived! I like Elon Musk for all his innovative Space X, Tesla, and Boring companies. But I certainly do not share his penchant for 120 hours work-week and Ambien-taking-habits to counter his lack of sleep.

We are advised to make our sleeping schedule predictable so that our circadian rhythm is properly established. Try to sleep early too because of its many scientifically proven benefits.

More importantly, regular and early sleeping habit allows hitting the Rapid Eye Movement (REM) stage that energizes the brain and body.

It is also during this period when dreaming occurs but as to why it is, is not well-established. At the least, it probably gives us a short video of the cares and/or yearning of our hearts… and I hope it is all sweet dreams. 🙂

To help, sleep in a dark, comfortable, and cool room where silence rules. Buy an eye mask that can help you shield unwanted light especially during lunch break siesta or when you are on the road. Take power naps – they have been studied to be powerful energy boosters that even Japanese companies and their government encourages.

Eat Well…

How difficult could that get? At the very least, we need to eat only in moderation – we are not even commanded to refrain from whatever food we like!

Health they say is 80% nutrition. But I dare say it is 80% volume of food taken because anything excessive can lead to “weight gain and obesity-related disease”!

In fact, a very recent research encourages us to avoid the low-carb (as well as the high-carb) diet if we want to live longer. In other words, moderation is the key.

Chew that food. Savor it with friends. Remove the rush and the rascal way of eating. Be like the French who are generally slim despite their elaborate eating with families and friends. They slowly enjoy the wine and cheese, the main course, and all the way to the dessert all in small servings.

Feast if we must when attending fiestas and special occasions. But we do not have to gobble like an ogre! Take a bite and then chew while having a good chat with a relative or long lost friend.

Isn’t that what fiestas and celebrations are meant to be in the first place – to reconnect? So enjoy the chats and the company and make all the food and the drinks secondary.

Move Well!

“Sitting is the new cancer” — this is what is being espoused now by no less than Apple’s CEO Tim Cook! Of course, this is not literal and the “marketing pitch” came with the launching of the Apple Watch. But it is a proven though that a sedentary and inactive life increases the likelihood for many illnesses.

But why aren’t we moving or exercising still? And why have we even bought all those expensive stationary bikes and treadmills (and the new fave sports smart watches) only to be set aside a couple of use after? We do not even need these accessories.

There are roads in front of our houses and a simple 30-minute walk daily will do the trick. Then give it a HIIT boost of speed! It is a healthy jolt to your heart by running if you have a nearby and safe-to-sprint park. Really, there is no excuse.

Death of Discipline

So what is the problem? Crazily simple. We have avoided simple forms of discipline. Eat on time. Work on time. Go home on time. Sleep on time. And all in moderation.

The moment we disturb these patterns and limits, the sleeping and working schemes get disturbed as well. Then the complications become bigger and bigger until one has developed insomnia and sickness for all the worries that have risen out of our lack of a structured life as simple as 1, 2, and 3.

Note1: We can help your team develop healthier, happier, less stressful, and more focused and engaged lives. Drop us a line at connect@icross.ph. 🙂

Note2: Sleeping woman photo credits: https://www.livescience.com/61381-sleep-more-eat-better.html