More research is coming out to show that some key areas contribute not just to our fitness, but our overall physical and mental wellbeing and how long we can live a healthy life; free from disease and illness.
I've been doing more in depth videos on these topics on my YouTube Channel; https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCdJcIns6u9JIwyMUes9zaAw
Here I summarise my thoughts
Sleep is so important! I've written about it here; https://www.ontherunhealthandfitness.co.uk/post/the-power-of-sleep
Meditation, mindfulness and stress management have a positive impact on lowering inflammation in the body and increasing the genes for self regulation this both improves our response to training and lower our risk of illness
Movement;
yoga and breath work for improving sympathetic nervous system and vagus nerve stimulation; putting out bodies in the mode where we can recover, relax and de-stress
Zone 2 heart rate, gentle aerobic exercise like easy running, cycling and swimming or brisk walking improves heart health, brain health and lowers the risk of many diseases. Aim for 3 hours a week for the brain health benefits.
Higher HR training for 20 minutes a week improves brain health and helps the body to rid itself of cancer cells
Balance, complex movement patterns (like juggling!) and learning new physical skills for both physical and brain health
Resistance or weight training; builds muscular strength, bone health, lower trip and fall risk and improves brain health
What we eat is so important - it provides the building blocks for everything our body is and does!
Make making good choices easy - what foods you keep in your house, what snacks you take out with you, what options are available to you.
Eat a variety of foods; lots of food groups, lots of different colours and try eating your way around the alphabet of fruit and veg each month!
Avoid ultra processed foods as they have been designed in a way that you eat more and they are very calorie rich and nutrient poor
Emotions; spending more time being loving/loved and feeling calm has been show to improve many health outcomes. Prioritise time for yourself, connections with love ones and calm, restful downtime.
Nature; being in nature and experiencing it with all our senses (including touch!) has a wide range of benefits on both mental and physical health
Comments