Fabulous primer on wellness for you, including the daily supplement protocol taken by a leading light in nutrition world. Michael starts by setting out what he sees as the golden rules of nutrition to note:
Rule #1 – Dietary supplements are intended to add nutrition to our day – to help fill gaps and to help overcome individual enzyme deficiencies. They are not intended to replace food or to cancel bad food choices. When possible, limit or eliminate exposure to harmful substances.
Rule #2 – What we eat is very important, but that is just one component of wellness. We are what we eat, but we are also what we think, and what we do.
Rule #3 – Biochemical Individuality is important. Our differing genetics and lifestyle cause widely different biochemical needs. No two people have the exact same needs and optimal plan.
Rule #4 – The goal of nutrition is to help us live our best, most functional lives – to make the most of what we have. Some essential nutrients have been proven to reduce the risk of birth defects (e.g. folic acid and neural tube defects). Essential nutrients taken at appropriate doses for individual needs can improve management of some unfortunate inherited conditions. See Rule #3. Developing cancer at 80 vs. 60 vs. 40 years of age is different. Extending the functional lifespan by even a few years can be meaningful, and will appear different for each person.
And continues with the main pillars of health as he sees it:
Pillars of Wellness
Mindset – Joy, gratitude, peace, and resiliency are important components of success and wellness. The human brain is a dynamic organ with extraordinary capabilities and flexibility. It also must be well fed to support its enormous metabolic needs and structural requirements. However, those who have survived the most horrific experiences with little to no nutritional options on battlefields, in prisoner of war camps, and in holocaust camps remind us of the overarching importance of mental discipline, grit, and encouragement. Hope and mindset matter.
Movement – Whether formal exercise or not, keep moving. Staying active helps the whole body and mind. Exercise mobilizes white blood cells, improves circulation, builds endurance, improves sleep, and has positive epigenetic effects on thousands of genes. As Theodore Roosevelt learned from Squire Bill Widener, “Do what you can with what you’ve got, where you are.” Keep moving!
Sleep – We all need rest. Sleep involves a complicated series of stages that have mental and physical regenerative impact. There are organ specific stem cells that are only active doing repair work during certain phases of sleep. As motivational speaker Jon Gordon says, “You can’t replace sleep with a double latte.” Human biology is more complicated than a coffee shop. Sleep is critical to long term wellness.
Fab. Excellent reminders. Read the whole article here – there’s a lot of sense in it.