When I was in Florida this week, and without having planned for it, I had the chance to spend three hours with Chris Johnson who has focused on health and wellness for over 30 years. I was introduced to good exercises, good diet and to understanding at a basic level, what we are doing that is either good for our bodies and our brains.
In college Chris Johnson had a two-hour talk with Dr. Kwok Ho, an exercise physiology professor from Michigan State University. Dr. Ho asked all the right questions and as Chris stood up and got ready to leave he heard something that he would never forget. Dr. Ho said, "You are a prevention guy so help people get and stay healthy!"
That resonated with me, since in my own work on Social Impact Investing, I have realized that there is less cost to society with prevention, rather than cure (or worse, emergency center visits).
In my three hours with him, I heard Chris focus on achieving a balanced life with increased energy and vitality by blending intelligent nutrition, quality exercise and restorative rest and recovery.
By the way, he is in his mid-50s - and while it is not readily apparent, he is a body builder also, and enters competitions in his age category. (That, as they say, is beyond my pay grade!)
Here is Chris in a 5-minute video explaining his three concepts for focusing on healthy living - i) Cellular Health, ii) pH balance, iii) source of food
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OjI_AqNBSJo
Top 10 tips I picked up from my three hour session with Chris Johnson:
1. Daily cod liver oil: Chris doled out spoonfuls at his session. That taste wasn't as bad as I feared. I am in!
2. More water: Surprising that this has to be a reminder. But, hey, I needed this reminder!
7. Foam roller: This was beyond simple to try. I still cannot get over how good it feels to just lie on this truly silly little piece of foam for just two minutes!
Eight stretches illustrated: http://health.usnews.com/health-news/diet-fitness/articles/2009/04/10/flexibility-8-stretches-that-will-stretch-your-workout-routine
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| Chris Johnson - On Target Living |
That resonated with me, since in my own work on Social Impact Investing, I have realized that there is less cost to society with prevention, rather than cure (or worse, emergency center visits).
In my three hours with him, I heard Chris focus on achieving a balanced life with increased energy and vitality by blending intelligent nutrition, quality exercise and restorative rest and recovery.
By the way, he is in his mid-50s - and while it is not readily apparent, he is a body builder also, and enters competitions in his age category. (That, as they say, is beyond my pay grade!)
Here is Chris in a 5-minute video explaining his three concepts for focusing on healthy living - i) Cellular Health, ii) pH balance, iii) source of food
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OjI_AqNBSJo
Top 10 tips I picked up from my three hour session with Chris Johnson:
1. Daily cod liver oil: Chris doled out spoonfuls at his session. That taste wasn't as bad as I feared. I am in!
2. More water: Surprising that this has to be a reminder. But, hey, I needed this reminder!
Mayo Clinic on water: http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-living/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/in-depth/water/art-20044256
3. Magnesium: Easiest way to get magnesium into the body is by having a epsom salt foot bath twice a week.
National Institute of Health on benefits of Magnesium: http://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Magnesium-HealthProfessional/
4. Eliminate transfats: To his point about cellular health, these hurt cells in our bodies. (Why go there?!)
Dangers of transfats: http://www.naturalnews.com/027445_fat_fats_trans.html
5. Greens and Berries: We ALL know this - let's get on with this shall we . . . ?
WebMD on antiodixants: http://www.webmd.com/diet/features/antioxidants-in-fruits
6. Protein: I have been consuming whey protein. Flax seeds and chia seeds are recommended as better substitutes
Benefits of flax seeds: http://www.webmd.com/diet/features/benefits-of-flaxseed
From Men's Health: http://www.menshealth.com/best-life/foam-rolling#
8. Stretches: Much like Yoga, there are basic stretches using your own body weight, that stretch and strengthen every part of the body.
Eight stretches illustrated: http://health.usnews.com/health-news/diet-fitness/articles/2009/04/10/flexibility-8-stretches-that-will-stretch-your-workout-routine
9. Belly Breathing: If you have trouble sleeping, if you took two deep belly breaths, once on each side and once on your back, chances are you are sleeping before the sixth belly breath you take.
Technical term is diaphragmatic breathing: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diaphragmatic_breathing
10. Rest and Sleep: Modern culture values people who claim to sleep less. After all, NY is the city that 'never sleeps.' All kinds of bad stuff happens when we don't rest or sleep, including aging faster and lowering immunity.
Harvard Health on importance of sleep: http://www.health.harvard.edu/press_releases/importance_of_sleep_and_health
Obviously there were many more things I was taught including good exercises, the wastefulness of too much cardio exercise, importance of strengthening key muscles etc. But even these 10 tips that appealed to me, that I have listed above, won't be easy to incorporate all at once.
But I might work my way through the list incorporating them one at a time. I think I will start with, ahem,.... #10 !!
8 comments:
Nice list Surya... thanks for sharing. I recently started looking at the Metabolic typing diet . Following the advice I found in that book has been really energizing and, I hope, will actually lead to weight loss. We'll see!
I certainly agree with all the recommendations. What is more important is that these must be followed by youngsters so that they can develop an actual healthy life style.
thanks for sharing..
Thanks for Sharing..
This is a lovely summary of many things that only experience can teach.
Nice summary!
Read Dr. Joel Fuhrman's Eat to Live and follow his vegan diet advise. You will do well.
Good advice.
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