My August Monthly 2020
Health comes in many forms. By understanding what matters most and engaging in your health I believe you can live a full life.
Grub: a little myth busting time. Do you know the rule for 8 cups of water a day was most likely a mistaken recommendation from a study done in the 40s? Hydration gets so much attention it is considered blasphemy to question it, but like so many things in nutrition hydration is only a small portion of being healthy. Hydration is necessary it's just not as important as we are lead to believe (...if you are doing the ironman or hiking in the Sahara it's probably a bigger focus). We get liquids in our foods, even coffee, tea, and alcohol can add to our hydration. Although drinking 8 cups of water wont hurt you this mistaken dogma is a good reminder to question and read deeper on most things in health and wellness. To dig deeper on this topic read this fantastic critique of the evidence.
Mental health: health concerns and injuries can be scary. To lessen both mental strain and the burden on the healthcare system, it can help to become more educated. If you are considering medical testing, read this article (more is not always better) and ask your care provider a few questions. When you empower yourself with knowledge you feel more in control (better mental health) and help bring down unnecessary healthcare costs. If the test is necessary you have it done and if it is deemed “too much” you save yourself worry, time, and tax dollars.
Sleep: I think we can all agree, sleep is important for our health: it impacts blood pressure, stress, weight management, performance, and other health markers. You know about good sleep hygiene but the secret sauce is finding the time to sleep. I have discussed cutting back on netflix but what are other things you can consider? How can you simplify to give yourself more time? Consider the following questions. Have I added to my weekly activities without removing something? Have I considered dropping an activity or habit to free up time? Can I be more efficient at work and shorten my day? Can I shorten my workout to 40 minutes instead of an hour? What can I stop doing tomorrow (think stop doing list, instead of to do list)?
Exercise: a quick lesson on building strength. Brad Schoenfeld is a seminal publisher on anything strength and hypertrophy (the growth of muscles). After reading one of his more recent papers I was reminded me of how long we need to commit to exercise to make considerable strength gains. There is no doubt if you are consistent or brand new to exercise you can see changes in six weeks but to make gains that stick you need to commitment to training year in and year out. As with anything in life the great things come over years not months or weeks. Have you stuck with an exercise plan for a year? It is not for everyone but get a plan, enjoy the process and - give it a whirl for a year.
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