In my short 32 years, I’ve learned that most people don’t like change. Additionally, even when we do change, it’s usually a slow drawn out process. Every once in a while, change happens quickly because of some dramatic event which suddenly alters your perspective.
I used to think I could write and communicate such that I could inspire people to change their habits quickly. Boy was I ignorant. Depending on how long you’ve been reading my stuff, I think you’ll agree that my words have taken a more conversational and non-assumptive tone in recent years.
I’m writing this article as an official sign-off from weekly posts from AVP.com. I am going to focus on the upcoming tournament and travel schedule through the end of the summer. Other athletes are going to contribute posts on AVP.com. I’ll write some opinions and posts when I can. I’ll include links at the end so you can follow whatever I do if you wish. I’ll continue to write for DiG Beach Volleyball Magazine. If you don’t have a subscription, I recommend you get one, it’s a good publication.
I appreciate every person who comes up to me at tournaments, after practice, or messages me on Facebook or email. I’m humbled if I have in some way made a positive impact on your approach to health. That’s why I am writing this column as an all-in-one of sorts, something that maybe you can even reference back to time and again as your habits and lifestyle change. If you want a template to customize for your own health goals, the next few paragraphs will give you just that.
Avoidance and detox.
There are something like 70,000 chemicals that man has created in the last 150 years. Most of them are detrimental to our health if they get inside your body. Our skin is like a sponge, so you should assume much of what touches your skin gets inside your blood. I’m talking everything, like hand soap, body wash, shampoo, make up, hair dye, body lotion, toothpaste, laundry detergent and over the counter medicines from the drug store to name a few. Challenge yourself to find natural alternative products for the conventional, chemically-laden name brands. Chemicals can disrupt natural processes inside of our body that over time can result in serious problems.
Your home is where you spend much of your time and can control the environment the most. Seriously consider filtering the air, filtering your bath water and especially your drinking water. After all, the air and water contain a cocktail of chemicals. Many municipal water sources not only have chlorine and fluoride, but they recycle shower and toilet water by filtering it clean again. Make no mistake, traces of all the pharmaceutical drugs taken by your neighbors remain for you to be exposed to.
That’s why my philosophy is to “keep it out and then get it out!” Try and keep it out of your body first, and then make an effort to get it out (whatever you are exposed to) through purposeful detoxification protocols.
Grow your own food.
Even certified organic foods have “approved” chemicals in them and on them. We are fast approaching a point where the only sure way to (economically) get the highest quality food is to grow it ourselves. Even growing a little bit yourself means you are eating less store-bought food that contains chemicals and hormones you’d rather not have in your body.
Start slow, read an organic gardening book in your spare time, read blogs, watch videos. If you have 5 square feet, then embrace that and do what you can. Growing even one piece of food for yourself is a spiritual experience like no other.
Digestion.
Digestion is one of the most important elements to our short-term and long-term health. It’s a broad topic, so I will say this. If you pay attention to consuming foods and taking herbs that improve your digestion, I guarantee you better health and a happier life.
Your “gut” (small intestines) are where much of your immune system operates. By giving our body the right tools to encourage healthy gut bacterial balance, proper break down and digestion of food, prebiotics and probiotic bacteria, you’ll go a long way in life. *Sugar interferes with all this, so consider how to reduce your sugar consumption.
Oxidative stress.
You’ll read more and more about oxidative stress in the coming years. It’s all about how our body is aging on a cellular level. Oxygen is critical for us to breathe and function, and yet it also interacts with our cells in such a way that ages them faster. Anti-oxidants are so important to combating this issue. Keep an eye out and ear open for super foods and super herbs that specialize in providing anti-oxidants to combat oxidative stress on a cellular level.
Brain health.
Name a mental health condition and I can blindly tell you which direction the arrow is going in terms of increased affliction: UP. Alzheimer’s, autism, dementia etc. You only get one brain, and it’s hard to reverse these conditions once they manifest themselves. The most dangerous part is that they often give no signs of manifestation and can take a whole lifetime (like Alzheimer’s) to show up. There is no one size fits all prescription for a healthy brain and eliminating the risk.
What you can do is avoid and detox from exposure to the most concerning risk factors: Heavy metals like mercury, cadmium, lead, and aluminum, and excitotoxins like MSG and aspartame.
Look into adding essential brain nutrients and herbs that boost brain health like omega 3s (DHA specifically) and herbs like gingko and mucuna.
Ground yourself.
Did you know that the earth emits a protective electrical field that helps keep us healthy when we are absorbing the negative ionic charge? However, there is a catch. We have to be touching the earth with our skin to conduct the ions. I’ve been trying to avoid putting links throughout the article, but you should go to https://www.earthing.com/what-is-earthing/
Live Happy.
Yup, just that simple, and yet so hard for many of us to do. Sure, strive for more of what matters, but don’t get caught up in the chase of what doesn’t. You don’t have to make a lot of money to live richly. Make it your goal to be the best you can be, not the best compared to others. This philosophy has had a profound influence on me recently. My mindset has shifted even when I play beach volleyball. I’m not caught up in trying to be “the best in the world” anymore. My goal is to be the “best I can be” and maybe that means more competitive success, but maybe it doesn’t. Either way, I’ll be happy.
When I post future articles, opinions and the like, you can connect with me on various social media to keep in touch and I may even add a blog feature to my website to archive content. I’ll keep posting with #MrHealthyMondays as well.
Facebook.com/avpRuss Facebook.com/WorldHealthClub
Twitter.com/avpRuss Twitter.com/WorldHealthHub
Here is my email address too: support@worldhealthhub.com
Bye for now.