Tags
For decades, mainstream medicine has been teaching us that we don't really have much control over our health. The conditions we develop as we get older are just "luck of the draw," not under our control.
But is that true?
A growing number of scientists seem to think not. And it all comes down to observations of healthy populations in Western countries and around the world.
Take India, for instance. In the 1970s, the country was among the poorest in the world, with most of the population living at the subsistence level. But even back then, it had around twenty times fewer cases of bowel cancer per 1,000 people aged 55 and over compared to the West.
As researchers explored more data, they found stunning examples of dramatically different health outcomes, depending on where people lived. African missionary doctors, such as Hugh Trowell and Dennis Burkett discovered that heart disease and diabetes were practically non-existent in native communities, even among the older members of the population.
It's from these early studies that we get the science of nutrition and wellness today. Things have moved on a lot since those early days, but the basic findings remain the same - it seems that people can control their wellness by changing their lifestyles.
So what tools can you use to take control of your life back from civilization? Let's take a look.
Yoga
For many people, yoga is just another form of physical exercise. But that's only part of the discipline. Yes - there's a physical dimension to it. But there's also a spiritual one too.
This less tangible part of the practice is the real source of its power. You can do stretching and balancing poses all day long. But when you connect to the universe like a yogi, you immediately feel a deeper sense of self and wellbeing.
For instance, many people find that their yoga practices allow them to release emotions they've been storing up in their hips or back. When this happens, they experience a sensation of liberation which transforms their body's chemistry.
Food Planning Apps
Making sure you get all the proper nutrition can sometimes be a challenge, especially if you are low on time. But as wellness entrepreneur Dee Agarwal explains in a recent news article, you can now get food planning apps that take over a lot of the legwork for you. Instead of trying to figure out what you should be eating, these clever programs do all the leg work for you, freeing up your time and liberating you from your bad habits.
Mindfulness
The mind and the body are not two separate entities, but deeply intertwined with each other at a fundamental level. What happens in the mind impacts goings-on in the body and vice versa.
Unfortunately, many people in our society have minds that continually work against them. They would like their brains to be tools that assist them in living a great life. But instead, they find themselves wracked with unwanted thoughts and anxiety all day, holding them back.
Mindfulness is a tool that helps people escape unhealthy thought patterns and behaviours. With the right techniques, you can prevent things like overeating, stress and tension. And with enough practice, you can even alter your brain states to become more peaceful and receptive.
Health Trackers
Sometimes you'd like to be healthier, but you don't always know what changes to make. Here's where health trackers can help. These small devices usually come in the form or rings or watches and use sensors to collect bio-data from your body.
What's great about them is the level of support they offer. So, for instance, you can now get health-monitoring rings that tell you whether you've had a good night's sleep and how hard you can afford to push yourself afterwards. You can also get monitors that tell you whether you have heart trouble or you're feeling more stressed out than usual.
Ultimately, the goal of these trackers is to help people keep track of their health status. This way, they can quickly respond to the information they're getting, improving their health along the way.
Whole Food Diets
Going on a whole food diet is a challenge in the modern world, thanks to the sheer volume of processed junk on the market. However, making the switch can transform your health. It gives you more energy today, and it protects you against chronic illness in the future.
Just remember to eat foods as they come out of the soil or off the tree. You can cook them. But refined flours and oils are a big no-no under this regime.
