What is health and what are the simplest and most effective ways to attain it?

This is a very good question. We live in a world full of contradictions, especially when it comes to our health and the best ways for achieving and maintaining it. Each of us, to at least some degree believes that we understand what it means to be healthy but do we really? Let me ask you to think about this for a moment; what do you think that health means?

The simple answer for most is: “the freedom from disease, injury and impairment.”  

At first blush, appears comprehensive enough, but is it?  It is interesting that in terms of prevailing 21st century thought and attitudes on this subject, we have been conditioned to look at health as the absence of something perceived as harmful or dangerous such as disease, rather than the more logical approach found in the continuous pursuit of something positive and empowering such as an enhanced quality of life, optimized performance or improved vitality. One approach is based upon avoidance and the other on attainment. Looking at the volume of advertising by the pharmaceutical industry, there is almost an undercurrent of influence conditioning us to believe that having one or more diseases is to be expected and a normal part of life. I believe that fighting disease (although necessary) will never make us healthier. We will only survive as a species by finding ways to make stronger and more efficient humans.

I believe that health, not disease, is the intended functional state for the human experience we call life and is achieved when the body is in a state of physiological conditioning where all the systems responsible for maintaining life are working with efficiency, minimal restriction, or negative influence. On the other side of the coin, we know for sure, that health is not a thing that can be readily quantified. For example, someone may appear physically healthy but be suffering from terribly debilitating anxiety that can be identified but certainly not necessarily measured. As well, it is impossible to calculate the impact that any form of stress may be having on the body, especially if that person is already functionally compromised.  For a navy seal, combat may have minimal impact due to his conditioning and training, but one episode of bullying for a 13-year-old female could have devastating and long-lasting impact upon her body and we have no way to measure either the immediate or long-term impact.

One thing is unequivocal, the better you take care of your body, the better it will take of you. So, what is involved in the process of taking care of one’s body? To answer this, we must first look at what it means to be alive, for it is here embedded in human evolution that the keys to health maintenance, and vitality are to be found. The gateway to this is contained in the definition of life. This may seem a little rhetorical, but is it? One of science’s most enigmatic discoveries, is that the phenomenon we call life, when broken down to its most base component is nothing more that purpose driven energy and that this energy in its core simplicity is just one thing… intelligence directed movement. The more efficient the energy production, the better the movement within the system which leads to greater capacity for repair and durability. This when projected forward becomes a measure of health potential, which is a direct mirroring of our ability to adapt. The culmination becomes a depiction of our capacity for survival.

In the animal kingdom there are six features common to all forms of life. We must eat, drink, breath, discharge waste (detoxify), move and reproduce. It is obvious that although reproduction is critical to species continuation, it is irrelevant to the day-to-day business of living. Taking this out of the equation, the following become the five pillars of health. They are reasoned food management, optimal fluid intake, functional breathing, effective elimination of wastes and toxins, efficient and purposeful movement... When you experience a breakdown in any of the above core systems, the resultant weakness will eventually emerge as disease. Conversely, when managed effectively, the above five systems serve to protect the integrity of the whole, create a platform for efficient energy production and ultimately foster health and longevity. It is here that you find the keys to health and best strategy for warding off disease. Over the next several months, we will explore health from as many different approaches as possible as we search for the holy grail of life, that being an existence of maximum health potential. For now, let me give you five straightforward tips to start you on your journey.

1. Move with regularity. The human body was engineered over time for one overarching purpose and that being movement. Try to move with consistency at least three times per day. Here, even five-minute intervals will give your physiology a boost.

2. Hydrate. Drink at least 4 eight-ounce glasses of water per day. One before each meal and a fourth mid afternoon.

3. Isolate the three major sources of refined carbohydrates and sugars in your diet and eliminate them one per week over the next three weeks. This will help you lose weight if needed, reduce systemic strain on key organ systems and increase your energy levels dramatically by reducing the burden on mitochondrial function.

4. Breath with purpose. A simple and efficient approach I employ is “Box Breathing.” Look up the details through Google and there are demonstrations of the process readily available. It is easy and can be done anywhere. This helps as a stress reduction tool and an energy boost, as part of a meditation program and has been employed as a sleep aid for some.

5. Read “How to Stop Worrying and Start Living” by Dale Carnegie. Even after more than 75 years since it’s publication, this wonderful little book that explores the lives of ordinary people will help to reset your brain and allow you to keep life in perspective.

Next month, we will look at critical signs that your health may be depleting.

About the Author: Dr. POOLEY has been in practice for over 46 years, is a former champion bodybuilder and author of the book the Un-Diet Diet.