10 Habits of Highly Healthy People

I'm a big fan of "laws" and "principles" as they apply to health, fitness, and life in general. I know there isn't a "one size fits all" formula for the way people should live their lives but I do believe if we conduct ourselves according to a certain set of guidelines, we will reduce the probability of running into the many pitfalls that life may bring us. Not only that, but we will be more equipped to cope with these pitfalls as a result of our strengthened character. I'm currently reading a book called The Law of Success by Napolean Hill, which may serve as my personal bible from this point on. It outlines 15 laws that are highly correlated with people who live the happiest and most fulfilling lives. I figure if I can apply at least a couple of these laws into my life I will be on my way to a higher level of functioning.

Below is an article by Dr. Johnny Bowden, certified nutritionist and health enthusiast, who lays out "The Nine Habits of Highly Healthy People". Inspired by Stephen Covey's Seven Habits of Highly Effective People, which by the way is another great read for those interested in personal development, provides a great foundation to living a longer and healthier life.

1. Eat your vegetables. No kidding. And I’m talking at least 9 servings a day.. Unless you’re following the most stringent first stage of the Atkins Diet, you should be able to consume 60-120 grams of carbs a day (depending on your weight and exercise level), and you’d have to eat a stockyard full of spinach to get to that amount. Every major study of long-lived, healthy people shows that they eat a ton of plant foods. Nothing delivers antioxidants, fiber, flavonoids, indoles, and the entire pharmacopia of disease fighting phytochemicals like stuff that grows.
   
2. Eat fish and/or take fish oil. The Omega-3’s found in cold-water fish like salmon deserve the title of “wellness molecule of the century”. They lower the risk of heart disease, they lower blood pressure, they improve mood and they’re good for the brain. And if you’re pregnant, they may make your kid smarter!
   
3. Connect. And I’m not talking about the internet. In virtually every study of people who are healthy and happy into their 9th and 10th decade, social connections are one of the “prime movers” in their life. Whether church, family, volunteer work or community, finding something you care about that’s bigger than you that you can connect with and that involves other people (or animals) will extend your life, increase your energy, and make you happier. Only always.
   
4. Get some sun. At least 10-15 minutes three times a week. Interestingly, a recent study of four places in the globe where people lived the longest and were the healthiest noted that all four places were in sunny climates. Sun improves your mood and boosts levels of cancer-fighting, performance-enhancing, bone-strengthening vitamin D, a vitamin most people don’t get nearly enough of.
   
5. Sleep Well. If you’re low in energy, gaining weight, grumpy and looking haggard, guess what?- chances are you’re not sleeping nearly long enough nor well enough. By sleeping “well”, I mean uninterrupted sleep, in the dark, without the television on, in a relaxing environment. Nothing nourishes, replenishes and restarts the system like 7-9 hours sleep. Hint: start by going to bed an hour early. And if you’ve got a computer in the bedroom, banish it.
   
6. Exercise every day. Forget this 20 minutes three times a week stuff. Long lived people are doing things like farm chores at 4:30 in the morning! Our Paleolithic ancestors traveled an average of 20 miles per day. Our bodies were designed to move on a regular basis. New studies show that merely 30 minutes a day of walking not only reduces the risk of most serious diseases, but can even grow new brain cells!
   
7. Practice Gratitude. By making a list of things you’re grateful for, you focus the brain on positive energy. Gratitude is incompatable with anger and stress. Practice using your under-utilized “right brain” and spread some love. Focusing on what you’re grateful for- even for five minutes a day- has the added benefit of being one of the best stress-reduction techniques on the planet.
   
8. Drink red wine or eat grapes. The resveratrol in dark grapes is being studied for its effect on extending life, which it seems to do for almost every species studied. (So does eating about 1/3 less food, by the way.) If you’ve got a problem with alcohol, you can get resveratrol from grapes, peanuts or supplements. (And if you’re a woman, and you choose the alcohol option, make sure you’re getting folic acid every day.)
   
9. Get the sugar out. The number one enemy of vitality, health and longevity is not fat, it’s sugar. Sugar’s effect on hormones, moods, immunity, weight and possibly even cancer cells is enormous, and it’s all negative. To the extent that you can remove it from your diet, you will be adding years to your life and life to your years.

Of course this blog wouldn't be complete without me putting in my two cents. Aside from clean eating, plenty of sleep and regular exercise, we need to manage stress and improve our lives by choosing more fulfilling career paths. This brings me to the 10th habit which most us are guilty of neglecting for one reason or another.

10. Do what you love for a living. That's right, most of us are in an unfortunate situation where we have jobs that serve simply as a means to and end but provide little to no satisfaction. We spend at least one third of our adult lives working to survive. With that much time devoted to work, we should ensure that our chosen career paths are rewarding not only financially but also emotionally and intellectually. The Law of Success states the we should live life in the pursuit and fulfillment of our "definite chief aim" or simply our purpose in life. Our time on this planet is short and before you know it, it's time to get in that box. Overcome stress by living life with an eagerness to succeed rather than a fear of failure.