MY APPROACH TO HEALTH

Being healthy isn’t hard. At least, it doesn’t have to be! I see so many excuses as to why people aren’t healthy, don’t look or feel the way they would like too. Currently, with all the information that is out there, as to how to keep ourselves fit and healthy, it amazes me why more people aren’t. When the worlds top 5 biggest killers are from preventable conditions, the evidence speaks for itself.

I do and I don’t blame the individuals. I understand that life can be hard and that there’s a lot of things that can play on your health. However, they have the power to take control of their lives. The thing is we all know what to do, just not all of us do it. What is holding us back?

Yes, genetics does play a factor in this equation and there is such a thing as a “non-responder” to traditional diet and exercise. Yes, “Big” Corporations make a tonne of money off you buying crap and they have perfected the art of advertising to draw you into their trap. Yes, you have responsibilities to take care of and my “lack time”. You might not have access to gym equipment, nor be able to purchase it. None of that is an excuse to not take your health seriously. If you don’t take control of your health, it will take control of you. You’ll get fat, you’ll develop a range of diseases, you will be immunosuppressed, you will have an increased likelihood of developing depression and your brain function will plummet. If you act, things can very different! However, being fit and healthy will help you get the most out of life.

Now that’s ho I would do things. Go to the right health professionals to obtain the information I need to take control of my health. What to do with this information? Well if there is an issue your health professional will let you know and further investigation can then be organised if needed. I would also keep these records and compare to past results, if there is a trend arising that could negatively affect your health, you can raise your concerns with your health professional I still do this even though I appear fit and healthy, eat well and exercise regularly.

Some might say I go a bit overboard, but it’s what works for me. Your health, being your most delicate and precious part of you, I wouldn’t be skimping out on it, your life depends on it. How are you supposed to serve a greater good if you can’t look after yourself?

I would urge everyone to take their health seriously and do it now! There is never a better time than now. Go and get regular health checks and start building healthy habits that you carry throughout your lifetime. This should help prolong how many “healthy years” you have.

If being healthy is as easy as getting regular health checks, then why isn’t everyone healthy? Same reason as before. People haven’t made their health a priority. National exercise guidelines for Australia are bare minimum requirements to sustain physical health. You need to make a purposeful ongoing effort to exercise right and eat healthily.

Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy a burger and a beer as much as the next bloke, but I ensure it’s something I don’t have every day. Creating a healthy balance.

How have I taken control of my health? I get professional help and do my annual total health check. That includes:

1. Anthropometry - Blood Pressure, Resting Heart Rate, Waist circumference, Hip-waist ratio, BMI, energy levels, etc.

2. Musculoskeletal Screen - Strength, Flexibility, Power, areas of soreness, etc.

3. Blood Test - Lipid profile, Micro-nutrients, Full Blood Count, Hormone levels

4. VO2 max test - VO2, lactate threshold, max HR, (ECG optional)

5. DEXA - Bone density, muscle mass, fat mass

6. Strength Testing - Squat, deadlift, row-cable, press

7. 3 Day Diet Assessment

Other tests that I would consider if I had particular concerns about the following:

• Sleep (Insomnia) = Sleep study

• Blood Sugar levels = Fasting Oral Glucose Tolerant Test

• Balance = Berg Balance or Minibest

• Blood Pressure/High Cholesterol = ABI, Pulse Wave Velocity, Flow-mediated dilatation

• Breathing Difficulties = Spirometry testing

• Weight Gain = Lipox Max test

• Anaerobic Power = Wingate test

• Cognitive Decline (reduced brain function) Alzheimer’s = Mini-mental State exam

• Poor Mood = Psychology interview/Analysis

People ask me what is the minimum amount o exercise I can do and still be healthy? Saying things as I go for a walk every day, isn’t that enough? No! Well, actually it might be if it’s a tough walk where you are short of breath and there are plenty of hills and it goes for an hour. But most people are not doing that, in fact, they would possibly perceive they are doing more or equal to me as I do not necessarily spend that much time on it, plus my perceived effort is less for the same activity as I’m actually fit ad I enjoy the exercise that I do. The most important thing I would say about exercise is that it should be enjoyable to you in some way. The next thing is if it’s not somewhat difficult it is probably not doing much. Even Joe Rogan advocates that we should all participate in hard strenuous exercise regularly to really reap the benefits. If you are not sure where to start, seek help from the likes of an exercise physiologist to get you started and going in the right direction.

Okay, that’s some fundamentals on exercise, what about diet? Well, all these needs are specific to you. Things like culture, food availability, food breaks @ work, refrigeration options and healthy options need to come into consideration. I find it easiest to have most of my meals planned out and have some form of regularity in terms of snacks, such as always having fruit and nuts available as a healthy snack. Having things, such as yogurt and up-and-goes ready to go in your fridge. Not buying crap and having that in your fridge. Sharing your chocolate with others or at least spread out how much you eat of it.

Those starvation and detox diets do not work! But I’ve lost weight on them before you say. Well, it’s likely that you put all the weight back on and more and now it is twice as hard to get rid of the extra weight. Some simple concepts to follow is “Fresh is Best”. Packaged and processed food should be kept to a minimum where possible. Try to avoid shopping on an empty stomach. Try and stick to the outside of the Supermarket. Try and plan out your main meals in advance and have healthy go-to snack options readily available. A diet that has a lot of evidence as being healthy and sustainable in the long term is a Mediterranean diet and intermittent fasting (16hr fast – 8 hours of the day you can eat). If you are looking to lose weight, you can combine that with fasted exercise, black coffee or green tea and high strength fish oil. Other diets that could be beneficial, but we are still awaiting good evidence for long term effects/benefits include the carnivore diet and a ketogenic diet. However, if you are looking to change what you eat, you should consult a dietitian. A good tool to monitor your diet is the My FitnessPal App. I would recommend everyone to track everything they eat for a week, 3 – 4 times a year, to see if what you are eating is actually as good as you think it is.

Take the time now to look after yourself and you will reap the benefits now and for years to come. It is never too late to get your health in check. You can do it and it is worth it.