Health Hack: Transform Your Life with the 4 Pillars of Health
We’ve all experienced that pivotal moment when you realise your life needs a total overhaul - maybe you’re exhausted after a full night’s sleep, running on a short fuse and snapping at everyone and everything, or suffering from digestive distress on the daily. But sensing you need a change can feel like a million miles from knowing where to begin. Should you try a new diet? Wake up earlier? Hit the gym? Or take up meditation? The truth, according to many experts, is all four. But before you get overwhelmed, know that you don’t have to completely revamp every corner of your life to see big changes. In fact, according to yoga’s holistic sister science Ayurveda, you can make a few small changes in each area that will add up to big benefits.
Ayurvedic lifestyle recommendations are based around the four pillars of health. In truth, if these were the four legs of a stool, you could probably get away with only three legs and be mostly ok for quite a while. But get down to only two legs and you’re in danger of toppling over. Ideally, tend to each leg in moderation and enjoy stability in your body and mind with optimal health.
DIET
According to Ayurvedic science, diet and digestion account for 80% of all disease. With the convenience of processed foods, two out of three UK adults and 61% of US adults report suffering digestive disorders. There’s no end of information out there about so-called “superfoods” but it turns out timing may be almost as important as what you eat.
Eat breakfast by 8am and keep it light - enjoy fruits or cooked grains while your digestion is still waking up after your overnight fast.
Make lunch your main meal while your metabolism is at its highest, and try to get a lean protein (poultry, fish, legumes or beans), cooked vegetables and whole grains on your plate.
Eat dinner by 7:30pm and make it a lighter meal, such as a warm, satisfying but digestible soup.
SLEEP
You can eat all the fruits and veggies in the world, but if you’re not sleeping well there’s only so much your body can do with it. Good quality and quantity of sleep helps your body repair muscles, regulates hormones, restore energy and supports your memory and ability to process information.
Try to get to bed by 10:30pm at the latest - for the hour before bedtime, turn off as many lights as you can, power down screens and start to train your body to recognize when it’s time to rest.
Wake up around or a little before sunrise - if you can, watch the sun rise to signal to your physiology that it’s time to be up and active.
If you need rest during the day, avoid naps and instead try a guided yoga nidra like this one. Relaxation techniques can help retrain your nervous system to be more fluent in the “language” of rest.
EXERCISE
We’ve long known that exercise is important for cardiovascular health, moving lymph to support immune health, and even to boost your mood with feel-good hormones like Seratonin, but it turns out that you don’t have to be doing high intensity workouts daily to reap the benefits. An encouraging 2019 study in the British Journal of Sport Medicine suggested everyday activities where you’re on the go, like gardening or housework, can be just as beneficial.
Ideally, exercise in the morning - this is a great way to boost your energy for the day ahead.
Make sure you can still breathe deeply through your nose while you’re exercising - if you’re gasping for air, you’re likely stressing your nervous system.
Exercise according to your own capacity - if you’re lightweight and tend towards exhaustion, enjoy lighter activity like yoga and walking. If you’re sturdier with good endurance, go for moderate-vigorous exercise.
STRESS REDUCTION
The high price of chronic stress includes poor memory, compromised immunity, weight gain and hypertension and since life doesn’t appear to be getting any easier, it’s up to us to fortify ourselves to the best of our own abilities.
Spend time in nature - one study suggests that two hours a week outdoors is enough to improve health and wellbeing, and best of all, it’s free!
Take up a daily meditation practice which studies suggest may be more beneficial than taking a vacation. Search here for your local Transcendental Meditation teacher or find free, guided practices on Insight Timer.
Keep good company - positive friends with shared ideals help you stay regular in your healthy habits and uplift you.
Still sound like a lot? I recommend either picking one pillar and focusing on that for a month before moving onto the next, or picking one tip from each pillar for a month. Before you know it, you won't remember what life was like before you started.
