People ask me all the time, "How do you manage to never get sick this time of year?" It seems that every year here in the midwest, when the roads start to get slippery and the green grass is coated in white - all the splendor of the season is masked and mired by sneezes, sniffles and hacks. I always have a difficult time sympathizing with illness because it never happens to me - and the truth is, I really don't have some sort of special secret to immunity. I have an immune system equivalent to group of navy seals - and if I had to pick a couple reasons why that might be, I guess I could give it a shot.
*Food - EAT IT!
I am incredibly picky about what I ingest. I've had a few years' worth of nutritional science classes and I keep regular tabs on health-related news from credible sources. I try to enjoy as much organic food as my budget will allow - but most of all, I just steer clear of eating foods that are obviously processed (like anything from a fast food establishment or most restaurants.) Yes, I do eat out on occasion, but I am careful about that too.
I make sure to eat a lot of fiber, and a lot of vegetables. I've found that after about a month of having a TRULY balanced diet, one loses the need for artificial uppers like gas station caffeine pills and Redbull. I say that specifically because even though I've always had an arsenal of good information about health, only in the last year or so have I actually been taking my own advice. While in undergrad, I lead a pretty unhealthy lifestyle. Though I never ate fast food, and didn't consume sugar - I still had three specific habits that lead to obesity:
1) Very little sleep
2) Skipping breakfast and eating late
3) Artificial everything
Granted, I really didn't get an opportunity to sleep much. When it came to my academic lifestyle, I took every hour I could squeeze from the day in order to create great work. All hours of the night would be spent consuming redbull, chainsmoking and writing/researching. It paid off, but my body suffered in the process. I stayed up too late, and woke up too early - never had time to eat breakfast and found myself gorging on food late at night just to stay fueled.
Over the last year I've come to realize that none of that is an excuse for poor living. Next fall I'll be a graduate student, and I will have even more on my plate in the academic world than ever before. The main goal is obviously to kick academic ass - but the equal and somewhat more challenging goal is to stay fit and healthy while doing it.
So, ultimately my advice is - no matter what, eat food and eat it frequently. Eating less does not equal losing weight - and trust me, if you're reading the right advice, you can find that published everywhere. Eat foods that fill you up - my favorite are green beans. Grab a can, and it's an easy 80 calories with 0 fat or cholestorol and a TON of energy believe it or not! I'm also a huge fan of oatmeal as a mid-day snack.
*Exercise - MOVE IT!
Buy a bike. Right now. Ride that bike. As often as possible.
I simply can't put enough emphasis on how biking improved my mental and physical health. There is something about the experience of being out on your bike, exploring an entirely different commute (even in areas that you thought you were familiar with.) Not to mention, a half an hour on a bike burns an average of 500 calories (More than double what a half an hour running on a treadmill can do!)
Do yoga. Seriously. I used to think it was lame and yuppie-ish, too. Get over it.
Yoga works. It pulls at areas you thought you weren't born with - and it relieves all those anxieties that riddled you throughout the day. Forget 100 crunches - six yoga moves and you can feel your abs and I bet you'll start working your ass off to see them, too.
Run nowhere.
I love my treadmill. I use it at least 5 days a week. It's the best way to start the day, and also gives me the opportunity to catch up on my political podcasts.
And if you can't manage any of that? I don't know what to tell you. Movement is a huge part of my life - I love any excuse to stay active. Sometimes my passion for reading and writing get in the way of how I would rather be at the sportsplex playing drop-in hockey or volleyball. I can tell you though, that if you move more you'll have less time to acknowledge illness and you'll be less willing to let it run its course.
*Happiness: SMILE!
You're alive - that's already enough to be thankful for. But, I suggest you figure out all the things and people that make you happy - and surround yourself with them as often as possible.
Find people who make you smile, effortlessly - it's the greatest gift you could ever receive.
Open your heart and your mind to what makes you a better human, to what improves the quality of your life.
Observe how you feel around certain people - and act on that. Always tell the poeple you love that you appreciate them, and do things for them to show those emotions. Send them gifts, write them letters, make them things, hug them, talk to them - any and all of it.
Indulge in activities that make you feel complete and successful. At all times have a goal, and work towards it a little every day.
Don't let debt stress you out. Everyone's in debt. If it's not a house, it's student loans. If it's not a car, it's credit cards. Regardless of whether or not you owe on something you regret years later - everybody owes. Try to take your everyday woes and universalize them - understand that you're not alone, and find comfort in that. You will be alright - even when you feel like it's all against you.
Happiness is contagious. Trust me, I've learned this lesson a little late - but it's one that I am very, very thankful for.
It is my belief that Food, Movement, and Happiness are the reason I remain healthy. Yes, we all have our days of desolate feelings and we all get grumpy now and again - but ultimately once we embrace our imperfections and allow people to love us for who we are, health radiates from the inside, out.
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