I have a simple but powerful idea for you that in physiology is known as hormesis. This idea can help us cut through a lot of the noise in health and wellness content so that you know what you can do to improve your performance and wellbeing in a healthy way.

Mindful movement is a form of physical activity that involves being present and aware of one's body and movements while exercising or performing physical activities. It involves paying attention to the sensations in the body, the breath, and the environment, and practicing moving in a way that is mindful and intentional.

Saunas and other forms of heat therapy have been used for centuries, and have been a big part of many cultures. But saunas are more than just an enjoyable, therapeutic, and often social activity. Research suggests that sauna use has many physical and mental health benefits.

“People don’t think much about breathing. Of all the things we take for granted, breathing must be number one. It’s our main source of life and energy. When I started focusing on my breathing, I became a stronger athlete and was better able to control my levels of effort and pain.”
— LAIRD HAMILTON

“People don’t think much about breathing. Of all the things we take for granted, breathing must be number one. It’s our main source of life and energy. When I started focusing on my breathing, I became a stronger athlete and was better able to control my levels of effort and pain.”
— LAIRD HAMILTON

In this era, we often don’t know the difference between a real and perceived threat, and we can get into a state of chronic stress and that can weaken our immune system.

Happiness and health are highly correlated. Happy people tend to be healthier physically and have a lower risk of developing chronic diseases. A study on individuals with type 2 diabetes found that those who were happier had lower inflammatory markers, which might slow the progression of the disease. Happy people have also been shown to be more productive at work and there is even some research that suggests that happiness can improve mitochondrial health.

Nuts and seeds are an important part of a healthy diet. Nuts are the hard shelled “fruit” of certain plants and seeds are a small plant enclosed inside a seed coat. Both are a great source of healthy fats, protein, and fibre - the three main things we need to keep our blood sugar stabilized.

Chronic inflammation is associated with almost all chronic diseases, including diabetes, Alzheimer’s disease, cardiovascular disease, cancer, and obesity. Inflammation is also elevated in individuals suffering from mental illnesses such as depression and anxiety. However, inflammation in itself isn’t bad. Inflammation is a normal process that, in small amounts, helps the body heal. But chronic inflammation can be damaging and lead to health problems.

In today’s fast paced world of work, family, and other commitments, it can be hard to stick to a healthy meal plan. It’s much easier to grab a chocolate bar on your way out the door or order take out instead of cooking after a busy day at the office. One of the biggest challenges for people is getting enough vegetables and fruits into their diet. But vegetables and fruits - and vegetables in particular - are so important for health.

Strength training, or resistance training, is any form of exercise in which your muscles are working against a resistance to produce force. While there are many different variations of resistance training, people tend to love it or hate it. For those of you who are nervous about strength training, here is a basic overview of why you should do it, how to start a strength training program, and why it's not as daunting as you might think!

You might have heard the term ‘Heart Rate Variability’ thrown around in the past couple of years. With the recent advances in wearable technology, many fitness trackers and health apps have added this functionality to their list of features, such as VIIVIO, Oura Ring, and Whoop.

Have you noticed how much less stressed you are after going for a walk outside or after spending a weekend camping in the wilderness? This is because nature is so powerful in improving both physical and mental health.

Many of you have indicated that lack of time is one of your main barriers when it comes to your health and performance. This is not surprising - with trying to balance work, family, friends, and other commitments it’s hard to find the time to prioritize your health and wellbeing. One of the aims of these weekly emails is to try and give you simple rules and biohacks you can implement into your lives that require as little mental energy as possible. So this week is dedicated to one of the most confusing topics: nutrition.

This week is all about the power of gratitude. Gratitude has become something of a buzzword over the past few years. You might have heard the word through social media or heard of friends or family members practicing it. But what exactly is gratitude? Gratitude is simply what it sounds like - being thankful. Practicing gratitude means noticing the positive aspects of the world, as opposed to focusing on the negatives.

Instead of worrying so much about what exactly you should be doing, just get up and MOVE. Moving can be anything - setting an alarm every hour to stand up and stretch, doing a couple flights of stairs, or getting outside for a quick walk (provided you’re practicing social distancing!).

What we know is that there are specific cleaning cells inside the brain called astroglia that are between the neurons. When they are activated, astroglia scoop up waste products and drive them towards blood vessels so they drain away from the brain.

When you are awake and hustling, this system is shut down. Only when you enter a deep sleep and delta waves prevail, do the astroglia activate and do their work.

If you want to live a world-class life, you’ll need an exercise plan, because physical activity can dramatically improve your health and performance. In particular, you will want an approach that capitalizes what I call the 4Fs: Fitness, Force, Fast and Flexible.