My Ideal Personal Health Approach – Part 2

In my last blog I discussed the theoretical approach to my ideal health approach.

So, here is the ideal according to Tim. I do not expect that I do everything perfectly. It is not always possible to fit everything in. And I am very human so discipline is very often not 100%. Often far from it. However, balance is not about rigorous adherence to perfection. It is about an ideal of perfection or aspiring towards it, and doing the best we can, knowing that the world we live in is not perfect.

1. Nutrition – regulating blood sugar levels and eating the foods we are built to eat only (90% of the time). That is, animal protein (including fish), lots of vegetables, fruit, some nuts and seeds and plenty of water. Avoid filler foods and energy dense foods – grains, processed foods, sugars and added sugars. I eat what I describe as a sensible and live-able version of the Paleo diet.
2. Breathing – using the diaphragm always and through the nose on inhalation and exhalation almost always (you can learn to nose breathe during exercise – even at high levels). I also practice breathing rhythms prior to meditation and for 2-3 minutes at intervals throughout the day to regulate my autonomic nervous system and increase parasympathetic dominance.
3. Yoga – ideally 4-5 times per week.
4. Cardiovascular exercise 5-6 times per week – for me lots of paddling (especially in the ocean). Also surfing, running, bike riding, breath holds in the pool etc.
5. Meditation – 1 hour daily. I would love to do 2 hours, however this gets difficult unless you are super organized or have plenty of spare time.
6. Sauna – 2-4 times per week. I use traditional Finnish sauna rather than far-infrared. It is a personal choice only. Steam rooms are also great.
7. Reading – at night before sleep.

Further details on most of the aspects can be found in my website.
If you would like to ask me questions or discuss this further, feel free to email me at tim@timaltman.com.au