How to Actually Achieve Good Health

If you want to get healthier, there are 4 main areas to direct your attention.

All 4 of these lifestyle behaviors feed into each other.

If you do one well, there is a positive trickle-down effect on the others.

On the flip side, when one is out of whack, the others tend to suffer as well.

The reality is there is no magic bullet for good health. The lifestyle habits you’ve heard about since you were a kid are the ones that matter most.

Diet. Exercise. Sleep. Stress Management.

Despite all of the conflicting opinions about what makes the best diet, you already know intuitively how to eat well.

Stay away from junk food — and you already know what that means.

If it comes in a package with lots of salt, sugar, and fat, stay away. It’s fine to have a cookie or a donut from time to time, but don’t make it a regular occurrence. Binging on this stuff can totally derail your health and weight loss efforts.

Just eat whatever real, whole foods that you like. Meat, fish, eggs, beans, vegetables, fruits, oatmeal, etc. If the food contains 1 ingredient, go nuts. If you get most of your nutrition from 1-ingredient foods, you’ll be in good shape. The longer the ingredient list, the most skeptical you should be.

On the exercise front, do something every day. That’s right — no days off.

Thousands of years ago, our ancestors weren’t able to take a day off. They needed to hunt and forage for their food. This is still how our bodies function best. Walk, run, bike, lift weights, do pushups, yoga, play sports. Do as many things as you enjoy and will do consistently. Mix it up, both for the novelty and to work different areas of your body.

If you base your diet around real, whole foods and do some type of exercise every day, you are in excellent shape.

Those habits also will enable you to get better sleep.

Going a bit further, stop eating at least a couple hours before bed so your body isn’t still digesting food when it should be focusing on sleep and regeneration.

Ideally you should give yourself at least 9 hours in bed so you can ensure to get 8 hours of actual sleep. Read a real, physical book in bed to tire you out for sleep. Don’t check email or social media on your phone in bed, which will only stimulate your mind when it should be calming down. Keep your room cool, dark, and quiet.

Finally, find a way to manage the stress on your life. As mentioned, the other habits have a wonderful way of helping you achieve this objective. Exercise is known to boost mood and alleviate stress. Ditto for good sleep. We’re learning more about the role that a good diet has on promoting mental health.

Additionally, consider adding a yoga or meditation practice to your day. Social connection is critical here as well. Have a friend over for coffee or tea. Make sure you have people to lean on when times are tough, which you know they will be.

Commit yourself to a cause that is bigger than yourself. Volunteer your time to help others.

All of these things will help you get out of your own head and instead pay attention to the world around you.

Good health isn’t a mystery and it doesn’t require superfoods or the latest supplement craze.

Eat real foods. Do something physical every day. Sleep well. Manage stress.

Focus on these 4 areas. Diagnose where you’re strong today and what could use some improvement.

Move the needle in the right direction a little bit every day. Write down your progress to motivate you to stay on track.

Beware of health influencers promoting fringe behaviors and products.

Get the big rocks right and you can avoid the rest of the noise.