Continuing on our quest for ultimate health here are a few more ways to healthify (is that a word?) your life!
Sleep – Get more of it. Pretty simple. 7-9 hours a night. If you’re tired, sleep more. Do your best to improve the quality of your sleep. Have a comfy bed and eliminate any and all sources of light in the room (TV, computer, nightlight, even the moonlight). Set the temperature in your house to your ideal sleeping temp and hunker down like a bear gettin ready for hibernation. Some of the benefits of a good nights rest: Improved mental acuity, enhanced recovery, a more positive attitude, and reduced risk of illness.
Grains & legumes – This is where things may seem a little more “extreme” in your eyes. Grains and legumes, put quite simply, are fuckin’ you up. Gluten and other Lectins are like Chadd Graham behind the wheel of an M1 Abrams loose in your GI tract. Swerving all over the place, smashin’ into things, blowin’ shit up, and just generally wreaking havoc. This damage and chronic inflammation leads to all sorts of conditions such as auto-immune and heart disease. On top of this grains and legumes are comparably “empty” carbohydrate sources. The nutrient density in vegetables is many times higher. And if you’re worried about your child’s brain development, fruits are as good of a carbohydrate source as grains and legumes but pack a much higher vitamin punch. For more go HERE.
Dairy – Dairy is in somewhat of a grey area. It is estimated that 25% of people are lactose intolerant, this number rises with different demographics such as Asians and Natives. This kind of resistance to an entire food group is evidence enough that something isn’t quite right. Though you may not be lactose intolerant there is a good chance that dairy is harming your body in some form, whether it’s the lactose itself or just the insulin repsonse created by dairy. I would recommend this be the last thing on your list to change. When everything else is feelin’ good, skip dairy for 3 weeks and then have it again for a week. See how you feel and go from there.
There it is, your 6 step program to becoming a healthier CrossFitter. Take all of these in stride and if need be, slowly incorporate each step into your life.
WOD
4 Rounds for time:
50 Squats
Run 400m
