5 Tips To Add Years To Your Life
Posted on 27 March 2009
No one wants to die. Even people who want to go to heaven don’t want to die to get there. – Steve Jobs
I know the quote above is cliche but its rings so true. It doesn’t matter how brave someone is or what they have been through in life. Everyone has a fear of death or dying as its the only truly unknown that mankind have. And to most people fear is simply fear of the unknown.
Saying this Life/Death are great motivators and living a long a prosperous life is something we all strive to achieve. Like anything else there are some simple things we can do to try and extend our years and fulfill our dreams.
1- Slow Down
A lot of people live there lives on turbo. Everything they do is done quickly and rushed. How often do you see people running around, flicking through newspapers, rushing there cooking or speaking/eating too fast. When you do things in a hurry your subconscious thinks you are in danger and sets of a fight or flight response. Now this is fine for a workout and necessary when dealing with certain tasks but if your rushing around ALL DAY it never shuts off and relaxation never kicks in. I for one am guilty of this at times and whenever I notice things are getting too fast or I am feeling impatient, irritated I slow down. I walk around slowly, calm my train of thought and more importantly become mindful of what I am doing and my breathing. After a while this becomes habit. For a guide to developing Mindfulness I strongly recommend this podcast over at the Zencast.org…….
2- Nourish Your Body
This is something I have banged on about for a while now but its can definitely improve the quality of your life. Try to base your diet on whole fresh foods and take nourishing supplements. I recommend 1TBSP of fish oil a day and maybe some Vitamin C for its Anti-Oxidant effects. Also sip on some Organic Coffee and Green Tea later in the day for the anti-oxidant punch they will give you. I also like the CrossFit motto for nutrition: In plain language, base your diet on garden vegetables, especially greens, lean meats, nuts and seeds, little starch, and no sugar. That’s about as simple as we can get.
I am not a big fan of taking supplements as I feel that most things are available through good nutrition. Therefore apart from Fish Oil and Vitamin C I can’t really recommend too many others. If you want to take a natural Multi-Vitamin that’s cool and some Vitamin D is worthwhile if your not getting sun on a regular basis……
3- Walk for 30 minutes daily
This one is really easy and its something everyone regardless of fitness level should be doing everyday. Simply walking for a total of 30-60 minutes everyday is enough to get your blood flowing, your lymphatic system pumping and improve the health of your joints. Another good tip is to try and fit in some walking before each main meal of the day. I love having a walk on a nice morning just listening to music and absorbing the quiet. If your at work it can be a good idea to go for a 10 minute walk before eating lunch. And as summer is approaching there is nothing better than having a short stroll after a nice dinner. Adding in short walks throughout the day will have a profound effect on your health and happiness….
4- Face Your Fears
This one sounds weird but the more you face your fears the sooner you will realize that its just a powerful emotion that you can be de-sensitized from.
My desire to meet the world will overcome every fear I once knew, and I will
be happier than I ever believed it possible to be in this world of strife
and sorrow. – Og Mandino
So if you fear public speaking, go and do it. If you get shy in social events go to as many as you can and force yourself out of your comfort zone. Fear is a very powerful emotion and it can cripple you. Fortunately it is harmless and once you see the worst it can do you will slowly overcome the things you fear. Remember see anxiety and fear as friends that can guide you to success and prosperity in life.
The more you do things you fear the easier and more relaxed your life will become. You may feel awful while your doing the things you fear but the long term benefits are huge! Remember some of the best public speakers are those who used to shy away at the thought of speaking in front of crowds.
5- Practice Compassion
Showing kindness and love to others is one of the most rewarding and nourishing practices for the soul. Doing small things for others when you really mean it is a great way to make yourself and others feel better.
- Give a sincere compliment
- Smile
- Give some old clothes to charity
- Give your leftover food to the homeless
- Do an errand/chore for someone in need
- Listen to someone in need
These kind of random acts can be hard at times and admittedly it can be hard but like anything else you feel better for it once you have leant a helping hand. Doing good has a build up effect and your kind deeds will come back to you. Remember what comes around goes around!
Comment by Yavor
27 March 2009
#4 – Facing your fears is a big one for me. All the times I’ve done it, I’ve found the fears were bigger in my head than in reality.
But I still am hesitant to do it; each and every time…
Yavor
Comment by lesley
27 March 2009
Great tips!
Comment by Keith Norris
27 March 2009
Chris,
And if I might be so bold, I’d like to add avoidance/reduction in intake of sugar in all forms — especially so, High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS) — to your fine list.
@ Keith: Thats definitely going to be in there. HFCS is nasty, there is more and more stuff coming out about how bad the stuff is. I read this just before you left your comment….
Comment by Does Acai Berry Work
27 March 2009
I like this one:
’5- Practice Compassion’
When you do something nice to your fellow, it brings about good karma and a very nice feeling which reverberates to your soul and well-being.
Comment by Rayna
27 March 2009
Chris,
All good advice here.
I live by these and one additional role which is: Do something for YOU everyday. It doesn’t matter what it is really, sometimes I read a few pages of that book I never have time to read, or I play a game of Canasta on Yahoo games (I’m an addict). Sometimes I sit down with my boyfriend and drink a glass of wine while we watch a movie, but no matter what, every day, I make sure to do at least one thing for me. Not because it NEEDS to be done.
-Rayna
Comment by Son of Grok
27 March 2009
All very good advice Chris. Very “Zen” of you. I relaxed a bit even just reading this post!
The SoG
Comment by Tom Parker - Free Fitness Tips
29 March 2009
Good post Chris. I think point number 5 – ‘Practice Compassion’ is particularly important in today’s society. Most people are so busy and stressed that they only focus on themselves. They don’t give any thought to those around them.
Comment by Trish (girlatgym)
29 March 2009
nice tips!
You’re tempting me to go to the park for a walk. It’s such a nice day out.
Comment by steve
12 April 2009
It is interesting comparing obesity in the US and Europe along with what percentage of short trips are by car or by human power (walking or biking)
http://www.6footsix.com/my_weblog/2009/03/walk-and-bike-your-walk-to-a-healthier-body.html
This fits in well with your tips of slowing down a bit and walking.