The salients of Body are Exercise, Nutrition, and Sleep.

[Create a graphic highlighting the triangle of body]

Disclaimer: You are not reading the work of a medical doctor, nutritionist, or registered dietitian. The opinions expressed in this book, including texts, images, and videos, are generalized and presented “as is” for informational purposes only. You are encouraged to confirm information obtained from or through this work with other sources. This is not a substitute for qualified medical advice. The supplements mentioned here may not include all the information pertinent to your use. Before starting a diet, taking new supplements, or beginning an exercise program, check with your doctor to clear any lifestyle changes. Only you and your doctor can determine what is right for you based on your medical history and prescriptions.

Health is one of those terms that draws strong opinions.  I like the fine fettle (state of health, fitness, wholeness, spirit, or form) definition as a good base for all: Health is a freedom very few fully appreciate until they no longer have it, not just a state free from injury and illness but complete physical, mental and social well-being.  It is an ideal to work towards, a journey of improvement, and a routine of maintenance. 

Health is always a system, not a component or series of components. The “health experts” try to reduce the body to the math of calories, macros, and hours slept. And these can be useful crutches the further away you are from your ideal. Count calories if you need to start yourself on the straight and narrow. Log detailed workouts or hours slept if needed to keep yourself consistent. But crutches aren’t meant to be used forever, in fact they should begin to feel inconvenient and even a hindrance the closer you are to your ideal.

Personally I trend more to this temple view: supply the body with good food and quality sleep as often as possible so that I can selectively stress its movement enough to be able to do whatever I want, whenever I want.  I want my body to be capable of lifting heavy things, running long distances, and move in uncommon ways ache free, and to be able to do it even if I happen to be tired or hungry or worn-out. 

I also believe seeking “better” health through regular exercise, nutritious food, and quality sleep makes the rest of life easier giving you a leg up in any other activity.  I recognize my own view falls farther out on the spectrum than the average human, but also know that one persuasive view can make all the difference. Because the the farther I follow this path the more I physically feel the unchaining of potential, the rush of blood in my veins, the clarity of purpose in my mind, the trust that springs from a well of energy too deep to be quickly exhausted. Health, in its truest form, is the courage to shape your life in accordance with your own will.

Put another way: “No man has the right to be an amateur in the matter of physical training. It is a shame for a man to grow old without seeing the beauty and strength of which his body is capable.” ― Socrates

I will again return to the idea that we are products of our environment.  Here in the United States more than two-thirds of adults are overweight or obese.  There is an incredibly complex web of reasons why that is the case from quirks of our genetics to incentives in place to further the trend despite the health implications. Tasty high caloric food is cheap and available everywhere, sedentary jobs abound, and not everyone’s willpower works easily in the domain of health. 

However, I want to focus on resources and dimensions that create health and well-being not on the disease or ailment conditions.  Disease, stress, and ill-health are everywhere and a part of the human condition, but it is far more powerful to focus on the outcomes we want than to focus on trying to avoid the outcomes we don’t.

Based on the work of Aaron Antonovsky, salutogenesis suggests that while stressors, illness, and disease are common to human existence, the degree to which they affect us depends on how effectively we manage them. This perspective emphasizes working on positive health factors—like regular activity, balanced eating, and quality rest—instead of focusing exclusively on avoiding illness. By directing our efforts toward improving what we can control, we maximize our overall resilience and health.

Despite the complexity of the issue, the scale of the problem, and the infinite resources already available I will present the distillation of what I have learned in the most straightforward and accessible way I can.  Each section will start with the most basic and widely accepted possible improvements and increase in depth (and likely controversy) from there.

But if you read nothing else, here is the bare minimum advice: You can’t outrun your fork. Sometimes your fork is a proxy for your mental state. Health starts in the kitchen where less processed is better, anything remotely active is better than nothing, and attempt to get the best sleep you can.  

First we have Exercise

Then we have Nutrition

And finally Sleep