100+ Facts about Health & Fun Ideas, Tips & Insights about a Healthy Lifestyle

• Meditation improves attention. Studies show that 20 minutes a day are sufficient to get beneficial results.
• Meditation reduces stress after eight weeks of training.
• Meditation has also been shown to increase levels of empathy.
  

Garlic and onion may have some anti-cancer and immune system-enhancing properties based on various studies, which are closely tied to some of the primary functions of the gut.

Some of these benefits are anecdotal, although some research has been done.

1. Laughing is good for the heart and can increase blood flow by 20 percent
2. Your skin works hard. Not only is it the largest organ in the body, but it regulates your temperature and defends against diseases
3. Always look on the bright side: being an optimist can help you live longer
4. Exercise will give you more energy, even when you’re tired
5. A lack of exercise now causes as many deaths as smoking.
6. Yoga can boost your cognitive function and lower stress
7. Sleeping naked can help you burn more calories.

Lactate, once considered a waste product, is now understood to act as a signaling molecule during exercise. It gets transported to various tissues where it's used for energy and signaling purposes. Higher lactate production during vigorous exercise stimulates the expression and activity of glucose transporters, improving glucose uptake and insulin sensitivity

Those with emotional intelligence have an easier time assessing the emotional and psychological state of their employees.

This makes it easier to determine if someone is suffering from: anxiey, depression, grief, trauma or eating disorders. By recognizing these states, you can provide them with the support and professional resources they need to recover.

Stomach disturbances like gas, bloating, constipation, diarrhea, and heartburn can all be signs of an unhealthy gut.

A balanced gut will have less difficulty processing food and eliminating waste.

Adding a prebiotic or probiotic supplement to your diet may be a great way to improve your gut health.

Prebiotics provide “food” meant to promote the growth of beneficial bacteria in the gut, while probiotics are live good bacteria.

People with bacterial overgrowth, such as SIBO, should not take probiotics. Not all probiotic supplements are high quality or will actually provide benefit.

It’s best to consult your healthcare provider when choosing a probiotic or prebiotic supplement to ensure the best health benefit.

Reducing the amount of processed, high-sugar, and high-fat foods that you eat can contribute to better gut health.

Additionally, eating plenty of plant-based foods and lean protein can positively impact your gut.

A diet high in fiber has been shown to contribute tremendously to a healthy gut microbiome.

Diet and gut health are very closely linked.

Self-care can be on the front line on Mondays, with meditation, yoga, journaling and hot baths being the norm. Even a special coffee or a short walk in the park for fresh air can liven up your day.

If your mental health is seriously deteriorating at the start of the week, you need to examine your current role and find out how to make your work more meaningful and enjoyable.

Burnout at work can be checked by talking to a career counsellor or a therapist.

• Refill your bucket on a regular basis. That means making time for sleep and recovery.
• Let the draining tasks in your life accumulate and drain your bucket. Once you hit empty, your body will force you to rest through injury and illness.

• Most pills are a combination of vitamins and minerals, along with omega-3 fatty acids.
• Scientific studies show the natural forms (like fish in case of omega-3 fatty acids) contain the real benefits, and popping supplements do not have the same effect.
• Vitamin E supplements can help to a limited extent but high doses can increase the risk of a hemorrhagic stroke.
• Vitamin B supplements are only to be used if one’s normal diet is not enough for them, or in case of a deficiency.
• Taking time to do some exercise and having a plant-based diet is a better long term health solution.

• Smile more
• Be in good company
• Enjoy nature and the outdoors
• Find time for travel and adventures
• Seek out people, places, and situations that give you that warm fuzzy feeling inside and make you laugh outside
• Get out and stay out of debt
• Find and follow your passion
• Help others and give back
• Be grateful for the way things are
• Stop comparing
• Be playful
• Dream big and try to make those dreams happen
• Live life on your own terms

• Develop a “power down” ritual before bed, limiting the use of technology and bright lights.
• Use relaxation techniques like yoga or meditation.
• Get some sun exposure every day.
• Avoid caffeine.
• Stop smoking or chewing tobacco.
• Use the bedroom for sleep-related activities only, keeping it uncluttered and inducive to sleep.
• Get some exercise in the day.
• Keep room temperature ideal for sleep.
• Avoid excessive alcohol.
• Avoid noisy surroundings and conditions.

Sleep deprivation has been shown to change the body’s basic metabolism and the balance between fat and muscle mass.

A review of existing studies found permanent night-shift workers were 29 % more likely to become overweight. They were also 41 % more at risk of a heart attack or stroke.

• Get outside. Aim for at least 30 minutes of sun exposure each day.
• Turn out the lights. When it gets dark outside, dim the lights in your house and reduce blue or full-spectrum light in your environment.
• Avoid caffeine and stop smoking or chewing tobacco.
• Use the bedroom for sleep and sex only.

Also, consider these sleep aids: exercise (it will make it easier for your brain and body to power down at night), temperature (the ideal range is usually between 65 to 70 degrees Fahrenheit/18 to 21 degrees Celsius) and sound (a quiet space is key for good sleep).

Have a moment with 'nothing to do'. Letting our minds wander without focusing on a specific goal, allows the brain's default mode network to take over and give some prefrontal cortex functions a rest.

Practice mind wandering by keeping your phone in your pocket. Sit alone for 10 minutes, take a breath and let your mind wander. It can also be practiced while you wait at a train station, or in an elevator lobby.

Coffee intake lowers the risk of heart disease and stroke. It tends to increase blood pressure to a small degree in some people.

People who drink coffee in large quantities have a lower risk of type-2 diabetes.

Other benefits of coffee consumption are:

1. Protects against liver damage.
2. Reduces the risk of premature death.
3. Significantly reduces the risk of liver cancer.
4. Protects against skin cancer and multiple sclerosis (MS) to a certain degree.
5. Protects against gout disease.
6. Helps in our gut bacteria.

Staying focused is one of the key factors to having success in all the possible fields. Have a look at the below tips on how to improve your focus:

• use your brain in activities that lead to learning a new skill, while showing progress and encouragement
• check with your doctor as soon as you have any doubts on whether the medications you take can affect your focus
• keep track of your intake of sugar and coffee, as both can seriously decrease your power of focus
• stay social, as it brings you both more happiness and an increase in focus

• Simplify, unclutter and make space
• Enjoy the many small pleasures in your life
• Make time for family and friends
• Take on less and make what you take important to you
• Be with good, positive people who have your best interests at heart
• Never stop learning
• Judge others less
• Learn how to say no without guilt
• Act more and analyze less
• Read more
• Put the smartphone down and unplug from the networks occasionally
• Find and live your purpose

The prefrontal cortex of the brain is mainly responsible for goal management. It orchestrates attention, working memory and other cognitive resources to help us get what we want.

For a challenging task, briefly taking our minds off the goal can renew and strengthen motivation. Doing activities that rely on different brain regions is best to restore focus.

A real, great leader progresses daily towards better physical and mental health.
Ensure that your surroundings and your thoughts are healthy.

A demanding schedule, health issues, and other factors sometimes make it difficult to get enough sleep. But it’s important to try and get as close to the recommended amount as possible on most nights.

Many experts recommend adults aim for 7 to 8 hours of sleep each night.

• Eat the right way
• Eat less often
• Get exercise
• Get quality sleep
• Stress your body: adversity mimetics
• Supplements
• Track your data

Food intolerances are the result of difficulty digesting certain food.

Food intolerances may be caused by poor quality of bacteria in the gut.

This can lead to difficulty digesting the trigger food and unpleasant symptoms such as bloating, gas, diarrhea, abdominal pain, and nausea.

Some food allergies may be related to gut health too.

• Fasting inhibits mTOR and activates AMPK and the Sirtuins.
• Sugar spikes glucose. Glucose shut down sirtuins and AMPK.
• We should avoid high protein diets (specially red meat) for longevity.
• Exercise, Heat, Cold & Other Stressors are “Adversity Mimetics” - we want to trick the body into thinking it’s under threat of survival.
• Weight training maintains hormone levels, the ability to walk well and to have good posture, and also makes you look better, which can boost your confidence and reduce anxiety and stress.

1. mTOR (Mammalian target of rapamycin)

Low levels of mTOR activates Autophagy (a signal that times are tough), the body’s way of cleaning out damaged cells, in order to regenerate newer, healthier ones.

2. AMPK (AMP-activated protein kinase)

AMPK is a sensor of energy; low energy is a good thing for longevity. In response, it protects the body because it thinks it’s going to run out of food.

We get more AMPK through exercise and fasting.

3. Sirtuins

Sirtuins are a family of signaling proteins involved in metabolic regulation.  They take care of DNA repair and stabilization of the epigenome.

It’s time to cut back on juice and sugar-sweetened beverages.

The consumption of sugary beverages is blamed for lowering total brain volume and hippocampal volume.

It’s best to eat whole fruit instead of consuming it in drink form. The British Heart Foundation says blending fruit causes natural sugars “to be released from within the cell walls of the fruit and become ‘free sugars’” — with included added sugars like honey and maple syrup.

Writing down the results you are seeing, your workout of the day, or how you felt before and after the workout is setting you up for optimal health because you are making it a priority.

It’s no secret that tai chi can benefit your health in many ways, including your mental health. Plus, it can also help center you when life seems out of balance.

Taking up a regular practice of tai chi can help reduce stress, enhance sleep quality, and improve memory. A 2013 study found that long-term tai chi practice could induce structural changes in the brain, resulting in an increase in brain volume.

During this time period, the ideal woman was:

• Plump
• Full-bodied
• Light Skin

Ancient Greece worshiped the male form, going so far as to proclaim that women’s bodies were ‘disfigured’ versions of men’s. In this time period, men faced a much higher standard of beauty and perfection than women.

• Nerves are cylindrical bundles of fibers that start at the brain and central cord and branch out to every other part of the body.
• Neurons send signals to other cells through thin fibers called axons, which cause chemicals known as neurotransmitters to be released at junctions called synapses.
• A synapse gives a command to the cell and the entire communication process typically takes only a fraction of a millisecond. Signals travel along an alpha motor neuron in the spinal cord 268 mph (431 km/h); the fastest transmission in the human body, according to Discover magazine.

• Floss
• Eat more vegetables and fruits
• Eat less sugar and processed foods
• Make exercise and good nutrition life habits
• Stress and worry less
• Ensure your exercises are enjoyable, fit your personal goals and your body type
• Sit less and walk more
• Use the stairs more often
• Improve your posture

Some types of meditation can improve depression and help you maintain these benefits.

• Two studies of mindfulness meditation found decreased depression in over 4,600 adults.
• One study found that participants experienced a long-term decrease in depression.

The quality of your sleep is determined by a process called the sleep-wake cycle. This cycle is dictated by your circadian rhythm.

There are two important parts of the sleep-wake cycle:

1. Slow-wave sleep (also known as deep sleep)
2. REM sleep (REM stands for Rapid Eye Movement).

Exposure to nature restores the mind. One study showed better working memory scores for people after a walk in a natural environment, but not in an urban setting.

If you are unable to go into nature, find plants, fresh air or a fish tank. Sit down, take a deep breath, and notice the details of nature. Research shows that even looking at some pictures of nature can work.

... like ‘protein’, ‘paleo’ and ‘organic’ are used in marketing as key selling points for many of today’s health products. Yet these words can also trick consumers into believing a product is healthier than it really is.

Inaccurate health messages can be dangerous as they don’t help to educate consumers to make informed choices and are often in conflict with credible, accurate health information.

We all tend, to a different degree, to lose our focus once in a while. However, when this becomes a habit, we should contact a doctor, as it can occur due to serious underlying conditions, such as depression. The good news is that there have been identified some steps that can help one improve the ability to concentrate.

Short bursts of exercise are helpful for cognition. Just 10 minute of physical activity can increase attention and memory performance.

Find a private space, do some pushups or planks, or take a brisk walk around the block.

It is impacted by three main factors:

• Light: probably the most significant pace setter of the circadian rhythm. Staring into a bright light for 30 minutes or so can often reset your circadian rhythm regardless of what time of day it is.
• The time of day, your daily schedule, and the order in which you perform tasks can all impact your sleep-wake cycle.
• Melatonin: this is the hormone that causes drowsiness and controls body temperature. It increases after dark and decreases before dawn.

The protein supplement market had a valuation of USD 12.4 billion in 2016.

The way protein is packed in everything from candy bars to ‘high protein’ versions of staple products, it is becoming clear that it is an ongoing health fad. Many experts believe that products with ‘inflated protein’ are a waste of money.

Good news, cocoa fiends!

You can think of that dark chocolate bar as a skin treatment and as a delicious snack.

According to a 2014 study published in Nutrition Journal, dark chocolate has many beauty benefits, including the ability to reverse sun damage and prevent wrinkles.

That's because antioxidants in dark chocolate called flavanols promote the production of collagen, thereby improving skin elasticity and moisture.

People who eat chocolate on a near-daily basis are thinner

They are the foundation of living a remarkable life. There's something about physical movement that centers the mind.

If you're struggling with something mentally, then get out and move physically.

Cumulative stress takes place when the inputs in our body like nutrition, sleep and other forms of recovery are not able to fulfill the drainers, like exercise, stress, and other forms of things that take away our energy.

For half a century, doctors and researchers have known two things that could have improved, or saved, millions of lives:

• Diets do not work. Not just paleo or Atkins or Weight Watchers or Goop, but all diets.
• Being fat does not necessarily mean being unhealthy.

In order to train your focus, check out the below useful tips:

• keep track of the moments when you tend to lose your attention so you can plan activities for those very moments that require less focus
• practice meditation so you can guide your mind back to the initial activity
• control the distractions around you, in order to be able to better concentrate
• work for shorter periods of time, while making sure you stay focus throughout those periods

• It is a complex collection of nerves and specialized cells known as neurons that transmit signals between different parts of the body. It is essentially the body's electrical wiring.
• Structurally, the nervous system has two components: the central nervous system (the brain, spinal cord, and nerves) and the peripheral nervous system (sensory neurons, ganglia and nerves that connect to one another and to the central nervous system).
• Functionally, the nervous system has two main subdivisions: the somatic, or voluntary, component (nerves that connect to one another and to the central nervous system and the autonomic nervous system (regulates certain body processes, such as blood pressure and the rate of breathing, that work without conscious effort).

Mitochondria play a crucial role in energy production, and aging leads to less efficient energy production. Vigorous exercise, particularly HIIT, stimulates mitochondrial biogenesis—the creation of new healthy mitochondria—which is essential for better energy production in muscles, the brain, and other organs.

Your brain works best with a consistent level of glucose in your blood–25 grams.

To keep your brain working at peak performance, opt for a snack on your break that includes a higher level of protein, such as a small serving of chicken, beef, or fish, nuts or nut butter, or a protein supplement.

Eat well. Move often. Go easy on the vices. Take care of your mind and body, and your spirit will require less heavy lifting.

• Work out regularly and make the most of the time spent doing so
• You can’t buy health and time slowly takes it from you. Savor it like it’s the only thing you got.
• If your doctor isn’t coaching you when you are healthy, find a new doctor.

Not getting enough or sufficient quality of sleep can have serious impacts on your gut health, which can in turn contribute to more sleep issues.

Try to prioritize getting at least 7–8 hours of uninterrupted sleep per night.

Your doctor may be able to help if you have trouble sleeping.

According to a decade long research, the health of an organization is based on alignment with a robust strategy, deep-rooted culture, and a clarity of vision.

The health of an organization can also be defined as the capacity or ability to deliver superior financial and operating performance.

Hormone effects of heat: decrease in cortisol output.

Activation of heat shock proteins (HSP): heat changes the way in which proteins are configured at a molecular level – HSP makes sure cells of the brain and body don’t misfold

Heat for lifespan: heat upregulates pathways related to DNA repair and clearing out of senescent cells.

Heat for metabolic enhancement:  57 minutes per week (total, spread out across sessions) of heat exposure – cold exposure: 11 minutes per spread out of the uncomfortable but safe cold.

Hormesis: subjecting yourself to enough stress to induce adaptation of some kind.

The exercise protocol used in the study gradually increased exercise intensity and frequency over two years, focusing on vigorous and high-intensity exercises like maximal steady-state exercise and the Norwegian 4x4 V2 Max training protocol.

As people age, the heart undergoes changes such as becoming smaller and stiffer, impacting its efficiency and potentially increasing the risk of cardiac issues and reduced exercise capacity.

• A huge benefit of being cold is the production of brown fat which revs metabolism, is high in mitochondria, burns white fat, and possibly secretes healthy hormones
• Cryotherapy lasts a few minutes and can feel good for several days after
• Start in middle age before it becomes harder to incorporate discomfort
• If you don’t have access to a cryo-chamber: take a cold shower, sleep with fewer covers

When the cells replicate, the best thing is that they replicate into the same type of cell (we have liver cells, skin cells, nerve cells, etc.).

As we age, the packaging of the DNA that allows a cell to remain of a certain type of cell forever starts getting lost.

This is the process that give birth to most diseases (Dementia, Alzheimer, Diabetes, Heart Disease). If you slow down Ex-differentiation, it means you are getting the cells to remember how to behave. And consequently, you reverse aging.

The 3 regulators (mTOR, AMPK and Sirtuins) slow down the Ex-differentiation process.

1. The brain doesn’t feel pain; even though the brain processes pain signals, the brain itself does not actually feel pain.
2. More germs are transferred shaking hands than kissing.
3. Humans are the only animals to produce emotional tears.
4. Your body gives off enough heat in 30 minutes to bring half a gallon of water to a boil.
5. Your brain operates on 10 watts of power
6. The tooth is the only part of the human body that can’t repair itself.
7. We share 98.4% of our DNA with a chimp and 70% with a slug.

• You’re more likely to have more vivid dreams if you’ve had some restless nights.
• Being pregnant is also a catalyst for vivid dreaming. Increased hormone production affects the way your brain processes thoughts and emotions.
• Mental health disorders such as depression and anxiety, as well as mood-related conditions, can trigger intense and sometimes disturbing or negative dreams and nightmares.

This is important for your daily productivity. Good breaks can leave us feeling refreshed and energized. It can reduce mental fatigue, boost brain function and keep us on-task for extended periods.

The wrong sort of breaks might make us more vulnerable to boredom and make us want to take breaks more often. It can leave us depleted and drained. 

Laughter increases heart rate, respiration, and gets our blood pumping. Short term effects show some improvements on memory tests.

Spontaneous laughter and forced giggles all have the same perks. Listen to a comedy podcast or read the comics section in the newspaper during a break.

• MSG is not poisonous and an essential component of the taste sensation, umami. 
• Men taking testosterone supplements are more likely to cause harm. The supplements increase their risk of a heart attack or stroke.
• 10 000 steps a day: This myth is based on a single study done in Japan in the 1960s.
• Losing body heat through your head: Body heat is evenly distributed. You only lose heat through your head if it is exposed.

In the Morning:

• 1g of resveratrol with yogurt or olive oil
• 1g NMN
• Spermidine: 1g
• Fisetin 

At night: 800mg Metformin, after dinner. Not the night before doing weightlifting.

Drinking plenty of water has been shown to have a beneficial effect on the mucosal lining of the intestines, as well as on the balance of good bacteria in the gut.

Staying hydrated is a simple way to promote a healthy gut.

Vigorous exercise, especially high-intensity interval training (HIIT), improves glucose control, insulin sensitivity, and muscle adaptations more efficiently and potently than continuous moderate-intensity workouts. HIIT enhances the muscle's ability to take up glucose and improves glucose transport capacity, impacting insulin sensitivity and blood glucose regulation.

Coconut oil is a healthy alternative to caffeine. Eating a small amount will give you a shot of energy without the side-effects.

In this era, the ideal woman is described as:

• Slender
• Narrow Shoulders
• High Waist
• Symmetrical Face

In Ancient Egypt, women were encouraged in their independence and beauty. Ancient Egyptian society promoted an environment where premarital sex was entirely acceptable and women could divorce their husbands without shame.

1. The term “gut microbiome” refers specifically to the microorganisms living in your intestines.
2. A person has about 300 to 500 different species of bacteria in their digestive tract.
3. While some microorganisms are harmful to our health, many are incredibly beneficial and even necessary to a healthy body.
4. Having a wide variety of these good bacteria in your gut can enhance your immune system function, improve symptoms of depression, help combat obesity, and provide numerous other benefits.