My 8 “Magic Bullets” To Feeling Amazing
The most frequent question I get asked is “What are the key things that I can do every day for great health”. My feeling is that there is no “Magic Bullet” when it comes to good health. Food marketing and supplement companies would like us to believe that there is one Magic Bullet towards great health. I often hear people say that they do one simple thing in order to have better heath. For example, here are some of the things I here people say when it comes to health:
Keto diet
Protein Powder
Vegan diet
Low Carb diet
High Carb diet
Tumeric
Spitalina
Vitamin D every day
Beet Juice
BCAA’s
The list goes on and on. My feeling is that there is no magic bullet but instead it is the health decisions we make every single moment of every day that leads to optimal health and longevity.
Decision such as:
exercise or not to exercise,
eat non processed or processed foods,
drink water or pop,
consume fruit or chocolate bars
go to bed early or stay up late
Every single day there are decisions that we all make that determine whether we are leading a healthy and hopefully long life. For my regular blog readers, you know that my thought is to live this way and make healthy decisions 80% of the time. I believe the reasons diets and fads don’t work is that there is no room for error or to deviate from the plan.
Although I believe there is no one “Magic Bullet” to great health, I do believe that there are a number of healthy habits that I tend to try to do every day and I wanted to share them with you. The key to better health is consistency and I try to hit each of these Magic Bullets every single day.
My 8 Magic Bullets To Daily Health
1.Hydrate with warm lemon water or apple cider vinegar first thing every morning
The first thing I do every morning when I wake up is go downstairs and fill a glass full of filtered water and add freshly squeezed lemon juice(organic) with a little boiled water so that I drink it warm. Although we think adding lemon or Apple Cider vinegar would be acidic, it is the exact opposite. It serves to Alkalinize the body, reduces acidity and also serves to cleanse and detoxify the liver and kidneys. I typically do this first thing and then depending on the day I either shower or proceed to my morning workout.
2.Exercise/Move or Stretch – Outdoors when possible
I try to exercise every single day as I believe it is one of the keys to long term health and longevity. Although I am not racing this year due to my injuries, I still try to make it a habit to work out every single day. I typically work out first thing in the morning as I am so busy that I don’t find time to get a workout in later in the day. I find that when I have a morning workout whether it be a run, ride, or weights, I start my day feeling amazing and full of energy. On my days off, I tend to stretch, meditate or use a foam roller which still feels amazing and gets my system moving. Exercise has been proven to regenerate and oxygenate the cells and naturally increase HGH (Human Growth Hormone) which all helps in terms of anti-aging. I also try to do my workouts in the outdoors when I am able as I believe are a lot of emotional and mental benefits of being outside in nature.
3.Cold Shower
My regular blog readers know that one of my newer routines is to have a cold shower to start every day. There have been many health benefits associated with a cold shower but I find the greatest benefit is the mental and emotional stimulus that I get as it makes me feel amazing and full of energy. For those that want to learn more on the benefits of a cold shower and my routine, you can access it here: A Cold Shower Every Day will Change your Life
4.The Morning Shake
I believe one of the easiest and most effective ways to improve health is by starting your day with a morning shake. It is a way to “flood” your system with amazing nutrients, minerals and healthy foods all at one time. On the days when I travel or can’t have access to my morning shake, I find that I feel like I am missing something. To access my secret recipe for feeling amazing every day by starting with a morning shake, you can access it here:http://kevinbradyhealth.ca/the-morning-shakenew-recipe/
P.S. Our dog Wilson, who we recently had to put down, lead a long and healthy life to 18 Years old and many say it was his daily “morning shake” that he shared wth me!
5.Eat Whole, Plant-Based, Non-Processed Foods
One of the questions I am asked the most often is what do I eat on a regular basis. Actually, it is quite simple as I try to focus on eating Whole, Plant-based, non-processed foods. The next question I am asked is what do I mean by that? Put quite simply, I try to avoid anything that is animal-based and instead focus on plant-based which means vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds, and legumes. I also try to focus on consuming “non-processed foods”. This means that I try to consume foods that are in their natural state. Think of our parents and grandparents that lived off the land eating foods that were from farm to table and the very low incidence of heart disease, cancers and disease in general. The last point I will make here is that many even seemingly healthy non-processed foods are soaked in pesticides so I also try to purchase and eat “Organic” foods whenever possible to avoid the pesticides and hormones that are typically used to accelerate growth.
6.Deep Breathing
I have read and listened to many podcasts on the benefits of meditation and I have tried to meditate on many occasions. I must admit that I find it tough to mediate although I find when I do my easy Zone 2(Z2) workouts that I naturally fall into a very meditative state which I love. I have also found that one of the most effective ways for me to “slow down” my system and relax is to practice Deep Breathing which I try to engage in every day. It has been proven that there are physiological benefits of even engaging in just 5 deep breaths. I have a few deep breathing techniques that I use that help me relax immediately and also assist me in falling asleep. The deep breathing techniques I practice are as follows:
- Simple Deep slow breathing(minimum of 5 deep long breaths)
- Box Breathing( breathing in, holding your breath and exhaling on the same time count(example 4 seconds each) 10 times.
- 4,7,8 breath work(Inhale for 4 seconds, hold for 7 and exhale for 8 seconds) and repeat 10 times
7.Daily Mantra
For my regular blog readers, you know that I try to practice my daily “Mantra”. I typically do this when I exercise and in particular when doing outside exercise. However depending on my activities that day, I often practice this Mantra prior to falling asleep or when I do my deep breathing in the morning. To refresh my daily Mantra practice, you can access it here. To summarize, here is my Daily Mantra:
- Gratitude – What am I grateful for?
- Love – Think of who I love in my life both current and past?
- Be in the Present – Live for the moment
- Future is Bright – We have so much to look forward to
8.Pre Sleep Routine
Sleep is so important as it is the time where our body repairs and rebuilds its cells and re-energizes us for the following day. I find my most popular blogs are the ones that I publish on “sleep” which leads me to the conclusion that many of us have issues sleeping. I know that personally, I have had times in my life where I have had difficulty sleeping and other times I sleep like a baby. I have learned that if follow my “Pre Sleep routine” I tend to have much better and restful nights of sleep. To access my 10 Hacks For A Great Sleep, you can find it here:http://kevinbradyhealth.ca/10-hacks-for-a-great-sleep/
My 8 Daily “Magic Bullets”
So there you have my 8 “Must Do’s” for a healthy day. Every single night before I go to bed I complete a log where I rate myself on my day including food intake, exercise, sleep, and stress. I find that when I manage to hit all these area’s, I have a ton of energy, I am strong physically, emotionally and also have an amazing sleep. To summarize my daily 8 Daily Magic Bullets”
- Start your day with warm lemon water or apple cider vinegar
- Exercise or Move daily
- Have a Cold Shower
- Have “The Morning Shake”
- Eat Plant Based Foods
- Practice Deep Breathing
- Daily “Mantra”
- Practice a “Pre Sleep Routine”
I hope I have helped you or your family in some way by sharing my 8 Must Do’s on a daily basis.
Yours in great health,
Kev
1 comment
Hi Kev, another “super duper” you covered just about everything in one shot. I am sure a lot of your readers will pick up good ideas and follow your example. Keep up the good work
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Marge