Living for Health is a Myth: Here’s the Real Secret!

What if health wasn't a goal you had to chase but a natural result of living a balanced, fulfilling life?

Today, we'll uncover how integrating simple yet powerful habits into your daily routine can lead to a vibrant and fulfilling existence. 

Join me, Dai Manuel, on this episode of the 2% Solution, where we journey through personal stories, scientific insights, and actionable tips to make health a seamless part of who you are. 

From the significance of daily movement—as the American Heart Association endorsed—to the critical role of nutrient-rich foods highlighted by Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health, we'll discuss how small, consistent actions can lead to monumental changes.

Imagine dancing in your living room, enjoying whole foods, and practicing mindfulness—these aren't just tasks but joyful rituals that contribute to your well-being. Inspired by Jon Kabat-Zinn’s mindfulness practices and real-life examples like my friend Sarah, who made simple yet impactful changes, this episode is packed with relatable and attainable advice. 

Whether swapping sugary snacks for fruit or integrating short walks into your day, these small shifts can lead to significant improvements. 

Tune in, and let’s transform the way you think about health, making it a natural byproduct of a life well-lived!

Transcript

Dai Manuel: 0:05

Hey there, wellness warriors, welcome back to another episode of the 2% Solution. I'm your host, diamond Well, and today we're exploring a fascinating and transformative concept Is health a byproduct of living your life? If it isn't, it should be. We're going to explore how integrating health into our daily lives can lead to a more fulfilling and vibrant existence. I'll share some personal stories, some scientific insights and, as always, some practical tips to help you make health a natural part of your everyday routine.

Dai Manuel: 0:41

I used to think health was something I had to chase Hours at the gym, strict dieting, endless routines but I've learned that proper health actually comes from living a balanced and fulfilled life over time. Now let's unpack what I mean by that. First of all, let's define health as a byproduct of living a fulfilling life. It's about weaving healthy habits into our daily routines so they become a natural part of just who we are, because it's the things that we do, and the things that we do regularly, that ultimately shape our existence, but also how we experience the world, because it makes us who we are. Think of it as living your best life, and the health will follow. Historically, holistic health practices like those from ancient Greek and Chinese medicine emphasized balance. They understood that a healthy life is more than just physical fitness. It's also a mental and emotional and spiritual well-being, and emotional and spiritual well-being. So let's break this down into practical steps, starting with daily movement. We heard earlier this week I talked about fitness, and fitness was a huge part of what can help keep our brain healthy as we age. Well, interesting enough, it's also going to help us live our best life, according to the American Heart Association. Help us live our best life. According to the American Heart Association, regular physical activity can reduce the risk of chronic diseases while boosting mental health. Now, it doesn't have to be intense. Simple activities like walking, taking the stairs or even just dancing in your living room like you just don't care, those are all great activities that will increase your overall fitness and well-being. Don't worry about what you're doing, just worry that you're doing it. Move the body with a bit of purpose and good things happen.

Dai Manuel: 2:35

Now next up is nutrition Eating whole, nutrient-rich foods. Okay, so where I'm going with this is we're not looking for the UPS, right, the ultra-processed foods and if you didn't listen to my episode on ultra processed foods, go back and listen to it. It was about 30 episodes ago, um, where I talked about some of the trends that we're noticing globally not just in North America, but globally. That relates to this increase of eating foods that are heavily processed, and they're now actually referring to them as UPS or ultra-processed foods. Man, they got their own category now. Well, here's the thing you know. So eating whole, nutrient-rich foods as part of your regular meals is key. Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health highlights that a balanced diet of fruits, vegetables and whole grains can significantly improve overall health. Sounds pretty good to me. And then you know, as much as we talk about fitness, we talked about nutrition, we got to talk about mental wellness.

Dai Manuel: 3:36

Incorporating mindfulness and stress reduction into your daily life can make a huge difference. Jon Kabat-Zinn, the father of mindfulness-based stress reduction. He says mindfulness means being awake, it means knowing what you are doing. It's that idea of being fully present, right? Simple mindfulness practices can help reduce stress and improve your mental clarity. I know you're probably thinking sheesh, this is deja vu. I swear I've heard I say this before. Yeah, and don't worry, I'll keep on saying it, because it doesn't hurt to hear it again and again.

Dai Manuel: 4:14

Let's look at some real life examples. One of my friends and I've changed the name, just to you know, be private, but we'll call her Sarah started integrating health into her daily life by making small changes. This is like adding a short walk, literally during her lunch break and swapping out the sugary snacks for fruit. You know, it's funny because some people will say to me I shouldn't eat a lot of fruit, there's a lot of sugar in that. I'm like, yeah, but it's sugar that your body knows what to do with and converts it very quickly into energy and usable energy. Our bodies have been eating fructose, which is the primary glucose or sugar that you find in fruit. Our body knows how to deal with that pretty good in that whole food source. Our DNA has been, you know, getting pretty good at that over the millennia, and so it's getting out of our own way.

Dai Manuel: 5:04

Because when we start processing foods you get to look at the labels. I mean, I can't even spell, let alone say most of the things that I find in a lot of these ultra processed foods these days. Gotta wonder. Well, I don't think our bodies were processing those, you know, even a hundred years ago. Why do we think that all of a sudden, this is going to make our diets better, more convenient, sure Better and healthier, more vibrant, live longer Remains to be seen.

Dai Manuel: 5:33

Anyways, sarah, adding in short walk during her lunch break and swapping out those sugary snacks for fruits, over time she literally noticed significant improvements in her energy levels but, most importantly, her mood. She just started being more positive and here's the cool thing that started to then reflect and impact all the other areas of our life. So when our perspective, our mental awareness and perspective on our life shifts, so too does everything in our life shift. It's amazing how we can make one small little change and it impacts everything that's important to us. Cool, right, very cool. Just a simple little thing a little quick walk at lunch and replacing the sugar for natural sugars that we find in fruit. Now, scientific studies back all this up the Blue Zones.

Dai Manuel: 6:21

Research on the world's longest lived people shows that those who live the longest are not necessarily those who spend hours at the gym, but those who do integrate healthy habits into their daily lives. They move naturally, they eat wisely and they maintain strong social connections. All right, now you're probably wondering how can you make health a byproduct of your life? Well, it starts with a mindset shift Change how you view health and wellness. It's not about perfection. It's about progression.

Dai Manuel: 6:54

Small, consistent changes can lead to massive transformations over time. And that is our shared beloved 2% philosophy, isn't it? But here are some practical tips. Beloved 2% philosophy, isn't it? But here are some practical tips. Start your day with a healthy breakfast. Take short breaks to move around if you have a desk job or do what I do. I have a standing desk and I go from standing to sitting multiple times throughout the day as well. Practice mindfulness before bedtime. A Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine study found that these small daily habits can significantly impact your health. And also, don't forget about the power of that community. Remember, because your vibe comes from your tribe, surround yourself with supportive, like-minded peeps. As Brene Brown says, connection is why we're here. It gives purpose and meaning to our lives. So, too, engaging with the community can provide motivation and support on your health journey. That's all for today's episode, my wellness warriors. And remember, health should be a natural by-project of just living your best life. By integrating movement, nutritious foods, mindfulness, strong social connections and bonds into your daily routine, you will be setting yourself up for long-term health as well as happiness.

Dai Manuel: 8:16

Before we go, I'd love to hear your feedback, stories and suggestions. What topics do you want to see covered? Which guests do you want to hear from your input? Help shape the future of this show. Follow us on instagram, facebook I'm even on the tiktok, who knows for how much longer right, uh, and all the usual places to stay up to, updated and and, obviously, join in this conversation that we're having, and really I do want it to be a conversation not just me speaking into white, but you letting me know what you think Adding to this conversation, because I know I don't know it all, but, gosh, I sure do like connecting to people that are way smarter than me. So please reach out, share, expand my knowledge, my awareness, and help me better understand how I can make greater impact for people like yourself, but also the community that we're all developing here in this 2% collective.

Dai Manuel: 9:06

If you enjoy the podcast, a review and subscription would mean the world to me. It's really easy Just click on the little icon. Wherever you're listening to this, you can leave a review five stars or, if you're on the podcast there, the iTunes podcast. I would absolutely love that. And let me know a few words. What are your thoughts of the show, any suggestions, recommendations or ideas on how to make it even more impactful. I welcome it all. Thank you for being an incredible part of this journey. Here's to those next hundred episodes we're well on our way to achieving and please keep pushing your limits. Keep staying positive and always aim to improve by just 2% every day. I'm Diamond Wall. You've been listening to the 2% Solution Podcast. Let's keep thriving together and I'll see you next time.