Finding a healthy body is not about looking for ways to avoid disease and maintain physical fitness. It's also about knowing your physiological type, being mindful of your ancestral health history, and working with nature to ensure you're getting more than just the basics.
Every day, a new health trend is born. Some of them are proven and definitely worth the time and effort. Others are short-lived fads that die quickly but leave you wondering what it is.
In these times, you might find yourself wondering whether ancestral health is for you or not. Let's face it; life is complex, and so are our bodies. It's hard to know what we should eat and when and how to think about what foods we eat holistically while still maintaining a busy lifestyle.
What is ancestral health?
Well, it's a lifestyle of eating natural foods and living an active lifestyle that's developed over thousands of years. With that said, it's hard to argue with the idea that this type of health is better than the processed junk we consume today.
The most important thing to ensure that your health stays in check is to practice ancestral health, a way of living that keeps you in tune with your natural rhythms and connects you with the earth.
We will talk about the basics of what ancestral health is and how it can be helpful to your health and longevity.
Ancestral Health as a Lifestyle
Ancestral Health is the concept of learning how to take care of your body in a way that isn't damaging. It is treating your body as if it was a chemical laboratory. Your body has cells that have been alive in your family for thousands of years, and they can teach you more about the world around you.
It is the idea that humans are a product of generations past and not generations present. If we recognize that we are just one small part of a long chain of humanity, we can become aware of how our ancestors were affected by their diets and lifestyle, which determines today.
Our genes have passed down over thousands of years, which means how we live now has evolved to fit our environment. It's this evolution that creates ancestral health problems.
Ancient people did not know about germs; they didn't even know that certain foods could be poisonous. They had access to knowledge that modern science has only recently discovered. They walked barefoot and ate highly nutritious today- fruits and vegetables, whole grains, legumes, healthy fats.
They encourage us to embrace the wisdom of our ancestors, nourishing our bodies with the foods they ate — wholesome foods like organic foods, grass-fed meats, nuts & seeds — that provide the building blocks for optimal health.
A Whole Guide To Principles Of Ancestral Health
The principles of ancestral health are the basis for healthy living passed down through generations by our ancestors. By learning to identify and remedy weaknesses in our health, we can repair past damage and prevent future problems.
#1: Get Plenty Of Sleep
Humans get accustomed to ancestral sleep and wake cycles called Circadian Rhythms. Evolution has adapted them to function optimally within 24 hours, and our genetic programming primarily governs them. Some of us get less than the recommended 8 hours of sleep per night, but this is not unhealthy. Many examples are creative people who come up with great ideas in their spare time, Olympic athletes who need to practice long and often, soldiers who train for long periods at a time.
#2. Get Enough Sunlight
Sunlight is the ideal non-food or non-dietary energy source for the human body. Without sunlight, our ancestors could not have survived. We now call paleo went back to rough times before the invention of agriculture: Paleolithic diet: meat (mainly hunted game), fish and plants gathered from the wild; no grains. These ancestral humans were nomadic and would hunt for game or fish, pick fruits and berries, collect nuts, seeds, and tubers from the forest floor. Meantime, they were harvesting plants for their medicinal value and food.
#3. Sprint Once In A While
A great way to replicate a healthy everyday routine is with Tabata or HIIT (High-Intensity Interval Training) workouts. HIIT is an intense but short cardio workout that's very efficient. It's also a great way to burn the maximum number of calories in the shortest amount of time. Anyone can do it, usually done in a small space like a living room.
#4. Move Frequently
Migrating to new regions has always been a critical strategy of animals that had to deal with the unpredictability of their environment, and humans are no different. Our ancestors traveled great distances across mountains and seas to find food and shelter in new habitats.
It is also one of the explanations as to why our ancestors developed enormous brain sizes; they needed it for planning long-term movements. Today we don't have similar pressures, but we still need to move regularly to maintain a healthy lifestyle.
Conclusion
Ancestral health is about being the best self in your unique biochemistry. A traditional health approach is a way of living that combines ancient wisdom from around the world with modern-day scientific findings. It encompasses diet, lifestyle, and psychology.
The principles of ancestral health depend on the idea that we humans are by nature to live in harmony with our environment. These guidelines assume that your ancestors had no such diseases long ago, and their diet was full of whole organic plants and animals without any processed or refined foods.
The goal is to return to a natural state by eating like your ancestors and removing all harmful chemicals from your life. Much evidence supports the work and research of traditional health practices passed down for generations.
Christine Lowe via TheHealthStrength.com
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