Reframe physical practice to occur outside of formal exercise by seeking opportunities to improve mobility and movement in daily activities, like sitting while watching TV or putting on shoes, to aggregate into a more capable body and brain.
Spend at least 30 minutes a day sitting on the floor in various positions (e.g., crisscross applesauce, long sit, kneeling), especially while watching TV or working from home, to improve hip range of motion and overall movement capacity.
Accumulate at least 8,000 steps per day, as research shows a 50% reduction in all-cause mortality at this level. Break up your walking into short bursts, such as 10-minute walks after meals or walking meetings, to easily integrate it into your busy schedule.
Improve balance by integrating simple practices into daily routines, such as standing on one leg to put on socks and shoes (Old Man Balance Test) or balancing on one leg with eyes closed while brushing your teeth (SOLEC Test), to reduce fall risk and maintain physical capacity as you age.
Endeavor to eat 800 grams (1.7 pounds or four large apples) of fruits and vegetables daily, including white potatoes and beans, to gain significant health benefits and reduce morbidity through an expansive dietary approach.
Aim to consume 0.7 to 1 gram of protein per pound of body weight daily from various sources (fruits, vegetables, grains, peas) to build and maintain lean muscle mass, which is crucial for your body to thrive effectively.
Avoid overly restrictive diets that remove you from your community or prevent you from enjoying meals with family and friends, as strong human connection and eating together are fundamental health habits.
Prioritize getting at least seven hours of sleep per night as a minimum due diligence, recognizing that growing bodies, healing from injury, changing body composition, or learning new skills often require more sleep.
Understand that it’s normal to lose about an hour of sleep each night due to wakeful cycles; if your goal is eight hours of sleep, you may need to allocate nine hours in bed to achieve it.
Improve sleep quality by cutting off caffeine intake by 12 or 1 PM and limiting alcohol consumption at night, saving it for when you are rested or celebrating, as both can significantly impact sleep.
If experiencing low back pain, implement a three-pillar strategy: learn how to breathe effectively, walk significantly more, and actively mobilize your hips to restore function and reduce pain.
Incorporate nose-only breathing during activities like walking or warming up for workouts to improve diaphragm function, expand your rib cage, and avoid shallow mouth breathing.
While walking, practice breath holds by taking a 10-second inhale, holding your breath as long as comfortable, and then recovering with nose-only breathing, repeating this cycle at the top of each minute to improve CO2 tolerance.
Perform soft tissue mobilization work on your thoracic spine (T-spine) to create more space in your torso, which enables more effective and comfortable breathing.
Use your smartphone’s built-in pedometer to track your daily steps, as this is considered the most important and useful measure for overall health and movement.
Assess your physical capacity by attempting to sit down on the floor from a crisscross applesauce position and then stand back up without using your hands or knees, as this is a well-validated snapshot of future mobility and fall risk.
Perform the Body Oxygen Level Test by taking a big breath in, slowly exhaling completely, and then holding your breath for as long as you can; aim for about 40 seconds without feeling the urge to breathe to assess your CO2 tolerance.
If you’re worried about falling or find floor sitting uncomfortable, start by practicing going down to and getting up from a chair or coffee table, or use a cushion, gradually working your way to the floor.