To combat uncertainty and external negativity, practice living fully in the present moment by savoring experiences, engaging deeply in conversations, and focusing on sensory details, which helps reduce the impact of external stressors.
Utilize the ‘Symptom Web’ framework to identify and address health issues by reviewing eight key lifestyle factors—stress, sleep, diet, movement, historical infections, environment, genes, and sunlight—to pinpoint areas of systemic malfunction.
Offer compassionate, non-judgmental listening with both words and body language, as this provides a powerful form of ‘medicine’ that allows others to process their thoughts and feelings, especially when they lack such support elsewhere.
Prioritize dedicated time to process emotions and understand pain, rather than resorting to distractions like alcohol or endless scrolling, to truly confront and learn from difficult experiences.
To quickly increase vagal tone and calm anxiety, try drinking water, pinching your earlobe, slowing your breathing, and humming; these simple, accessible practices can help manage acute stress responses.
Understand that lifestyle changes are not just for disease prevention but can also serve as effective treatment and even reversal strategies for existing symptoms and conditions.
Identify the ‘key lever’ in your lifestyle that, when adjusted, can correct multiple health issues simultaneously; for example, improving sleep can significantly impact blood sugar levels.
Journal your ’typical day’ by writing down every step, from waking up to how you eat and move, to gain an objective snapshot of your lifestyle and identify potential areas for improvement.
When someone’s actions irritate you, focus on their specific behaviors rather than labeling the person themselves; separating the behavior from the individual allows for better understanding and management of the situation.
Don’t just accept ’normal’ test results; question if they are ‘optimal’ for your individual health, as conditions often develop over many years before diagnosis, encouraging proactive health management.
When making lifestyle changes, start with small, manageable steps tailored to your current situation, rather than attempting to do everything overnight, to ensure sustainable progress.
Actively manage stress through practices like breathwork or humming, as this directly alters your biology, improving blood sugar levels, genetic expression, and reducing inflammation.
If you engage in less healthy habits (e.g., drinking alcohol), ensure there’s a counterbalance in your life, such as other positive lifestyle choices, to mitigate potential negative impacts on your health.
When discussing death, use direct language like ‘died’ instead of softened terms like ’lost someone’ to confront the reality of the event, which can help in processing grief and preventing emotional distance.
Practice a one-minute meditation twice daily—before starting work and after work—to manage stress and smoothly transition between professional and personal roles.
When experiencing systemic malfunction (e.g., gut, brain, memory, joints, bloating issues), recognize that the solution may not be medical intervention but rather lifestyle adjustments, such as addressing chronic sleep deprivation and high stress levels.