5 Pillars For Mental, Physical and Emotional Wellbeing
5 Pillars For Mental, Physical and Emotional Wellbeing
“Live simple, train hard and live an honest life, then you are truly free”
Skincare is directly tied to overall wellness, of the body, mind and soul. What skin care products we use are a small part of achieving great skin health.
Dr. Andrew Huberman is a professor of neurobiology at Standford Unversity School of Medicine and the host of a well known podcast called the Huberman Lab. He often talks about his 5 pillars for mental and physical well being, and they just happens to coincide with the 5 things I focus on for overall health and well being.
Here are the 5 pills for mental, physica and emotional wellbeing (which of course leads to great skin)
#1: Get Good Sleep
“Right here and right now is where I am meant to be... ”
I can write an entire book on why sleep is so important for us but in a nutshell, our body and brain repairs itself when we sleep. Our cells (skin cells are no exception) take in energy in the form of ATP and oxygen amongst other important nutrients and produce waste by-products which need to be flushed out.
This important process of waste removal, cellular repair and regeneration is called autophagy. In fact there are certain, very important functions of the cell that are only “turned-on” during the deepest stages of your sleep. This is why your night time skin care routine is usually much more elaborate than your day time routine.
A good foundational night time skin care routine should be designed to support your body’s natural healing and regeneration process.
Everyone has a different strategy for getting a good night's sleep, the important point is to make it a priority.
#2: Spend Time In Sunlight
“Endurance is a state we reach for those who have had the privilege to endure. ”
Sunlight is the source of heat and energy. It is also essential to our growth, happiness and well-being. Exposure to sunlight releases the “feel good” chemical serotonin in the brain.
Of course, raw and prolonged over exposure to UV rays prematurely ages our skin so we need to be careful there. My recommendation is to spend the first waking moments outside for 30 minutes in natural sunlight.
It’s a great start to the day.
#3: Move Your Body
“Endurance is a state we reach for those who have had the privilege to endure. ”
Movement (or the more unpopular term - exercise) has been called the universal medicine by may health care professionals. And I am a big believer that the human body is designed to move.
Move as much as you can and however you can. Even a simple 10 minute walk can raise your serotonin levels.
Try to raise your heart rate a little everyday and get progressively more active as you adapt to your exercise routine. As we get older, adding some strength and mobility exercises will help us add healthy decades to our life.
Moderately vigorous exercise also helps you go into deeper sleep, so there’s a double benefit there!It’s never too late to start, so why not get up right now and go for a little walk? 🙂
#4: Eat Real Food
“Endurance is a state we reach for those who have had the privilege to endure. ”
The micronutrients we need for good overall healthy like vitamins, minerals and amino acids are abundant in non-processed foods. Processed foods like pre-packed meals, fast food, salty snacks, chocolate bards, frozen pizza etc.. are lacking in those essential nutrients.
Filling up on processed foods robs our bodies of the nutrients that we need to heal and regenerate properly. Cooking at home with fresh vegetables, fruits, lean protein and healthy fats is a sure fire way to get gerat overall health and wellness.
The rule of thumb I use is, the less packged the better, the less cooked the better (ex. Raw veggies and fruit, nuts, dates etc in it’s native form).
#5: Foster Relationships
“Endurance is a state we reach for those who have had the privilege to endure. ”
Remeber the last time you caught up with a friend or a family member, how did that make you feel? Probably pretty good right?
We are social creatures and healthy relationships add vitablity and longevity to our lives. Every study on longevity has shown that a healthy social network is key.
Lunching with your friends, a walk with your spouse and catching up with distance relatives are not just good for your soul, they’re essential for a healthy and long life.
Your Next Steps?
"I don't fear the man who has practiced a thousand moves once, I fear the man who has practiced one move a thousand times" - Bruce Lee
If you feel a little overwhelmed, that's ok, it's natural. Rome wasn't built in a day and slow and steady always wins.
It's important to remember not to treat our lives as a list of things to check off and it's perfectly fine to simply choose one and practice it regularly.
Why not start with consistently getting a good night's sleep first. That alone will make a big difference in your overall wellbeing.
Practice at your own speed, be present in the moment and let's remember to be thankful that we have the privilege to practice these 5 pillars.