Rhythm
19. Sleep with the Sun
When sunlight starts to fade it’s time to start relaxing the body and mind so that by the time it’s 10 p.m you’re ready to sleep. Having a good sleep wake cycle (10 p.m-6 a.m) is a much needed component to creating good health. Your mind & body need good rest every night to make the most of the next day. It is more than worthwhile to keep a good rhythm at least 6/7 days. If you are going to have a later night then it is worth having an afternoon nap before 5 for less than 30mins both the day before & after. Try not to wake up too much later as this will also throw out your rhythm- e.g go to bed at 2 a.m and try to wake up at 8am. If you sleep in too late your rhythm will go off and you will feel like you have jet lag.
In the evenings it is important to not over stimulate the mind or body so it is best to take it easy from at least 8pm onwards.
20.Get your Vitamin D
Getting adequate Vitamin D is essential for health. Vitamin D is what allows our bones to be calcified with out we suffer conditions such as a osteoporosis and in severe cases Rickets. The easiest way to bring your Vitamin D levels up is to get 2 x 30min sunbathing sessions per week in the middle of the day. This can be broken up into 10-20mins daily usually shorter is not going to get a decent response and longer than 30 mins is unadvised because of the risk of getting burn’t. In winter the UVB ray spectrum is available in a very short period and depending on your distance from the equator it may not be at all. In Sydney through Summer, Spring & Autumn UVB is plentiful provided there is no cloud cover which reduces UVB by 50%. You want maximum skin exposure so sunscreens are out with the clothes. Getting sun throw glass will not work either as the UVB rays are reflected. The synthesis of Vitamin D comes from the fatty acid secretions in the skin so you want to avoid washing the sun exposed skin with soap for up to 48hrs after getting sun. Washing the skin will wash away the vitamin d before it enters circulation. Those with darker skin- more melanin will need more extended exposure times to make the same amount of Vitamin D as fair skinned individuals. The richest nutritional source of Vitamin D can be found in Cod Liver Oil we recommend the green pastures brand because of the source and processing of their food products.
21.Take needed time out
Each day it’s important to make time for yourself. It’s very easy to get caught up in the busy world around us and loose ourselves in other peoples ideas. Taking the time to stop and enjoy the simple things gives you the chance to put life in perspective. The things that most people worry about really don’t matter that much in comparison to the whole experience of life. Take the time to work out what you really need & want.
Making lifestyle changes such as these are not easy at first, but once you feel the benefits its impossible to go back. Make changes 1 or 2 at a time get it down and then add to it. Each week aim to live 6/7 days in alignment with these 20 principles. On your day off don’t go too overboard. Aim to not have more than double the carbs e.g 50kg lean mass 100g carbs & 1.5 the calories as in the above example 2158 calories 3237 calories.
Keep alcohol to a minimum & limit to 1 day per week until results are achieved then 2 consecutive days every 7 with a 5 day break is acceptable. Males stick to 1-3 drinks females 1-2 drinks. Any more than this can blow all your hard work and make you think that you cant achieve your desired result.
Life is a process. So much is possible to achieve. We just need to be clear, consistent & keep having fun.
