No Regrets, Top 25 Healthy Habits
*This article is not medical advice. Before starting on any health related regimen, seek the advice of your Primary Care Physician or an M.D.
One of the paradigms I often run into with folks is being asked if something is “good” or “bad”.
Mostly, with very few exceptions, I explain what I know research says about something. Like Curcumin - it downregulates TNFA, and does a good job at that, but it also chelates iron, so if somebody is low in iron/anemic, it’s not a supportive choice.
With all that said, below are some things I consider no-regrets to support health:
Eliminate oxidized seed oils (safflower, sunflower, soy, corn, peanut, rapeseed, avocado, etc) they are in almost all commercial salad dressings, and mostly used in fried food cooking.
Eat organic - especially corn, soy, rice, wheat, oats, and produce that has skin that isn't smooth (like strawberries, melons). Also items like potatoes and peanuts that are just loaded with pesticides if not grown organically.
Wash all fruits and veggies with a cleaner that helps remove pesticides, etc
Thoroughly cook your chicken, and preferably don't bring raw chicken into you home often - the contamination risk is high - 25% has salmonella or campylobacter
Avoid mixed greens in salad bags - the risk for e coli o157 and other pathogens goes up dramatically. Select whole heads of greens instead.
Avoid drinking chlorinated water, filter shower water, and avoid hot tubs with chlorinating agents.
Avoid fluoride toothpaste or treatments
Avoid commercial alcohol based mouthwashes
Avoid exposure to VOCs - don't sleep on a tempurpedic style oil based mattress, etc
Have a radon mitigation system/fan for ventilation in your basement so radon and VOCs don't build up and circulate throughout your house
Avoid phthalates in personal care products, dish soaps, hand soaps, deodorants, lotions, etc
Be discriminating the makeup you use in terms of additives
Limit larger predator fish from diet - tuna, shark, dolphin, salmon, mackerel, etc. Down to 1-2x/year. Sardines are an excellent omega 3 source and don't harbor metals like mercury.
Avoid farm raised fish, grain fed chicken, pork, and beef. Even organic, the Omega 6 linoleic acid content in these animals is high because of the grain based diet.
Good home water filtration system to remove chlorine, metals, pesticides, fluoride, etc.
Good air filter for home - to take out voc's, allergens, etc - charcoal plus ultra hepa filtration system like iQ Air Home Health Plus
Repair all water leaks, and remove all mold in home, car, work.
Avoid significant sources of lead (paints) and copper (pipes) in older homes. Avoid use copper cooking pans. Avoid teflon coated cooking ware.
Remove plastics from daily living ware: plastic food storage, saran wraps, plastic water bottles, plastic cutting boards, plastic cups /utensils, plastic bags, etc.
Rinse your rice 2-3 times in cold water prior to cooking it - dramatically lowers the arsenic content in rice.
Eliminate MSG, preservatives, artificial colors, artificial flavors, sugar alcohols from diet.
Hydrate with water, but not during or after meals. Let your food digest.
Eat 3 meals per day during the same time. Go to bed at consistently the same time. Wake up at consistently the same time. This helps regulate the circadian rhythm which affects the CLOCK genes - which control a number of important genes.
Find some way to get regular fiber in your diet - either foods like beans/legumes or a binder that can drag out old bile and toxins into your toilet. I understand for some this can be challenging with SIBO in play - if that’s a case - find a good binder you can tolerate.
Practice deep slow breathing to regulate your nervous system, oxygenate your body.
Food for thought,
Mike