Having worked quite hard to get my health back under my control, lots of extensive reading, experimenting with myself - here is my current outlook on what Health means and requires in a modern context

Inflammation

Should be avoided! Any source of inflammation in your life is going to make for worse outcomes in both disease, and daily energy and recovery.

Impactful sources of inflammation -- Industrial Oils -- Agrochemicals on the food -- Lectins (least impactful) -- stress/worry

Of course air pollution as well, but that is something we have less control over.

There are multiple credible theories that inflammation is at the root of disease - it seems sensible to reduce it. The mental model I've developed is the body has a limited capacity to handle inflammation where we are ok, and above that we start to have problems.

Periodic small intensity inflammation is good - exercise, healing a injury - it shouldn't be chronic or persistent.

Insulin

Insulin is a very important hormone, it touches almost every cell in the body. It's important to keep insulin at low levels so our bodies are very sensitive to it, and all of our hormones work properly.

Chronically elevated insulin is problematic because it is at the core of metabolic health. It impairs hormones, blood pressure, hypertension, cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, etc.

Impactful sources of chronically high insulin:

• carbohydrates.

That's it, just carbs at every meal, every snack... elevates insulin for 4 hours past that meal, 3 meals a day plus snacks, every waking hour has high insulin levels.

While being sensitive is good, we do want occasional insulin spikes as well, this can be from eating a large bolus of protein in on sitting. The key is this shouldn't be chronic.

Sleep

Critical to our health in terms of normal repair, rest, recuperation, brain efficiency.

A great book on the subject is - Why We Sleep: Unlocking the Power of Sleep and Dreams

Nutrition

This is probably the most contentious subject. There are essential elements the body needs, but cannot create on its own from other sources.

Vital Nutrients

• Electrolytes (salt, potassium, magnesium)

• Protein

The body is made of protein, bones, skin, most everything requires protein to build or repair.

• Fat

There are vital nutrients that are only available in fat, "fat soluble". Without enough fat in our diet we could end up in rabbit starvation scenario

Not included are carbohydrates, they provide no nutrients, they are not essential to human health - They are optional.

Where can you get sufficient nutrition to live? Most any diet is "good enough" to keep you alive, at least for awhile. The human body is very efficient, if there is a deficiency it can limp along for years before the problem is obvious to everyone. Hell, the longest fast on record was almost a year!

Whole Food, Single Ingredient diets - The fundamental requirement of this pillar is getting your nutrition from food that hasn't been inside of a factory. The ingredient list is just the single item itself. This covers diets like mediterranean, whole food vegetarian, whole food ketogenic, and of course carnivore.

Sunlight

Everyone knows about the benefits of vitamin D, but there are other less well known impacts including mitochondrial function. Sun exposure generates vitamin D, (and E), but ON THE SURFACE of the skin, so it's important to not rinse off after coming in from the sun.

Physical Activity

Obviously getting out is nice, it has benefits for both mental and physical health. I don't think a gym is necessary, just a life that spends more time then not out of a chair, with social connections both to your community and friends.

What do you think? What is on your foundations of health list?