The OTHER stuff in the PB page

[sbhikes]

Sometimes I think it's kinda easy to get trapped in the "what can I put inside me" mode of thinking. After all, that's what our culture is all about. What food can I eat, what medicine can I take, what can I put inside me to change everything?

I honestly think the OTHER stuff in the Primal Blueprint helps just as much as the diet. Here's a list of the one that help me most:

Sunshine
I make a conscious effort to get sunshine on my face and arms every day. I try to see sunlight with my eyes without sunglasses every day, too. I think it's very important for both the Vitamin D and also for the circadian rhythm and also to have a better sense of the changing of the season. When I don't get enough sun, I really notice I don't feel as happy or vital.

Sleep
On purpose I go to bed as early as 8:30 or even 8pm if I'm really tired. I do it completely without apology. Adequate sleep is so important for having a good mood and for having a healthy and strong body. With proper sleep I seem to do better around food and basically everything works better with enough sleep.

Sprinting
I think it's under-appreciated, especially for the older crowd like me. It's really awesome to go out to the track and just get it done fast, especially when there's someone else there slogging along taking their medicine of x number of times around the track = x number of calories burned. It's totally making me stronger and more vibrant inside.

Lifting Heavy Things
A lot of older people avoid this. I admit it's really easy to overtrain when you are older and make yourself feel like shit. But once you get the timing of it right, it can make a huge difference. I look pretty much the same, but I'm rock hard all over and this pleases me greatly. Everything physical feels easier to do. I feel younger, more confident, more vital and even more limber. It's good medicine.

There are other parts of the PB that don't get a lot of focus. This is the full list of them:

1. Eat lots of animals, insects and plants.
2. Move around a lot at a slow pace.
3. Lift heavy things.
4. Run really fast every once in a while.
5. Get lots of sleep.
6. Play.
7. Get some sunlight every day.
8. Avoid trauma.
9. Avoid poisonous things.
10. Use your mind.

I think missing from the list is spending time in nature. Spending time in nature or at least taking notice of the nature around me also helps me feel vital and healthy.

How about you? Are any of the other, non-food-related Primal things make a big difference for you?

[catholicchick]

11. Laugh. Not just the ha ha kind of laugh, but the tears rolling down your face kind of laughter.

[YogaBare]

Intimacy - emotional, and physical.

[Rasputina]

Play. I'm trying to get on the ground and play with my cat everyday. She needs the exercise and so do I. Leaping and crawling is fun.

[JoanieL]

I take naps to help me get eight hours because I've never been good at getting all eight at once.

I'm not fond of sun, but I try to sit out later in the day, and lately have been slamming D3. Also, I get it naturally on my walk.

I do resistance body weight exercises, and occasionally lift the two chairs in my living room.

I play and use my mind by doing puzzles. Number puzzles are my favorite.

I avoid trauma by avoiding people. *chuckle* Hey, there must have been at least one or two groks that thought hangin' with the tribe just wasn't that much fun.

I think the biggest area where I fail is avoiding poisonous things. But at least now I'm choosing my poisons with some knowledge and not getting additional poisons in my food too much. As a friend of mine who smokes said, "If I die of cancer because I smoke, that's on me. If I die of cancer because I ate too much tofu, I'm going to be f****** pissed."

[seaweed]

swim in the sea. and also i reckon some form of stretching for flexibility and dancing maybe. plus some form of spiritual practise. and superfluous technology avoidance.

[qqemokitty]

This is such an important reminder. I definitely need to be doing more of the OTHER stuff.

[Gorbag]

Avoid unnecessary stress and get plenty of forbidden and dangerous sex!

[sbhikes]

Using my mind: Last couple of nights I've been working on a web project in the evening which causes my mind to race and me to have trouble falling asleep and sleeping deeply. I can already feel the effects to my ability to recover from strength training and to just feel happy and healthy.

I honestly think people don't pay enough attention to these other things. They are equally as important as losing weight.

[Finnegans Wake]

So 47 is "older?" Yeah, older than 1-46. But not old, dadgummit!

Good post. I need to refocus on all the other stuff, so a good list to keep in mind.

I'd add having healthy social interactions: get out with friends, and usually laughs will follow. Seems to be one of the little discussed factors in blue zones.