Usually within the first week of coaching, a personal training client will ask how they can start making improvements to their health, and I always kick things off with a trick question, of course. The paradigm shifting question is simply, “What do you think are the top three ‘nutrients’ for your health?”
Now, even though I preface the question with the whole ‘trick’ element, I still get the same answers every time: Protein, vitamin C, fatty acids, etc. The truth of the matter is that there are three main staples of health that aren’t just ‘good’ for improving health but are completely essential and almost always overlooked. They are Air, Water, and Sleep.
Unfortunately, with health and fitness, people tend to put the cart before the horse. But every master of every skill will tell you the same thing, “If you want to be great at something, master the basics, and work to better them, for all time.”
Air. I use the word ‘air’ instead of oxygen because there’s more than just oxygen in the air we breathe. First of all, it should be fairly obvious that we can’t go very long without it, so it needs to be the top ‘nutrient’. So, great, you’re getting air right now, but at what quality? OSHA may regulate acceptable quality levels for the workplace, but there’s more to it than that.
With most HVAC systems barely filtering recycled air in the office, you can see where problems may arise. If taking away your air completely will kill you, what will taking away a portion of it do to your health?
The solution is to breathe as much ‘fresh’ air as possible. When you’re inside a building, and you feel like it’s ‘stuffy in there’, then it is, and you need to get out. Now, we all know that natural or fresh air can contain all kinds of nature’s irritants, but for the most part they are just that, irritants. They may cause people to express cold like symptoms (allergies), but you’ll have to decide for yourself which is the lesser evil.
Water. It’s what you are. It’s what your body is made of, mostly. You should treat it as such, with a likewise proportionately high level of importance. Depending on who you ask, your body is composed of anywhere between 60% and 99% water. The two factors of concern are quality and quantity, and their priorities have been heavily debated. Personally, I lean towards quantity or ‘hydration’ being tops, but both are extremely important.
Attaining proper hydration is not convenient, it’s not like filling up your car’s gas tank. Instead of chugging a bunch of water occasionally, drink a cup every 30 minutes (or better yet, ½ cup every 15 min). Pour a measured cup into your favorite mug or glass to see what it looks like, and experiment to see how many gulps it takes to drink. I’ve tried to simplify it to the max by taking 4 gulps every quarter hour. Avoid more than one cup per half hour as that can initiate digestion and rob you of precious energy.
As far as water quality goes, there are three basic forms in descending order. Primary, distilled, and reverse osmosis. Primary water comes from deep within the earth and should be tested for its authenticity. Distillation is a slow process of boiling out impurities and leaving behind pure water. Reverse osmosis uses a series of filters to purify the water and is the most affordable and effective method for most households and offices. We currently use APEC Water Systems in our office, and are very happy with it!
Sleep. This aspect of your life does not have to be over complicated. The rule of thumb is simple: If you can sleep, then you need sleep. During the day, if you can close your eyes in a relaxed state and fall asleep, then you didn’t get enough sleep the night before. How much is enough? Usually, enough sleep means you can no longer continue to sleep in the morning (in an ideal world). It can be that simple.
The main take away here is that there is no substitute for sufficient sleep. You can’t drink enough coffee or eat a special snack to make up for a lack of proper sleep. I know that millions of people think they can outsmart sleep with these methods, but they’re mistaken, and we all know it. Just imagine you had a terribly exhausting experience where you were kept awake for three straight days and forced to march through mountainous terrain, etc. Would any of us believe that a power bar or energy drink would just magically make it all okay, and fill the void of needed sleep? Nope.
If you’re looking to get tech savvy with your sleep, there are a few companies that make great sleep trackers, but they are not cheap. Every single fitness tracker to date will claim to track your sleep, but if you want precise feedback, you’ll need to shell out beaucoup bucks for the best results. Companies like Apple, Samsung, Oura, Whoop, and Fitbit are some of the best for this, but just make sure they are their top models for sleep tracking.
There is of course a lot more to say about these three most important ‘nutrients’ for health, but hopefully this has helped put the spotlight where it needs to be. If your focus needs to shift towards appreciating these aspects of your life, then I highly encourage it!
If you need any help at all with further understanding these topics, please don’t hesitate to reach out for a personal training or wellness consultation. I’m happy to help. 😊
