1. Get sun exposure on bare skin as soon as you wake up.
This is the best free hack as it will charge up your body and sustain your energy throughout the day. Sunlight is the optimal light for all living beings. It’s crucial to get this first thing in the morning for maximum benefits. Also, try to get it on as much bare skin as possible. The best time is between 8 -10 am. This is when the sun is not as strong as at midday. If there’s minimal sun where you are, there’s a hack for that. You can get a S.A.D (seasonal affective disorder) lamp. This mimics the spectrum of the sun. The amazing benefits of sun exposure include:
- Increases dopamine and serotonin, the happy hormones
- Sunlight contains infrared light which improves mitochondrial function
- Increases Beta-endorphins, which improves mood
- Relaxes the nervous system and makes us calmer
- Increases Nitric Oxide, which helps improve blood flow
- Increases Vitamin D
- Increases Heat shock proteins
- Lowers inflammation (UV is an immunosuppressant)
- Improves Blood flow – blood flows where UV shines
- Increases metabolism
- Is anti-Microbial – the sun can irradiate large amounts of blood – against fungi, bacteria viruses, etc…
- Increases CD8 Cells, which help the immune system
- Increases sulfhydryl groups (necessary for glutathione)
- Breaks down adrenaline, estrogen, cortisol, prolactin, progesterone
This is part of a great morning routine which is also important to have. You can learn more of the importance of a morning routine here
2. Do The Wim Hof Method
Wim Hof is a dutchman and is famous for his amazing world records. They are incredible acts that defy the limits of human potential. He is a modern-day superman and can regulate his own temperature, heart rate, and even his own autoimmune system. This was considered impossible until he proved it under controlled studies, that it can be done. He developed this complete system to help everyone realize their nearly unlimited potential.
The two most popular elements of his method are the breathwork and cold exposure. They both work on the principle of hormesis. This is a positive stressor on your body that makes it grows back stronger in the process. Exercise and fasting are other examples of this. Each day, our cells and mitochondria are constantly reproducing. This method wipes out all the weak ones and only the strong ones are left. So every day when your cells and mitochondria are reproducing, they only have the strongest ones to copy from. Therefore, by doing this method, you will get stronger and more resilient every day. Wim Hof is a superhuman because he’s been doing it for almost 40 years! Here’s how you do it:
Breathwork
Find a comfortable place to do your breathing exercises where you won’t be disturbed. You can sit or lie on your back. I recommend lying down in sunlight. Then you will be doing two optimizations at the same time, bonus! When you’re on your back, you can focus on getting more air instead of having to focus on keeping a straight back while sitting as well.
2. Do 30-40 power breaths
Once you’re comfortable, you can start to breathe in and out about 30 times. Imagine you are blowing up a huge balloon so really inhale and exhale completely to get as much air into you as possible. Do it slow and steady while breathing in and out through the mouth only. Inhale fully but don’t exhale all the way out. It may feel a bit like you are hyperventilating, but you are in control. You may also feel tingling in your fingers and/or lightheaded sensation. Also, old emotions and trauma may be released. This is perfectly normal and an amazing extra benefit of the exercise.
3. Hold your breath
After doing 30-40 power breaths, on the last outbreathe, empty your lungs and hold. Retain the breath for as long as you can. When you need to breathe, take a deep breath in and hold it for a further 10-15 seconds. You can also hold as long as possible to prolong the effects and benefits. (This modification, I asked Wim himself at a workshop in Vancouver)
4. Repeat steps 1-3 for 3 rounds for maximum benefits
You can also add push up variations on the last round to improve your VO2 max. That’s the measure of your body’s ability to recover faster under physical stress. I’ve tried many different pranayama’s and this one by far is the best one of them all. There are many forms of breathwork for different things. Some relax you, some give you energy, some take you out of fight or flight mode, boost your immunity, etc. But this one does them all and then some! Why spend an hour on breathwork when you can do all of the above in 20 min? Plus you have an amazing sense of euphoria after because you actually release traces of DMT when you do it. I do this first thing in the morning while getting sun exposure. It’s also great throughout the day whenever you need a boost in energy and mental clarity.
Cold Exposure
It’s best to jump into an ocean, pond, or lake early in the morning. However, most of us don’t have that luxury and can only take cold showers. This will have to do but I recommend baby steps if you’re just starting out. Have your normal warm shower then blast yourself with cold water for at least 15 seconds, then back to warm. Repeat for at least three times. Increase the duration of cold when you have built up a tolerance for it. This comes surprisingly faster than you may think as the body is highly adaptable. This one key element is what made our species survive for so long. My personal routine is hot shower first, then blast myself 3 minutes straight with cold water. Then finish with a hot shower after. You can Mix and match until you find your own sweet spot. It doesn’t matter the duration, just as long as you try. An added side effect of cold therapy is that it really boosts your will power. I have personally noticed a huge increase in this by taking regular cold showers and/or cold therapy. Nobody wants to get in a cold shower. Getting under freezing cold water every morning trains the brain to do things it doesn’t spontaneously want to. This attitude also carries on to other areas of your life. The more you are willing to push yourself out of your comfort zone, the easier it becomes next time. We are all capable of so much more than we realize. If you but just find the courage to try, you will be pleasantly surprised at just how resilient you are. In case you need more convincing, here are the top 9 benefits of cold therapy
1) Aids Fat Burning
Humans have stores of active brown fat tissue. Unlike white fat, which stores energy and comprises most body fat, brown fat is active in burning calories and using energy. Active brown fats are able to turn calories from food into heat. Furthermore, the more often you do cold therapy, the more your body produces brown fat to aid in this process. Cold exposure also increases shivering and nonshivering thermogenesis. These processes increase calorie expenditure. It also raises the production of adiponectin proteins. This protein also increases fat burning. Low levels of adiponectin are associated with obesity.
2) Fights Inflammation and prevents diabetes
Adiponectin also combats inflammation. One study found adiponectin levels increase by 70% after cold exposure. Adiponectin is also involved in blood glucose regulation. Low levels of this protein are often found related to insulin resistance. Insulin resistance is the main cause of diabetes.
3) Supports Longevity
Fish also seem to live longer at lower temperatures. For example, one study showed that a 6 °C drop in temperature increased the average fish lifespan by 75 % In 1986, one researcher immersed his lab rats in shallow, cool water for four hours per day. The rats burned so many extra calories that they ate 50% more than control rats. The cold-exposed rats still weighed less than the control rats and lived 10% longer. Other researchers prefer the ‘rate of living hypothesis’. This theory suggests that lower temperature promotes longevity by slowing down the rate of reaction of various metabolic processes. This means fewer by-products of metabolism, such as reactive oxygen species.
4) Strengthens the Nervous System
The increase in fat burning during cold exposure is modulated by the sympathetic nervous system. Cold temperatures act as a mild “workout” for the nervous system. This adapts and strengthens it in the process.
5) Supports and Speeds up Recovery
The physiological effects of cold therapy include reductions in blood flow, swelling, inflammation, muscle spasm, and metabolic demand. Cold exposure has a positive effect on muscular enzymes linked to muscle damage. One study looked at 360 people who either rested or submerged themselves in cold water after resistance training, cycling or running. 24-minute cold water baths (50 – 59 °F) prevented sore muscles after exercises. This approach is becoming increasingly popular among professional athletes.
6) Improves Sleep Quality
Our body temperature naturally drops when we fall asleep. Taking a quick cold shower will quickly drop your core temperature. This will trick your brain into thinking that you’re ready to sleep faster.
7) Strengthens the Immune System
One clinical study looked at the effects of 6 weeks of cold water immersion (14C for 1hr) on the immune system. Participants had increased levels of IL-6, CD3, CD4, CD8 and activated T and B lymphocytes, suggesting a more active immune system.
8) Combats Oxidative Stress
One study found that people who regularly swim in ice-cold water had relatively high levels of reduced glutathione, an antioxidant that’s vital for detoxing
9) Reduces Pain
According to anecdotal evidence, blasts of cold significantly improve the quality of life for patients suffering from limb pain. Cold application alone may also be effective in reducing pain associated with migraine attacks
3. Fasting
This is all the knowledge I learned from the years I put in studying this topic. We’ve been fed a lie for so long by the huge conglomerates that control our food chain. “ You need to eat 3 square meals a day or you’ll starve and waste away.” “ If you want to be fit and put on muscle, you got to up that to at least 6 meals a day plus snacks to feed your muscles. If you skip breakfast, you will not function normally.” Sorry, wrong answer! the opposite is true. When you are in a constant state of feeding, your stomach and liver never get a chance to rest. Also, the main benefit of fasting is called Autophagy. It’s Greek meaning self-eating. When your cells reproduce, not all of them form perfectly. These degenerate cells then build up in your body. If there are too many of them, they start to promote disease and hinder your total health. When you stop eating for at least 16 hours, autophagy kicks in. Your body systematically seeks out these mutant cells and recycles the proteins and make brand new cells out of them. It uses your stored body fat as fuel to do this in a process called ketosis. This is just the benefits of daily intermittent fasting. The benefits compound when you do an extended fast for 24 hours or more. Not only does your body go into autophagy, but it releases a huge amount of stem cells and human growth hormones. People pay thousand for stem cell therapy. You get it for free when you go on an extended fast. The biggest myth about fasting is that people get it confused with starvation. Starvation is when your body starts to sacrifice its own tissue and organs in order to survive. An average person with a normal BMI index of 25% fat doesn’t even start going into starvation mode for at least 40 days without food. So you’re good. I can speak from experience because I’ve tried most types of fasting. Daily intermittent fasting, 5/2 day fast, OMAD (one meal per day), extended fast of 3, 7, and even a 30 day fast. For more details about my experiences with fasting, go here
Top Benefits of Fasting
Fasting promotes longevity
- As you grow older, your metabolism starts slowing down which leads to a gradual loss of muscle tissue. The performance of your cells also gradually deteriorates with age leading to those degenerate cells. Fasting stimulates the production of human growth hormones and stem cells. This leads to increased bone strength, better protein synthesis, and increased muscle mass. All these slow down the effects of aging both internally and in your physical appearance and performance. The longer the fast, the more profound the benefits.
You get a higher functioning brain
- Fasting promotes the production of a hormone called BDNF or brain-derived neurotrophic factor. This, in turn, activate stem cells in the brain which converts them to neurons. The more neurons that fire together, wire together. Every time you learn something new, this happens. The best way to do this is to never lose your sense of wonder, experiment often, and to always be open to new ideas and experiences. Also, it’s most important to never lose the element of play in your life. Just because you are older and wiser, doesn’t mean you can’t play. There is a difference though, between being childlike, and childish. The secret is to have all the wonder and magic of a child, but not act like a child when you don’t get your way for example. Note the difference. Finally, when you are in a fasted state, you are more able to focus and concentrate on a task at hand. That’s because there is no blood and energy being diverted to the digestive system. Therefore, you are able to “knock it out of the park” in areas like writing, poetry, and things that require a clear and creative mind.
Fasting does wonders for weight loss
- When autophagy kicks in, that means your body is depleting its stores of glucose. The majority of glucose is in your stomach and some in your liver. Once these stores are gone, the body switches over to your body fat to fuel autophagy. Bingo! However, it never does that if you are in a constant state of feeding. Also, don’t go crazy and try to start fasting for days if you haven’t done it before. Baby steps. First, try daily intermittent fasting for 16 hours. That’s when autophagy kicks in. Then try a 24, 36,72, 3 day, 7 days or 3 week fast. A 1-3 week fast annually is recommended for optimal performance. However, a word of caution. Just like a race car, you can’t go from 0 to 60 without any fuel in the tank. The fuel I’m talking about is knowledge. When I was preparing for my 30 day fast. I took 3 days to fully immerse myself on everything I can find about fasting. From listening to podcasts, to listening to audiobooks, to youtube videos, to articles on blogs. That is the best way to fast safely on any extended fast. Educate yourself first. Also, I am not you, so listen to your own body and stop the fast immediately if you’re feeling ill or faint. Consult your doctor before, during and after fasting. Especially if you are not fanatical about health and nutrition like me. Take in mind that although I like to push my limits, I also do the preparation. I like to unlock the secrets of human potential so I challenge myself regularly. Get crystal clear on your limitations and push them just a little above your comfort zone. Rinse and repeat until you’ve achieved your fitness goals.
Fasting also ramps up your metabolism
- A weak digestive system affects your ability to metabolize food and burn fat. When you fast intermittently, your digestive system gets some much-needed rest. When you re-feed, your metabolism gets a boost which means your body burns more calories and is much more efficient at getting energy from the food you eat. Other ways to speed up your metabolism include HIIT training (high-intensity interval training) and drinking lots of organic teas. The teas also contain amazing antioxidants and polyphenols which are super beneficial for overall health.
Improves all aspects of your immune system
- Have you ever observed an animal when it’s sick? They stop eating and retreat to a safe shelter to recover. Do you ever wonder why that is? It’s a natural instinct to reduce the internal stress so it can focus on using that energy to battle the illness. We can learn a lot from our furry friends. So next time you are coming down with something, try fasting instead of food or those expensive supplements and medications. Remember autophagy? It should be your favorite word by now, right? It also works on the cells that are a part of your immune system. This rejuvenation leads to improved immune function. As earlier discussed, fasting releases the fat stored in your body which is where the toxins are. Then they are processed and ferried away via the bloodstream. The more this happens, the less likely you are to get sick and the more resilient you become. That’s why if you are obese, the risk of contracting a disease is many times more than if you are at a healthy B.M.I (body mass index). That’s a measurement of what’s a healthy weight in conjunction with your height. So don’t go about comparing yourself to others. A 6′ 4 person who weighs 200 pounds is not the same as a 5′ 4 weighing the same. Better yet, do yourself a favor and donate your scale to a local nonprofit. Weight is only one factor of health. A better indication is how you feel, your energy levels, and your resilience to sickness. Focusing on just your weight just makes you feel depressed when you don’t meet society’s standards. If you really dumb it down, weight is only just the effect of gravity has on your body. It has nothing to do with your general over well being in body, mind, and spirit. You’ll be much happier by shedding the weight of what others think of you and just do your own thing. Your health is for you and nobody else!
Natural way to cure type 2 diabetes and to improve insulin sensitivity
- In the past few decades, cases of diabetes have skyrocketed. The main cause of diabetes is the hidden sugars in all the commercial food products out there. That stuff is in everything! Add to that the misinformation that the governments of this world willingly spreads because they get kickbacks from these food corporations. So what do you get? A storm of misinformation fuelled by greed. This corrupt system is trickled down to the medical system where most doctors are nothing more than glorified drug pushers for the giant pharmaceutical companies. They get kickbacks for every prescription they fill. ***News flash, they are more concerned about lining their pockets than your health. This corrupt system also prevents honest good doctors from doing the right thing as well. They are not allowed to approve or deny the effects of alternative medicine as they can be held liable. What you need to look for is a functional medicine doctor. Which has the best of both worlds. They are classically trained yet also take the initiative to train and certify themselves in other holistic modalities to heal the body. Okay, I’ll get off my soapbox now and back on topic. Type 2 diabetes is brought on by the overconsumption of sugar mainly. Processed refined sugar is toxic to our bodies and our body eventually loses insulin sensitivity. Normally when you eat, there’s a spike in your blood sugar levels. (glucose) The more sugar you eat, the higher the spike. In response, the pancreas produces insulin which absorbs this extra sugar. This is fine if you are consuming a healthy diet with only a little or no processed sugar or only natural sugar from fruits and vegetables. The problem lies when you are over-consuming sugars, both natural and unnatural. This puts tremendous stress on the pancreas and it becomes overworked cause it’s constantly pumping out insulin. Over time, it becomes impossible for the body to produce insulin naturally to maintain normal blood sugar levels. This, in turn, results in unnaturally high blood sugar levels resulting in diabetes. Fortunately, people can increase their insulin sensitivity again through intermittent fasting.
Fasting may prevent cancer
- The main food cancer cells feed off of, is glucose. When you fast, you deplete your body’s glucose stores. This, in turn, starves cancer cells and makes tumors shrink. Fasting is the single best preventative measure you can take to mitigate the growth of cancer cells in the first place. Cancer is a disease that is characterized by the uncontrolled growth of mutant cells. When autophagy occurs, these mutant cells get recycled and their numbers reduce greatly. So doing at least daily intermittent fasting is a great way to prevent cancer.
Final things to think about
How you re-feed is just as important if you are on an extended fast of 3 days or more. I can’t stress that enough. So do your own research on the proper way to do it for each type of fast in the meantime. Keep in mind that you will need to supplements when you go on an extended fast as well. I highly recommend “ the complete guide to fasting “ by Dr. Jason Fung, or anything from Dr. Joseph Mercola, Dr. Rhonda Patrick, and Dr. Satchin Panda . Good luck and happy fasting! For more amazing articles on how to be mind body strong, visit my blog at trioneness.com
- Important – I am not a Doctor please see my medical disclaimer here. Consult a licensed physician before trying any new diet or fitness plan. *
