The Forgotton Fundamentals of Health

With the incredible amount of information that exists regarding human health, it is all too easy to overlook the importance of the most basic functions and necessities of the human body and their role in physiology and in your health. Dysfunction of the most basic metabolic homeostatic controls of the body can set off a cascade of symptoms that can literally affect any cell, organ or tissue.

Restriction of clean water, clean air and sunlight will make it impossible for the body to perform at its peak.

Health is entirely about supporting, improving and maintaining the normal biological functions of the body. This can be achieved through 3 primary factors:

1. Optimal Nutrition
2. Fitness & Exercise
3. Sleep & Rest

Forgotten Fundamental #1: Hydration

Proper cellular hydration results in electrically charged and healthy cells. Poor cellular hydration and poor tissue mineralization will compromise the health of your cells and cause numerous hormonal, endocrine, electrolyte and systemic abnormalities.

The hydration of the cell is literally the most fundamental aspect of health. Without proper hydration, your cells are not capable of making adequate energy. Poor cellular hydration can literally cause a cascade of specific dysfunctions including:

• Adrenal, Thyroid & Endocrine Dysfunction
• Liver & Gallbaladder Stress
• Digestive Dysfunction
• Low HCL (stomach acid)
• Impaired Detoxification Capabilities

It is of critical importance to realize that water is not what hydrates your cells. It is minerals that hydrate. Water is the carrier of minerals. These critical electrolyte minerals are what drive your cells energy production. The 5 most prevalent electrolytes are: Sodium, Potassium, Magnesium, Chloride and Phosphorous. Additionally, ionized Calcium is critically important for the interstitial cellular matrix, and largely regulates what minerals go into the cells and which stay outside of the cells.

If your cells lack adequate electrolytes and/or cannot hold the proper charge, your body is going to struggle tremendously. If your cells are supplied with the correct electrolytes and can maintain their electrical charge, efficient energy production will follow.

Forgotten Fundamental #2: Digestion & Assimilation

You could be eating all of the highest quality foods and taking the highest quality supplements but if your digestive system is malfunctioning, sufficient amounts of nutrients will not make it into your cells.

Digestion and assimilation is NOT the same thing as elimination. These are commonly confused. Digestion and assimilation is the breakdown and absorption of nutrients into the cells.

If undigested food particles are too large to pass through the mucosal barrier and into the bloodstream, these particles will putrefy in the intestines, and could be absorbed into the blood. If some of these food particles are large enough to cross into the blood, then because they have not been properly digested, the immune cells attack them. This is where the volatile immune reactions take place: the release of inflammatory mediators such as prostaglandins, histamines and cytokines.

What can result from poorly digested food are food intolerances, autointoxication (severe bowel toxicity), inflammation, fibromyalgia, joint and arthritic pain, skin issues, dermatitis, psoriasis, migraines, foul body odor, IBS, gastritis, colitis, Crohn’s disease and several other conditions.

Forgotten Fundamental #3: Sleep & Rest

Sleep and rest are not the same things. Rest is the conscious absence of activity whereas sleep is the unconscious absence of activity. Most people don’t get adequate rest and either too little or too much sleep. Both rest and sleep should be sacred practices.

Rest is vitally important for the restoration of energy. It is the “calming of the nerves”. Sleep should not be too little or too much. You should wake from sleep feeling refreshed and rejuvenated.

Sleep and rest are so important because they quiet the mind, and allow the nervous system to relax. The autonomic nervous system is a major regulating faculty of your metabolism. Rest and sleep stimulate the parasympathetic nervous system which controls your “resting and digesting” functions.

Forgotten Fundamental #4: Clean Air

Spend time each day breathing high quality air, free from pollution, in nature if possible. The most basic form of nutrition and detoxification is inhalation and exhalation. Oxygen is vitally important for the functioning of metabolism. Oxygen is the primary catalyst for the production of energy.

Various types of breathing exercises are excellent for overall health. Think of how good you feel when you breath oxygen-rich air. Many yogic breathing techniques, called pranayama are outstanding for overall health, as well as for self-discipline.

Take a walk in a forest or in nature solely with the intention of breathing in the rich oxygen in the atmosphere.

Forgotten Fundamental #5: Sunlight

Spend quality time outdoors, even if the sun is not visible. On days that the sun is visible, spend at least 30 minutes in natural sunlight, allowing 50% of your body to be exposed to the sun. The sun provides us with vital 2 nutrients, Vitamin D and melatonin. Outdoor activity and time in natural light also increases biophotons, an area of health that is new and exciting.

Many people actually would rather put chemical sunblocks on their skin because they falsely beleive that the sun will give them cancer.

Forgotten Fundamental #6: Clean Water

Our bodies are made mostly of water. Water cleanses our blood by enhancing our kidneys. Water is essential for the process of hydration. Water is our most precious resource. Humanity has polluted the waterways on this planet to such an extent that it is no longer a minor issue. Almost all of the waterways in the world are contaminated with chemicals, toxic metals, carcinogens, and petroleum.

The environment in which we live is polluted. Municipal tap water is polluted with fluoride, chlorine, chemicals & heavy metals.

I always recommend against consuming chemically treated water. Invest in a high quality water filter, or high quality pure spring water.