Sleep, Nutrition, and Movement Are Large Pillars of Health
The power of nutrition cannot be underestimated - it’s at the root and very core of overall well-being. If you fuel your body and mind with nutritious food you will experience better sleep, be more motivated to set and reach goals, be able to better manage stress and have more stamina to fulfill your fitness goals. Nutrition is imperative not only to health and fitness, but to everyday routines, habits, well-being, and mental outlook.
Your Body is the Engine, The Food is the Fuel
Think of food for your body in the same way you think about fuel for an engine. Sure, regular gas is the most economical and will do what the pricier gas does, but it also has the lowest octane rating. When you have the lowest octane rating, the fuel's ability to knock or ping problems in the air/fuel mixture will be compromised. In other words, your engine will not be performing at its BEST because it is not being fueled with the BEST. The same basic principle applies to the human body. Feed yourself crap food and you’ll be surviving, but you won’t be performing at your highest capacity.
Toxic foods are everywhere and dodging them can seem impossible. Here is a little experiment: next time you’re at the grocery store, analyze every nutrition and ingredient label of the products you’re purchasing. You may be astonished at what’s in there…… it will properly entice you to put the item right back on the shelf.
It’s important to be label-conscious and avoid certain ingredients that may have adverse health effects. It takes work, but it is inherently beneficial and your body and mind will thank you.
So, what else can you do every day to optimize your health? Let's take a look.
● Avoid toxic foods/drinks at all costs
Unhealthy eating can lead to serious health conditions such as obesity, high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke, high cholesterol, insulin resistance, and even can contribute to depression. When you are giving your body the nutrients it needs to function at its very best, you will become a more rested, motivated, and healthier individual because you are providing your body with ‘premium’ fuel.
● Get up and move, every day!
To reap the benefits of optimal health, you have to commit to moving. Lifting weights and stressing your body with load helps contribute to a healthy brain, body, and even hormone function. Lifting also can help improve blood sugar levels and increase hormone levels that are responsible for muscle growth and enhanced well-being. The more you commit to movement overall, the more you lower your risk of suffering from health conditions such as type 2 diabetes, Alzheimer’s, stroke, and heart disease.
● Nutrition and sleep go hand in hand
You want to sleep like a baby but you don’t want to put in the work to do it - does this sound familiar? Sleep is imperative to overall health and has a direct reflection on our food choices. Quality sleep has proven to improve health dramatically on a mental and physical level. When you are well-rested, you tend to make wiser food choices because your sleep deprivation is not telling you that ‘take-out’ food is the easiest and most convenient option!’. When you sleep better, you can handle stress better too as you will be less reactive, frustrated, fatigued, and irritable.
Unfortunately, many fast-food and poor food choices can fill you up with ingredients that have:
● Artificial colours and flavours
● Chemicals & preservatives
● Trans fat
● Sodium nitrate
● High fructose corn syrup
● Aspartame
Why would you want to consistently put these ingredients into your body to digest, metabolize, and process?! You can take a deep dive into any of these ingredients and see how detrimental they can be to your overall health.
It’s simple: the healthier you eat, the healthier you’ll be, and the more active, alert, and content/fulfilled you’ll become.
Nutrition is a Large Pillar of Health
At EPOCH, we take our health seriously because we understand that nutrition is fundamental to our overall well-being. We believe in putting only the best into our bodies because we have seen the direct outcomes of doing so - better sleep, better mood, more energy, improved productivity, and the ability to power through workouts. We created a grass-fed protein powder that provides complete nutrition for post-workout recovery. Replenishing your body with the nutrients it needs helps build the foundation for so many other areas of life. Read more about our take on nutrition here and learn how imperative a healthy diet is to your life.