The Healthy Triad
Gregory K. Moffatt, Ph.D.
The first month of the year is not yet up, but I'm guessing
that many of your New Year's resolutions are already history.
There isn't anything wrong with making resolutions and there isn't
anything wrong with adjusting or abandoning them. Sometimes those
goals are unrealistic or just plain wrong for you.
For those of you who have given up on your resolutions for
the year, I have a suggestion for you. This goal is not only manageable,
but also one that is good for your mental and physical health.
It won't cost you money and if you do it right, it will make you
feel better. While our neurophysiology can be complicated, mental
health sometimes comes down to three simple steps - eat right,
sleep right, and get plenty of exercise.
Eating right doesn't mean dieting. Losing weight is one
of the most common broken New Year's resolutions. Eating right
sometimes results in weight loss, but that isn't the goal. The
goal is to eat healthy. A diet of green vegetables, fresh fruit,
and minimal saturated fats should be the basis of our diets. This
doesn't mean you have to totally give up fried food, McDonald's,
or a steak once in a while. It just means that you increase the
amount of green vegetables and fresh fruit in your diet. You can
eat as much of these as you want.
An adult between the ages of 21 and 55 should get about
eight hours of sleep each night give or take an hour for variability
between individuals. These hours should be about the same hours
each night. Sleeping 10PM to 6AM is a good target.
Good sleeping habits are complicated by our busy lives and,
consequently we are stressed and have trouble sleeping. Almost
a quarter of the adult US population uses sleep aids. While they
help in the short term, natural sleep is healthier because it
allows individuals to cycle through the stages of sleep several
times each night as the body requires. Sleep aids interrupt this
natural cycle and over time compromise the quality of sleep.
Also complicating the quality of sleep is the fact that
one needs five to seven nights in a row of eight or so hours in
order to get the body into a natural rhythm. Running on fumes
all week and then sleeping in on Saturday and Sunday doesn't cut
it.
Exercise doesn't mean running marathons and it doesn't have
to be every day. In fact, distance running isn't that good for
you. Some research has shown that some distance runners actually
gain weight. While they are burning more calories they are also
hungrier so they eat more.
I encourage my clients to get some regular exercise that
is reflective of their physical health, condition, and weight.
A 45-year-old, 250 pound woman who has been sedentary for years
certainly can't perform at the same athletic level as a 23-year-old
male in top condition, but they both can exercise.
Find something you enjoy and, after consulting with your
physician to ensure your chosen activity is right for you, engage
in exercise a minimum of two to three times a week for at least
twenty minutes. This could be walking, biking, swimming, treadmill,
running, or aerobics. The goal is to get your heart rate up for
at least 20 minutes three or more times a week.
Some research indicates that even moderate exercise in small
chunks (less than 20 minutes) can have the same effects if it
is daily. This can be achieved by parking furthest away from the
grocery store or your office building, walking the stairs instead
of taking the elevator, and it even includes sex with your spouse.
(If you want a prescription for that last one to show your spouse,
email me.)
You have to do all three - eat right, sleep right, and exercise.
If you increase what you are eating, even if it is good food,
you may gain weight and you won't feel any better if you aren't
also sleeping well and exercising. The healthy triad can help
you feel better, especially if you struggle with depression. It
can help you focus, feel refreshed, sometimes lose weight, and
it is good for your heart as well. This is a resolution that you
can keep.