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There is certainly no shortage of information about things we can do to maintain an illness-free and healthy lifestyle. Perhaps our biggest challenge is deciphering which nuggets of information are beneficial and which aren’t so great!

Developing a preventative mindset may be the true answer to long-term health, and it is necessary for each of us to implement practices which prevent sickness and disease before they happen.

Imagine never having to delve in the world of doctors, hospitals and pharmaceuticals until the very end (when it’s absolutely necessary).

Wellness guru Dr. Andrew Weil is famous for saying that he wants to live only as long as he is able to maintain a full-range of health, awareness and vitality…and have his life “culminate with rapid decline” at the end.

Living as long as we can while being as vibrant and healthy as possible—that seems like a worthwhile goal to me (and the purpose of this article)! So how do you start integrating preventative measures in your life? Here is a list of 10 practices that will help you stay away from hospitals, feel healthier and live longer:

1. See a Chiropractor

The roots of chiropractic care can be traced all the way back to the beginning of recorded time. Hippocrates, the Greek physician, who lived from 460 to 357 B.C., declares in one of his writings “get knowledge of the spine, for this is the requisite for many diseases”. Effective chiropractic care: inhibits spinal degeneration, restores normal nerve supply, improves immunity, allows better sleep, prevents surgery, and slows the aging process. This is preventative lifestyle at its finest.

2. Laugh HARD

Falling on the floor laughing is one of the best things you can do to prevent sickness from entering your life. Laughing boosts immunity, strengthens the heart, and improves lung function among a myriad of other benefits! Making a habit of renting funny movies, going to comedy clubs and watching Saturday morning cartoons like you did when you were a kid (SpongeBob Squarepants is actually hysterical…I have to admit) can add several years to your life! 

3. Scatter your Workouts

“Shaking up” your workout routine is a great way to stay healthy over the long-term. Too often we get stuck in exercise patterns that do not promote a diverse experience for the body and mind. Although you may feel like you are doing a really good thing by concentrating on one routine, you may be limiting yourself. People who only do Yoga need to lift weights; people who focus solely on weights need should do more Yoga! Doing the unexpected creates a wonderful “pop of opposites” in the body (a major component of Yin Yang theory). I’m not saying to ditch your favorite workout, but changing it up can strengthen a wider variety of muscles and tendons, increase your heart rate and intensify mental clarity!

4. Sleep at least 7 hours a night

Making a habit of sleeping well is the number one thing you can do to boost your health and longevity, and if you follow no other suggestions on this list try and implement this one. It has become widely accepted that the risk for developing disease increases significantly for people who get less than 6 or 7 hours of sleep each night. Furthermore, lack of sleep has been associated with the worsening of blood pressure and cholesterol, and increases risk factors for heart disease and stroke. Sleeping adequately reduces stress, lowers inflammation in the cells, and makes you more alert.

5. See an Acupuncturist

The basic premise of acupuncture, and much of Chinese medicine, is that all sickness we encounter is the result of obstruction to our naturally flowing life-force (or “Chi”). Practitioners treat conditions that are a result of Chi becoming stuck, depleted or weakened and thus making the individual susceptible to illness. Acupuncture benefits the improvement of physical health conditions as well as affective disorders and instills a feeling of increased mental clarity. Acupuncture is an invaluable tool for long-term and sustainable health (And no, the needles are not bad at all)!

6. Meditate

Meditation is the practice of silencing the mind, and can increase your health and vitality beyond measure. When your mind is silenced and focused on a particular part of the body, the blood flow to that part increases and cells receive significantly more oxygen and other nutrients. Continuous meditation practice has been shown to strengthen the mind, and enables it to execute projects more efficiently. Meditation also leads to the following: deeper levels of relaxation; increased blood flow; a lower heart rate; an enhanced immune system…and it can build self confidence! A truly wonderful way to add healthy years to your life!

7. Perform Cardiovascular Exercise at least 4 times a week

Integrating at least 20 minutes of cardio workout a minimum of 4 times a week is a wonderful preventative measure to take. “Cardio” increases the capacity of the lungs to provide oxygen to the blood and improves the hearts ability to transport oxygenated blood to the cells. What is considered an acceptable heart-rate during a cardio routine depends on many factors (age, weight, general health) but no matter what kind of shape you think you are in you can lower blood pressure, reduce cholesterol and decrease body fat by consistently getting the heart rate up!

8. Stretch

Stretching prevents injury by increasing the length of both your muscles and tendons. This leads to an increased range of movement, which means your limbs and joints can move further and (often) thwarts injury before it occurs. Stretching also ensures that your muscles and tendons are in good working order and conditions them to handle the rigors of sport and exercise. Furthermore, regular stretching improves blood circulation and increases energy levels! A great time to stretch is first thing in the morning, and is an incredible preventative activity to integrate!

9. Eat Organic Food

It’s important to add “eating organic food” as a critical factor leading to long-term health. Bottom line, you want the least chemicals in your body as possible and eating as much organic fare as you can limits the amount of pesticide and chemicals you ingest. There is much ambiguity in the scientific community concerning the role of pesticides in human disease…but your best bet is to stay as far away from them as possible!

10. Be Wary of Medications

This is the only recommendation on this list that has a negative spin to it (where I suggest “not” do something) but I think it’s important to note the potential dangers of our pharmaceutical friendly society. There are tens of millions of people in the U.S. alone dependent on drugs, and I think its necessary to ponder whether or not this is a good thing. Although proponents of pharmaceuticals will point to the increasing longevity of human beings as a sign that they are good for us, I think what is really needed are some new statistics. Perhaps something like: “longevity while living with independence, strength and happiness” will do the trick

In conclusion, cultivating a “preventative lifestyle” means habituating a way of living that inhibits illness from ever taking a hold of you. Amid all the clutter out there it is absolutely imperative for each of us to begin taking responsibility for our own health. The recommendations in this article are holistic and timeless, and can get you on the right track for living 100+ years with full awareness and fulfillment…so try them out!

Sitting all day in the office? no time to workout? the  only thing growing apart from your pocket is your paunch? Read these tips and workout even in your desk!     

1. Eye exercise

To exercise the muscles that move your eyes, roll your eyeballs in wide circles-first in a clockwise direction three times and then counterclockwise three times. Repeat this sequence as desired. Similar to all desk exercises, perform this exercise periodically throughout your work day (i.e., once every 30-60 minutes).

2. Wrist exercise

To exercise your wrist, extend your arms in front of you and raise and lower your hands several times (i.e., flap your hands and wrists up and down). Then rotate your hands 10 times-alternating palms up and palms down. Repeat this sequence five times.

3. Hand and finger exercise

To exercise your hands and fingers, make a fist and hold it tight for approximately two seconds. Then, place your palms down and spread and hold your fingers wide apart for five seconds. Repeat the sequence five times.

4. Shoulder exercise #1

To exercise your shoulders, lift and roll your shoulders forward five times and then backward five times. Use a wide circular motion and try to keep your head straight and motionless while moving your shoulders. Repeat this sequence as desired.

5. Shoulder exercise #2

Another way to exercise your shoulders is to shrug your shoulders up toward your ears. Hold the position for approximately two seconds and then recover to the starting position. Repeat the sequence five times.

6. Upper back and shoulder exercise

To exercise your upper back as well as your shoulders, reach your arms up overhead, alternating right and left arm in a climbing motion. Repeat the sequence 10 times on each side.

7. Lower-back exercise

To exercise the muscles in your lower back while in a seated position, bend down between your knees toward the floor, reaching as far as you can ( palms flat). Hold briefly, then return to the upright position. Make sure your chair is steady first before doing this exercise. Repeat the sequence five times.

8. Hamstring exercise

To stretch your hamstrings while in a seated position, lock your hands together around your knees and pull your knees to your chest and hold for approximately five seconds. then release your hands and return to the starting position. Repeat the sequence five times.

9. Neck exercise #1

To exercise the muscles that rotate, flex and extend your neck, slowly turn your head far to the left and hold for three seconds. Then, turn far to the right and hold for three seconds. Next, drop your chin gently to your chest before returning your head slowly to the upright (starting) position. Repeat the sequence five times.

10. Neck exercise #2

To exercise the muscles that act laterally, slowly lower your left ear to your left shoulder; then return slowly to the upright position. Continue the exercise by touching your right ear to your right shoulder and then returning to the starting (upright) position. Repeat the sequence five times.

Let me state from the “get go”…I am not a fitness expert, just a guy who likes to workout and do so with an eye towards “functionality”. Refer to your coach/doctor/priest/life counselor/whatever… before trying anything I may suggest here.

I’m not the biggest, strongest, fastest, fittest, etc. guy in the world, but I have been able to maintain a level of fitness that has allowed me to “hang” with a respectable crowd in Army Basic, PLDC, Police Academy, SWAT School, FBINA, 5k’s and other competitions and physical tests.

The bulk of my training centers around running, weight training and CrossFit style GPP workouts. Sometimes I have to chase suspects and that’s usually wearing a ton of crap, the end of which sometimes results in having to struggle with people (GPP/CrossFit). I add in jogging and a 5X5 weight lifting program for a simple base of strength and fitness to support my other goals.

Sometimes I like to throw in oddball stuff as a challenge or just as a way to test myself in a manner different from what my body is getting used to…because in the end “training” can only approximate “reality” just so much. Its good to have an “eye opener” every once and a while to keep yourself honest and realize that you are not as fit or well trained as you may think you are. Some of these were just “try it” workouts, some I did for a “Cycle” (I cycle my workouts on a seasonal basis) and some I do all the time.

These are 10 such workouts –

1. Get out and push

Pushing and pulling a vehicle in neutral across a parking lot is a great overall body workout and an intense cardio effort. Be ready to waive off do gooders who think you are broken down.

2. Escape from New York (or wherever)

Here’s another one that is sure to get some strange looks. Find a fence and jump, climb, hurdle it. Then jump back over again. To really add a challenge, take a pack/duffel or sandbag and throw it over. Jump the fence…then throw it back over again. Repeat.

3. Go ahead and flip out

Find a big truck or tractor tire (w/o the rim knucklehead) and lay it flat. With good lifting form, squat down and pick up one side and flip that sucker over in an explosive, powerful move. To add to this one, flip it…jump into the middle…jump out the other side…turn around and flip it again…repeat.

4. Kettle bells are not musical instruments

They are an old Russian torture device that can give you one hell of a workout. That’s a picture of mine above. There’s way too many things you can do with them than I can cover here. Go Google it.

5. I am with the sub-urban commando squad

I load up a rucksack and hump it a few miles through town every once and a while. Do it often enough and you will discover that many of your friends and co-workers drive through your town and start to wonder how well they really know you. Do at your own risk. If you do something stupid this can lead to joint injuries and other such inconveniences.

6. "Ouch! Babe"

The 100 Burpee workout will show you that your own body is all the equipment you will need to kick your own ass.

7. Feeling felon

This one may just get you tackled by a cop if you are stupid about it, but if you have a place to play “grown up tag” where the neighbors wont call 911 when they see you, give this a shot. Give your partner a head start then try and tag him. Jump fences, hurdle ditches, break a leg…I probably would if I did it too often. I used to do this with my friends “back in the day”. It’s as “functional” as you can get.

8. Working on the chain gang

Take that same tire from above and add a sledgehammer. Stand on the tire or next to it and slam away. Be sure to alternate grips to get an even workout…and watch your feet.

9. Sled dog

Fashion a harness and attach it to a cheap plastic sled. Put some weight plates in it and do some sprints. You may have to fashion a way to keep the plates in the sled.

10. Grass drills

Like my Drill Sergeant used to tell me… “GO SMOKE YOURSELF PRIVATE!!!” Get someone to give you orders for a set period of time: GO=High step run in place, STOP=Drop into a 3 point stance, BACK=Flip or drop to your back, FRONT=Flip or drop to your belly. Add to these basic commands things like PUSH UPS, SIT-UPs, BURPEES, BEAR CRAWL, SPRINT (out and back), ROLL LEFT, ROLL RIGHT…the imagination is the limit, my Drill Sgt. Once had us pick up the person behind us and run around the company training area with him over our shoulder.