28 Things the Health Experts Forget About That REALLY Matter for Your Health
December 2, 2007 by Sara Ost
Filed under Happy Living Tip, Health, How To, Misc., Philosophy
When we think about our health, we usually focus on things like wrinkles, Omega-3’s and beer bellies. Fiber may be bulky and greens may be grand, but in the scheme of things, I think the kind of life you lead may be much more important. I’m not saying a chipper outlook will squelch diabetes or that a thoughtful life will eliminate the need to hit the gym on a regular basis. But I do think that internal satisfaction cannot help but to create a right relationship with yourself, your body, and your life. (I know, I know…what is this impenetrable silver lining and what have you done with Sara?)
Here are 28 things health experts don’t talk about that really matter for your health.
1. Overlook small inconveniences rather than complain about them.
2. Change your own tire, scrub your own tub, dry your own hair.
3. Let go of sarcasm by default. True conversation is so rewarding. (Develop yo skillz.)
4. Stop every hour at work to take a short walk or get a drink of water.
5. Pay your bills on time. If you can’t, call the company instead of avoiding the problem.
6. Return phone calls. (Texting is for pansies.)
7. Keep plans. If you keep canceling, that means: find new friends. Hooray!
8. Avoid telling white lies. Asserting yourself is liberating and no one cares that much anyway. Dammit!
9. Learn the facts of a situation to the best of your ability rather than going the sound bite route. Because in real life it’s just too much chew and not enough juice.
10. Read something every day.
11. Trust the opposite gender implicitly; reserve judgment for the individual.
12. Let go of the adversarial mindset in relationships. (My court vs. your court instead of playing on the same team. It’s tough to keep the ball in the air when you’re both watching your backs.)
13. Maximize thy gadgets. This is a fun way to stay sharp and spend money.
14. Assume that whatever it is, it’s not about you. You’re just not that important!
15. Learn a language. If only to swear in it. (Just me? Anyone?)
16. Pay your own way. (Coughladiescough)
17. Remember that the past is done.
18. Ask yourself if you are acting or reacting when you feel passionate about doing something. (Translation: wait to send the email.)
19. Find a cut of clothing that works for you and stick with it. Why go through life feeling any less than a million bucks? If Armani can wear the same outfit for a lifetime, anyone can.
20. Play every day. (Hang around people who want to play with you.)
21. Fall in love with the person you want to fall in love with.
22. Conquer a physical fear.
23. Forgive.
24. Conquer a mental fear.
25. Actually cook your food. Heat, time, and personal investment add so much to meals.
26. Know how to build a proper fire.
27. Two words: mutual orgasms.
28. In all you do, commit.
The bones of self-assurance, self-reliance, self-worth: they may not make you live until you’re 90, they may not give you a six-pack, and they may not be available in whole grain. But they feel great!
Now I know this list doesn’t stop at 28…
Photo credit: Cayusa
Wow … great list
A lot of those I already do, but there are some that I definitely need to try …. Thanks for that … personal favorite #’s are 27, 21, 28, 26, 25, 13 and 9 … 
Thanks, B!
You’re right, these things are so often forgotten in discussions of health. You can eat all your veggies, exercise daily, but still not be healthy and happy.
It’s not about constant positive thinking, which strikes me as unobtainable – but instead realistic thinking. Reacting in appropriate ways rather than over-reacting. Keeping stuff in perspective. And trying to live your life to its full, wonderful, weird and scary extent. Great list.
This list was refreshingly not the sickeningly sweet, “shoot for the moon and you will land among the stars,” unrealistic list that its title implies. Kudos.
Cool list, will try some of ‘em
go dancing, sing, make music, freak out!!!
Thank you for posting this – I think we often forget that our mental well-being is just as important as our physical well-being; in fact, the two feed off of one another. Furthermore, creative pursuits are fundamental to a happy, healthy, high-energy noggin, so I was really happy to see learning a language and reading on your list.
I can’t say I entirely agree with the thing on gadgets… to me, excessive stuff clutters the mind, and we end up waisting our attention on owning things rather than DOING things. Just my two cents, of course. =) Overall, well said!
Love (everything about) the skin you’re in!
I like your list. I find most of what you recommend grounding. I especially like the one about what makes you think it’s about you? True humility is a gift.
Inspiring thought…!
Just found number 16 a little thoughtless:
“16. Pay your own way. (Coughladiescough)”
There are plenty of mooches in both genders!
Thank you so much for the great comments, everyone!
lat, good point.
These are some great tips. Doing things for ourselves is one of the most rewarding things we can do for our health.
Yes there are plenty of mooches, but this is about you, and how you conduct yourself in the world. It’s something to think about.
A very thoughtful post Sara…
You’re good at these.
And 28) is so damn important. Both feet. Else, you never really go anywhere – you’re always partly where you used to be.
(This doesn’t work for walking. Walk normally, please).
I’d like to add my two cents – or rather my 1p (I’m English, after all).
It’s an elaboration on your point 1).
*Don’t be afraid of doing things the long way round*.
We live in a society that thrives on short cuts – labour-saving technology, time-saving, bringing the world to your doorstep instead of the other way round.
But too often we don’t question *what we’re losing*, and weigh it against what we’re saving.
For me, this is summed up by the following example:
Fast Food.
Plus: – preparation time.
Minus: – what do we actually *do* with the time we save? (And then: extra sugar, unnecessary fats, preservatives, vitamins all gone to the Great Nervous-System In The Sky, no sensual joy of cooking, etc etc).
……….
Small inconveniences often have hidden benefits.
Many of the things you mentioned reduce stress, like paying a bill on time. It may seem like common sense 101 but little things like that will snowball into a major event.
Christ, you guys rock. Thanks for the great comments.
Thanks so much for posting this, Sara!! This is a great site, especially when you offer your own advice and opinions!!
So right off the bat at number one I’m screwed. Merde.
(Actually, while I do have a blog built around the concept of complaining, I’m also sometimes capable of letting things go. Sometimes)
Great list!
“13. Maximize thy gadgets. This is a fun way to stay sharp and spend money.”
How do lots of gadgets help your health? People constantly playing with ipods and blackberrys is rather lame in my opinion.
Thanks for the list. I hate to admit it but I totally get #15–sometimes there is no other way to say it than, for example, BLYAT (Russian for @!!$$*@).
Add this to the list. Never use the term gender when referring to a person’s sex. The two terms do have the same meaning.
Sugar-coated chocolate box pish. Memorizing a bullet point list is so American & not the way forward.
I agree with Will. Having a bunch of crap you don’t absolutely need is no way to live. It’s stressful because you have to deal with disposing of it later when you’re cleaning and find it realizing, “Wait, I never actually used this piece of garbage!”
It’s wasteful! You should take that off the list and add, “Minimize your belongings.” You never know if someday you might have to move very quickly. It’s just unnecessarily complicated when you live under a mountain of stuff.
I love you whoever you are. Amazing list – inspiring, honest, beautiful, funny. Especially 2, 23 and 27. And yes – texting is for pansies.
Wow! you’re such a genius in counteacting all the antibiotics, cough syrup, paracetamol, colchicine and the like. . . plus it doesn’t require anyone any peso(Philipine currency) and at this time of financial crisis, I think everyone has to make up their minds in memorizing all of it and put it into actual practice. Hooray!
Love the list – I actually practise taking a short break every hour or so at work, like you mentioned, having a glass of water or performing some stretches – keeps my energy levels up, especially in the afternoons.