Ep 148 Thinking in Principles to Increase your Healthspan

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A key feature of the rational approach is to think and act according to consciously held principles. Accordingly, the rational person, who naturally prioritises health, is guided by consciously chosen principles in the pursuit of optimal health

Your diet is arguably the most powerful tool with which to exert control over your health. So in this weeks podcast we take a look at the most important principles you can uses to guide your eating choices. Some of these, such as toxicity avoidance, should also be used to guide all of your other lifestyle choices as well.

But fear not! There is no need to see this as a permanent end or restriction to your eating pleasure. You can always schedule in indulgence days appropriate to your level of accomplishment. It’s not all about avoidance, self-denial and misery. We can give ourselves a break on the road to more life-promoting eating habits. However, self-discipline and self-control ultimately reap enormous dividends in terms of a sense of achievement, self-esteem and health. All leading to the ultimate goal of a long and happy life.

Principles as Guidance

Nigel covers the need for principles to be held consciously in mind and how they serve as a means to make decision making easier. 7 Guiding principles are covered along with a brief discussion of metabolic flexibility and the many advantages that it brings.

The seven guiding principles are…

1. Think long term
2. Don’t eat exclusively for taste
3. Maintain metabolic flexibility
4. Reduce sugar consumption
5. Avoid processed wheat products
6. Eat Organically produced food
7. Practice intermittent fasting

The advantages of metabolic flexibility

• Disease avoidance
• mental clarity
• More energy
• Long range fuel tanks
• Improved gut health
• Increased muscle mass
• Slower ageing
• Effortless weight loss

Thinking in Principles

The rational man or woman will naturally want to consciously use principles to guide their actions. We have no choice about using principles to guide action. Our only choice is which ones guide us and whether or not we are conscious of them. Thinking in principles is a key part of increasing the efficiency of our thinking and improving the quality and consistency of our actions towards the ultimate goal of a successful happy human experience.