The 80-20 Rule Applied To Your Health

Although there is a great deal of conflicting information in the health world today there are a handful of core health factors that are generally agreed upon.

If you put your energy into these core factors they will lead you to the result we are all looking for – optimal health!

Since there is so much health information a click away on the internet it is important to not become overwhelmed by all the details.

Using the 80-20 rule (Pareto Principle) we can keep focused on the most important aspects of staying healthy – 80 percent of your health results come from around 20 percent of the possible health factors.

Here are the most important health factors (top 20 percent):

Sleep 8-10 hours a night – Getting a great night sleep is critically important for your health. You cannot feel and work your best without a sound sleep each night. Sleep allows your body to regenerate.

Eat whole foods – If you talk to a number of health experts about what is the optimal diet for humans there is a good chance you will get a variety of different answers. I know this can be frustrating. The point they always agree upon is that processed foods are harmful to your body and whole foods generally promote health – this is the key!

Exercise moderately – Exercise is a health factor that has a bell curve distribution. Too much or too little is detrimental to your health but a moderate amount of resistance training, stretching and cardio (walking, running, cycling, etc.) is ideal.

Drink plenty of filtered water – Most people are chronically dehydrated. A general rule of thumb on the amount of water to consume daily is to take your weight in pounds, divide that in half and then drink that amount in ounces. An example is a 150 pound person should drink 75 ounces of water daily. For athletes this number will be closer to 3/4 of your body weight. Always drink water that is free of contaminants – avoid tap water.

Think positive thoughts – Having a positive outlook is important for reaching optimal levels of health.

Socialize/form loving relationships – We are social animals – maintaining healthy relationships with other people is important for keeping your health in check.

Take time to relax – In today’s world most of us are always busy and under a lot of stress. It’s important to take time for yourself and disconnect from your cell phone, internet, social media etc. Meditation is an excellent way to disconnect from the hustle and bustle of daily life.

Thoroughly chew your food – Before you swallow each bite it should be basically liquified in your mouth. Chewing your food properly leads to better digestion and assimilation of the nutrients which equals better health.

Live your passion! – Find a job you’re passionate about. This will leave you feeling much more satisfied compared to doing work you despise. You only live once!

Get a good handle on these above factors and watch the huge improvement it will have on your overall health.

Is there a health factor above that you need to put a bit more focus on? Share it with us in comments below.

For me, I need work on getting more sleep – I’m a night owl 😉

To your health!
Jesse