Are we a caged human ape?

Published: Fri, 06/10/16

Hi

Have you ever brought a new 'caged' pet?

Lizard?

Bird?

Hamster?

Fish?
You wouldn't leave a fish bowl like the one above would you?

You would get rocks, a filter, plants, snails, gravel. 

We attempt to create an environment as close to the wild one for our new pet  as we can

SO, why don't we do this for ourselves?

Our bodies expect us to:
  • walk 3 miles a day
  • walk barefoot through forests
  • sprint to catch prey, or run away to not become it
  • climb
  • lift heavy stuff
  • lift and carry wriggly children
  • sleep when it is dark, on uneven surfaces
  • be cold more
  • nattractive light only
  • eat whole/ real food
Imagine you were to become some giant's pet human.

What would your cage have in it if they were sticking to our wild needs?
  • tree
  • sand
  • water
  • gravel
  • rock
  • hills
  • vegetables
  • things to hunt
See any of that in this picture?
Even a gym is somewhat artificial. Although it is a place to cover some of the bases, it is just an exercise 'office' when you think about it.

Could you make some tweaks to you day to get that wild side back?:
  • climb or hang a bit a day
  • go for a walk instead of the TV show
  • go barefoot outside: this is a powerful way to reconnect with nature
  • sit on the floor more
  • learn a deep squat
  • carry the kids instead of using the buggy
  • have more cold showers
  • get out in the rain more
  • break the commute with a quick walk in a wood or forest (emerging evidence suggests we get an incredible mood and wellbeing boost from doing this due to phytoncides (wood essential oils), which are antimicrobial volatile organic compounds derived from trees. Check out Shinrin-yoku or forest bathing!)
I believe that this will be a major part of our 'recovery' in coming years.

I'm not alone, as there is a huge dominant movement with the health sphere around natural movement, wild food, nature based living and just reconnecting with our ancestry.

The magic in this is that you can feel it benefiting you as soon as you start giving it a go.

Wait for scientific proof that our gut biome can be improved with more soil contact, walking barefoot can improve our bodies and natural movement helps us de-stress and rebalance our body composition?

I'm not waiting, and the folks we coach aren't either!

Also, would connecting more with the environment mean we look after it better too...now there is a topic for discussion right there :-D

Off this laptop and out for a run now....

J
James Chandler
Personal Trainer
07870 262741
www.eatwellandworkout.com


'To inspire, educate and support our clients on their journey to better health'