Tony Robbins: Are you content with the physical state of your body? How much energy do you have on a daily basis? Would you say you have a healthy mind and body?
There are so many programs, products, books and ideas about how to prevent disease, lose weight, increase your strength and improve your appearance. In fact, the world dishes out $100 billion annually searching for the magic formula that will yield amazing fitness and alluring physical beauty.
Yet, in the United States alone, two-thirds of the people are overweight, 25 million suffer from diabetes and half of the population is on some type of prescription drug for health problems.
The average American man has a body mass index (BMI) just underneath what the medical community considers obese, with additional research suggesting that less than three percent of Americans qualify as living a healthy lifestyle.
It’s clear that to live in a peak state, we need to learn how to have a healthy body and how to have a healthy mind. But the solution to these issues does not lie with technology, science or pharmacology. And the shortcuts or hacks that can give you that “quick fix” are merely a band-aid – they do not address the root of the problem. Yet maintaining a healthy diet and exercise regime seems to elude many of us, despite our best intentions. This is because learning how to have a healthy body requires more than physical change; it also requires actively challenging your psychology and managing your state so that you are equipped to make healthy, sustainable changes driven by a deep purpose.
If you want to make real, lasting change in your commitment to a healthy mind and body, then take charge and learn how to revitalize and transform the level of physical health, energy and vitality that you experience daily. This is all possible if you commit yourself to Tony’s 12 Principles of Master Health.
By incorporating the 12 Principles of Master Health into your daily regime, you are holding yourself to a higher standard. You are committing to your physical, mental and emotional health and well-being; this is more than yet another healthy diet and exercise plan. In turn, you will be able to show up for others on an entirely new level. Not only have you learned how to get the body you want; you’ve also cultivated a sense of purpose in life, which is the driving force in obtaining optimal holistic health. Because not only will you feel better and experience greater energy, you will find a renewed sense of excitement, joy and possibility for your entire life.
PRINCIPLE ONE: VITAL BREATHING AND LYMPHASIZING
Oxygen is picked up by the hemoglobin in the blood and distributed to all of the body’s trillions of cells, where it is then used to fuel the cells and release energy (ATP). In addition, the body is largely composed of the element oxygen. This is why the optimal oxygenation of your cells through proper nutrition, fluid intake, exercise and stress management is a crucial step in how to have a healthy body and create a vital life.
One of the best ways to help oxygenate your body is to learn how to breathe correctly. Every day, take 10 Power Breaths 3 times a day in the ratio 1-4-2 (i.e., inhale for 8 seconds, hold for 32 seconds and exhale for 16 seconds).
Your lymphatic system is a network of tissues and organs that is responsible for cleansing and nourishing your body. But unlike your cardiovascular system, your lymphatic system has no circulatory pump of its own, so it depends on physical exercise and movement to propel lymph fluids throughout your body.
Lymphasizing is all about stimulating and improving your lymphatic circulation. Research shows that exercise that involves opposing gravity does the most for your lymphatic system, resulting in a healthy mind and body. This is why 20-30 minutes of rebounding, or bouncing, preferably on a “rebounder,” will help provide the ideal conditions for cleansing your cells.
Rebounding has innumerable benefits, which include providing the stimulus for a free-flowing lymphatic drainage system, which helps rid your body of toxins, cancer cells, wastes, trapped protein, bacteria, viruses and other waste the cells cast off.
Given the role lymphasizing plays in developing a healthy mind and body, it’s no wonder that breath work is a pivotal concept not only in physiology but also in numerous spiritual traditions that recognize the mind-body connection. The process of harmonizing the mind, body and heart through physiological techniques is also at the heart of Tony’s philosophy on state; you can use physical exercise to nurture a beautiful, peaceful state, no matter what your current state is. As Tony says, motion creates emotion.
PRINCIPLE TWO: WATER AND LIVE FOODS
Water is an essential and major component of all living matter. It is the largest single component of the body: Our brains are 76% water, our lungs are 90% water, our blood is 84% water and blood plasma is 98% water. No healthy diet and exercise plan can succeed without adequate water intake. Critical bodily functions such as digestion, circulation and excretion cannot occur without it. It carries nutrients, plays a crucial role in maintaining temperature and serves as building material for growth and repair of the body.
Every day, drink half of your body weight in ounces. Also strive for at least 70% of your diet to consist of water-rich foods. This will allow your body to cleanse itself. You will find that something like drinking enough water is actually a central component in learning how to have a healthy mind and body.
PRINCIPLE THREE: ESSENTIAL OILS
Given the rise and fall of various diet fads over the years, it is no wonder that many people mistakenly believe that cutting essential oils (fats) out of their diet is necessary to lose weight. However, completely eliminating fat from your diet does not nurture a healthy mind and body; it is actually one of the worst things you can do. The truth is that fats are very important to our diets and overall health. Every cell in your body requires essential fatty acids to function, particularly your brain, which is made up of 60% fat. The secret to a healthy mind and body is to know which fats are healthy and which fats are damaging.
These good fats consist of the essential fatty acids: Omega-3 and Omega-6. Your body must consume these fats to survive. Without them the lipid membrane around your cells starts to break down.
TO SUPPLEMENT YOUR DIET WITH THE ESSENTIAL FATTY ACIDS, TRY THE FOLLOWING OPTIONS:
1. Consume foods that contain unprocessed fats in their natural state: nuts such as almonds, hazelnuts, pumpkin and sunflower seeds, oils such as flax seed, olive oil, fish oil and avocado
2. Try using Twin Lab’s Krill Oil: 300 mg per day
3. Add Udo’s Choice Oil Blend to your food: 1 tablespoon per 50 lbs of body weight per day
PRINCIPLE FOUR: ALKALINITY – GO GREEN!
Balanced body chemistry and maintaining a proper ratio between acid and alkaline foods in your diet are of vital importance to maintaining your health. Too much acidity in the body’s tissues is the cause of many types of health challenges ranging from lethargy and fatigue, to obesity, and ultimately to much bigger health issues and disease.
One of the highest priorities for your body is to make sure that the alkalinity remains at a level supporting cellular life.
TO HELP PROMOTE AN ALKALINE STATE TO SUPPORT CELLULAR LIFE THAT RESULTS IN A HEALTHY MIND AND BODY, FOLLOW THESE RULES:
1. Consume 70-80% foods that are alkaline-forming and life-giving (green vegetables, almonds, avocados, lemons, limes, etc.)
2. Avoid acid-forming foods that are not “live,” such as animal meats, dairy products, refined white foods, sugars, caffeine, etc.
3. Supplement your diet with quality greens such as Tony Robbins’ BioEnergy Greens™
4. Test your pH
5. Keep it easy: Add fresh lemon to your water daily!
PRINCIPLE FIVE: AEROBIC ENERGY
The term “aerobic” means “with oxygen,” and refers to moderate exercise sustained over a period of time. Your aerobic system gives you your endurance, and it encompasses the heart, lungs, blood vessels and aerobic muscles. If you condition your metabolism to operate aerobically, and supply it with proper diet and exercise, you burn fat as your primary fuel.
While exercise is a vital part of your weight loss efforts, it is important to understand that the benefits of exercise impact your mind and emotions as well. In one study on sedentary adults with major depression, the participants were split into four groups. The first group exercised under supervision, the second exercised without supervision, the third took antidepressant drugs without exercising and the fourth took a placebo medication without exercising. The results were revealing: Patients in the exercise and antidepressant groups enjoyed higher rates of remission than participants in the placebo group. The study concluded that exercise therapy is generally as beneficial as antidepressant therapy for major depression and is clearly vital in learning how to have a healthy body.
FOLLOW THESE GUIDELINES FOR AEROBIC EXERCISE:
1. Build your base by doing 30 minutes of quality exercise 3-5 times per week (walk, run, swim, bike, take a high-intensity interval training (HIIT) or spinning class, etc.)
2. Understand your ideal aerobic training heart rate: 180 minus your age
3. Create a training plan: Once you have a base established, craft a regimen that will take your health to the next level
4. Make it fun: Add elements to your routine (music, friends, a change of environment, a compelling race, etc.) to motivate you to follow through
PRINCIPLE SIX: MAXIMUM NOURISHMENT
Consume the foods that will serve your body, and not the other way around. Nourishment is a very important aspect of maintaining a healthy mind and body.
TO ACHIEVE MAXIMUM NOURISHMENT, FOLLOW THESE GUIDELINES:
1. Adhere to the previously stated rules of healthy eating (water-based foods, alkaline foods and essential oils)
2. Drink water before or after your meals, not during
3. Properly combine your foods (eat fruit only on an empty stomach; do not eat carbs and proteins together; eat green vegetables/salad with proteins or with carbs; do not combine fats with proteins)
4. Eat in a relaxed state
5. Eat comfortable amounts of food (eat less so you can live longer to eat more!)
6. Eat organic (foods free of pesticides, antibiotics, growth hormones)
7. Watch the “Flash Flood Sugar Effect”
8. Keep your Glycemic Index below 55
9. Create your Ideal Food Pyramid: 70% of your diet must be live foods, 10% plant-based proteins or quality fish, 10% carbohydrates and 10% quality oils
10. Use Supplements
11. Create the base: Follow a daily regimen with the 7 Vital Nutrients for a foundation of health
12. Challenge and grow: Complete a periodic cleanse of your internal organs and body
13. Celebrate and reward: Supplement for specific conditions and maximize your results
PRINCIPLE SEVEN: STRUCTURAL ALIGNMENT AND MAXIMUM STRENGTH
The human body was designed for motion, yet few of us actually use the full range of movement. This gift – the power of structural alignment and maximum strength – is designed to take charge of the motion-powered musculoskeletal system, one of the primary foundations and framework for human health and the systems that support it.
START FOCUSING ON THE FOLLOWING:
1. Move! Avoid living in a box: Take the stairs, stay active and move as many muscles in your body as you can daily! Remember, a healthy mind and body are connected.
2. Implement an effective regimen of stretches and exercises that are balanced through bilateral symmetry and working opposing muscle groups. (Get an evaluation and personalized program from Pete Egoscue)
PRINCIPLE EIGHT: A DIRECTED MIND AND HEART
For thousands of years, alternative forms of medicine have focused on a natural, internal ability of the body to raise its resistance, fight disease and create health. One of the most potent biological mechanisms that promotes this type of health and healing is found directly in the mind. If utilized and directed effectively, our thoughts, emotions and mindset can be one of the most potent allies toward mitigating disease and manifesting energy and vitality.
FOR A HEALTHY MIND AND BODY, MAKE A CONCERTED EFFORT TO PRACTICE THESE PRINCIPLES:
1. Stand guard at the door of your mind: Condition empowering emotions such as gratitude, courage, faith, determination, compassion and love. Break your pattern and avoid emotions that create stress.
2. Utilize the healing power of the heart: Three times a day, stop what you are doing and shift your focus (mind, breath, emotion) to the area around your heart.
3. Flood yourself with positive memories and future visions 10 minutes a day
PRINCIPLE NINE: ELIMINATE OR REDUCE PROCESSED FOODS
The major kinds of fats in the foods we eat are saturated, polyunsaturated, monounsaturated and trans fatty acids. On average, Americans consume 35-40% of our total calories in fat. The dangers of bad fats (or processed fats) include poor circulation (leading to high blood pressure), poor elimination, excess congestion and toxicity in the body. In addition, the body is not able to perform the functions that good fats (or unprocessed fats) provide.
This is why it is critical to:
- Eliminate or dramatically reduce your consumption of processed fats, trans fats and hydrogenated fats
- Keep your total daily fat intake below 25% (i.e., fewer than 25% of the calories you ingest must be fat, ideally less)
PRINCIPLE TEN: ELIMINATE OR REDUCE ANIMAL FLESH
Countless studies and innumerable amounts of research have shown a direct relationship between an animal-based diet and such chronic illnesses as heart disease, diabetes and cancer. Even small amounts of animal-based foods can cause adverse effects. Focus on:
- Eliminating or dramatically reducing your consumption of animal flesh
- Total protein intake must be 5-6% per day and must come from plant-based sources, which are more efficient and have more antioxidants, fiber and minerals
If you still decide you must consume animal flesh, follow the rules: eat it once a day, combine it with green vegetables/salad, eat it in the middle of the day and choose a source that is free range, antibiotic free and organic.
PRINCIPLE 11: ELIMINATE OR REDUCE DAIRY PRODUCTS
Recent studies have shown that dairy has a significant correlation with osteoporosis, kidney problems and even certain forms of cancer. In one of the most prominent and comprehensive nutritional studies to date, The China Study, lead researcher Dr. T. Colin Campbell and his team found that cancer was consistently promoted by casein, which makes up 87% of cow’s milk protein. Additionally, women who eat diets rich in animal foods excrete more calcium in their urine, providing a negative calcium balance. This is why it is advised to:
- Eliminate or dramatically reduce your consumption of dairy products
- Ensure that your daily calcium intake is about 400 milligrams per day and comes from plant-based sources that are calcium rich
- Try other alternatives (in moderation) such as rice milk, soy milk or almond milk when you desire the texture or taste
As you would with any strategy to eliminate or reduce food consumption, you must be mindful of how dairy lurks in a variety of foods. While you’re shopping for groceries, study the labels for phrases like caseinate or lactate solids, which indicate the presence of dairy in a product. Be aware that certain types of dairy products can also be found in less obvious items like powdered guacamole mix.
PRINCIPLE 12: ELIMINATE OR REDUCE ACID ADDITIONS
A diet that promotes over-acidification of the blood and tissues creates a terrain that is conducive to the growth of virus, bacteria, yeast and fungus – the great decomposers of cells and tissues in the human body.
To reduce and eliminate acid you need a diet consisting of live alkaline foods: dark green and yellow vegetables, soybeans, sprouted nuts, seeds, grains and essential fatty acids. This diet lowers the over-acidification of the blood and tissues with its abundance of bases and alkaline salts.
For a detailed and comprehensive guide, download our printable infographic on The 12 Principles of Master Health.
TRY THE FOLLOWING:
1. Eliminate or dramatically reduce your consumption of acid addiction.
2. Use your common sense. Say no to the following addictions: caffeine, sugar, whites, vinegar, alcohol, nicotine and drugs. Learn about the consequences and break your pattern.
3. Alkalize! When you are consuming at least 70-80% alkaline, life-giving foods, your body will naturally decrease its desire for these addictions. Don’t return to your old food choices when you start to feel the cravings go away.
HOW TO ACHIEVE A HEALTHY MIND AND BODY
If you are not sure how to adapt the practices above into your daily life, the best strategy is to start with a concrete action plan. Adapting all the key principles at once will overwhelm your body and your mind. If you already practice one or more of these principles, ensure you stay on track with them. This gives you the discipline you need to incorporate more principles in your life.
Once you know which principles you want to incorporate into your life next, set SMART goals for your health. SMART stands for specific, measurable, attainable, realistic goals set within a time frame, and applying the acronym to your efforts will help you break down specific action steps so you have a clear path to follow.
If your goal is to exercise more by walking or biking to work, the SMART way to go about it is to set miniature milestones for yourself. Give yourself a few months to walk or bike to work full-time. Your first step toward that goal will be to research the routes you can take and how long they are. Your next step will be to set one day a week aside to do so. Once you feel comfortable and get into a good routine, then you progress to two days per week and keep building until you reach your goal of reaching work without using your car.
SMART goal setting is effective because it prompts you to set hard deadlines that keep you accountable and makes it easy for you to see your progress.
Don’t be afraid to challenge yourself to keep and follow up with your health goals. You have the power to choose what a life with a healthy mind and body looks like.
