Five Things I Do Every Day to Stay Healthy and Fit

And why they work!

There are five key things that I do every single day to keep myself healthy and fit.

These are things that I generally recommend to everyone, but the devil is in the details and execution is everything. Talk to your doctor before making changes to your diet, lifestyle, or medication regimen. There are some affiliate links in this post.

1. Get outside at least three times for at least ten minutes.

I start my day with a 10 minute walk with my morning cup of coffee or tea. I get my teas from Mountain Rose Herbs and my favorites are their Classic Chai, mint, Earl Grey, and Earl Grey Green. I add a little honey and usually a splash of nut milk.

I get outside for ten minutes at least at lunch. I prefer to eat lunch outside every day, even when it's raining (I sit in under the porch).

I like to get out for another walk before sundown.

I don't wear sunglasses, because that blocks the light from reaching your eye, and this is a vital physiologic process. Weather permitting, I wear shorts and sandals, so that I can get plenty of sunlight on my skin. I take care never to get a sunburn.

Why do I do this? Because you need sunlight in your eye and on your skin to time your circadian rhythms. Did you know that lack of sunlight is as bad for you as smoking? Hard to believe, I know, but true nonetheless!

We particularly need red and infrared light from the sun for optimal health. I spoke about this with Brian Richards from SaunaSpace (interview here), and I wrote about the benefits of sauna (infrared light) here and the benefits of red and infrared light therapy here.

I typically spend 20 minutes in my SaunaSpace sauna every day to maximize the benefits of red and infrared light. Use my affiliate link for a discount on the SaunaSpace. The code is STILLMAN5 if you don’t have the link or it’s not working for whatever reason.

I also get my vitamin D from a Sperti D lamp. I use this for 5 minutes daily 2 to 3 feet from my skin. More on the use of UV-B light here.

I use my LifeWave light-therapy patches every day as well. I am recommend that people start with the X39 patch, and I personally use the carnosine, aeon, X49, and sleep (silent nights) patches on top of that. You can get wholesale pricing on these patches here.

This is my basic recipe for an optimal light environment. I wrote more about fixing your light environment here.

2. Drink spring water.

I know, I know - but you bought this great filter last year and you swear it removes all the pollutants!

I used to drink reverse osmosis water, but since switching to spring water I've realized there is no comparison. I'm concerned about a number of different factors affecting our tap water, from fluoride to pharmaceuticals, and this is why I won't touch tap water (okay, fine, I still shower in it). I've come to believe that spring water is superior because 1) it has minerals we need in it in naturally occurring ratios and 2) deep springs are protected from pollution. Even reverse osmosis won't filter out certain toxins.

Don't get me wrong - reverse osmosis water is a big step up from tap water. But I have come to consider spring water as superior to RO water.

How much do I drink?

I generally recommend 1 to 3 ounces of water per day per inch of height. I'm six feet tall, so that's between 72 and 216 ounces of water. I count juice, coffee, tea, and other beverages into that total, even though some of these are technically diuretics (they make you pee).

Why don't I drink more water than that? Because you can actually de-mineralize your body and ruin your health. I've seen it before and I'll see it many times in the future. We try to protect people from this by educating them on proper hydration in coaching programs.

If for some reason I can't get spring water, I drink reverse osmosis water that's been re-mineralized with Concentrace. I add two drops per 8 ounce glass.

3. Eat protein.

I generally recommend between 0.6 and 1 gram per pound of body weight, or 2 grams per inch of height. This varies depending on factors that I take into account in my coaching programs.

Why do I eat so much protein? Because it's a key ingredient in things like thyroid hormone, dopamine, adrenaline, and noradrenaline. You can't make or maintain muscle mass without it. You can't burn fat without muscle mass. You can't do anything, really, without muscle mass.

I've found that most people are only eating about 0.3 to 0.5 grams per pound of body weight. This leaves them feeling tired, sad, and anxious, while they wonder why they can't sleep, lose weight, or make it through the day without a few naps.

What kind of protein do I generally eat? I eat a wide, wide variety. I eat fish or shellfish three to four times weekly, although I only eat high-mercury fish once a month at most. I eat red meat daily and chicken, turkey, or pork several times per week. I cook things like rice, beans, lentils, or ancient grains in bone broth. I generally get 30-50 grams of protein with each meal (and I eat three meals per day).

I don't rely on plants, dairy, or eggs for my protein. These can help you reach your protein goals, but they're too high in carbs or fats to be anything more than accessories to the animal proteins you need to reach your protein goals.

The other benefit of protein is that high-protein foods from animals and seafood are rich in minerals and vitamins! Many people forget this. The nutrient density in these foods is a big part of why the carnivore and keto diets make such an impact on people's health!

I'm not afraid of cholesterol, for reasons I discuss in this video.

I eat The Vertical Diet and this is what I tend to recommend to most patients, with heavy modifications depending on their unique situation.

What about intermittent fasting? What about protein and kidney damage? What about protein and gout? That's a topic for my coaching programs, where we help people figure out what these complex topics mean for them.

4. Wind down at night.

Winding down means reducing stimulation to your central nervous system. This means that my internet turns off automatically (using this handy timer) at 9 pm. It means wearing blue blockers that are dark enough to block 99% of blue light. It means fixing your light environment. It means turning the music down, turning as many lights off in your home as you can stand, drawing the curtains, and getting ready for bed. Read a book. Meditate. Hit the sauna for a 20 minute session. Stretch (ideally in the sauna or afterward). Take a hot shower.

Whatever you do, start your wind-down routine at least two hours before bed and ideally 3-4 hours before bed. Your body will thank you later.

5. Have community and social interaction.

My social interaction starts with my morning cup of coffee. I go to the same coffee shop each morning, where they know my name and exactly what I want. I have a wonderful staff who I see every single day, and I have lots of friends in my local community who I see face-to-face on a regular basis.

If you don't have this, it's time to invest in it. Go to church. Pick up golf, pickleball, or any other sport with a social aspect. Do something to meet people and make new friends.

Ready for more? Apply for a consultation at my practice via my website, StillmanMD.com.

Until next time, be well,

Dr. Stillman