How often do we use a checklist? Any flying requires checklists. There is a checklist before taxiing an airplane, a checklist to take off, a checklist to land, and a checklist for emergencies. Emergencies are a unique situation. You memorize the emergency checklist and do what needs to happen instantly. Then you pull out the emergency checklist to ensure that you covered everything on it.
I flew for sixteen years in the Navy. As Mission Commander, I briefed every operational mission I flew. Most of the time I would tell everyone what was going to happen based on my memory. But, when I was ‘graded/evaluated’ for a flight, I would always pull out that checklist to ensure that I didn’t leave anything out. Success depends on knowing what is required so that the mission can be done correctly.
If success depends on doing what was on a checklist, why not have a personal checklist for my life, especially for my health. Jeff Olson wrote, The Slight Edge. He talks about turning simple disciplines into a massive success. To achieve what we want, we can make daily choices that compound and yield enormous benefits. Take this same thought process and apply it to our daily health. Most of us take our health for granted and don’t pay regular attention to it.
Our health depends upon our lifestyle. The foods we choose to eat are critical to supplying the nutrients the body needs daily. A mix of leafy green vegetables is vital. We should not go a day without them. Colored fruits and vegetables (where the color goes throughout the fruit or vegetable, for example, a blueberry, not an eggplant) are also critical daily. Sulfur is needed for muscle, skin, and bones. It makes up the amino acids used for cells, tissues, enzymes and more. Foods with high sulfur content (cruciferous vegetables, onions, garlic, mushrooms, etc.) are needed daily to supply sulfur.
Protein, like sulfur, is used to build and repair our bodies. It also makes up enzymes, hormones, and other critical body chemicals. I recommend not having the same protein two days in a row. It allows the body to extract protein from different sources. Researchers tell us that multiple sources of protein are better than one. Cutting back on salt (I use Himalayan salt because of all the trace elements) should be considered if you use it a lot. Cutting back on sugars and refined carbohydrates should be reviewed daily. There are many hidden sources of carbohydrates.
There are over thirty essential nutrients the body needs daily. I choose to supplement vitamin D3, vitamin K2 and vitamin E. Vitamin D3 is the sunshine vitamin. We have been programmed to avoid the sun as much as possible. As a result, most of us are deficient in vitamin D3. Vitamin K2 is not typically available in most diets. As a result, I supplement with it. Vitamin E is eight different chemicals. There is no single food containing all of them. I supplement with mixed tocopherols and tocotrienols to ensure that I am getting the vitamin E needed daily.
Quality sleep is imperative. Stop eating and drinking at least three hours before bedtime. Drinking a glass of water upon awakening works immediately to counter the dehydration from sleeping. Exercise (strength training, high-intensity impact training, balance, stretching, endurance, etc.) is required for a healthy life, healthy heart and healthy brain. Exercise should be part of your daily regimen.
Stress relief is something that should be done several times a day. We allow it to accumulate in our bodies. Stress creates cortisol. Cortisol loves to store fat. Many of us are carrying a few extra pounds of fat that we don’t need. We know where our next meal is coming from. That being said, one of the best things you can do for your health is to fast – at least twelve or more hours daily.
This is a partial checklist for health, but it contains the critical items needed to ensure that you are taking proper care of your body. If you miss a checklist item on any given day, don’t worry about it. A single day does not create a problem. But, as Jeff Olson points out in his book, what we don’t do today becomes easier not to do tomorrow. After a while, we don’t do it at all.