The idea of making healthy changes is daunting, especially for middle-aged and elderly folks. There is so much information out there and it can be hard to sift through it all! Dr. Todd Lamb takes an easy-going, holistic approach to getting back on track. He and his team at PureLife Organics show you how to take control of your health and live your life to the fullest. Something we’re very passionate about here at Dirobi as well! Click below to listen, or keep reading to learn more about the three pillars of health!
How did you develop your interest in health and nutrition?
I was always playing sports and doing athletics as a child; I even worked at a gym while in high school. Even then I had a deep interest in physiology, improving performance, and being able to be at the top of my game. Later I moved into public service with the Army and police. It became apparent that 20+ years of wear and tear can do an extraordinary amount of damage to the body. So I wanted to figure out how I could maintain optimal health without an extended period of time every day. I then investigated the most efficient and effective methodologies for maintaining optimal health through life. This led me to three different disciplines (pillars) of health: sleep, movement, and nutrition.
Why is sleep one of the three pillars of health?
For a long time sleep was villainized the same way fat was villainized. Sleep was seen as a nuisance and something that got in the way. The general public wanted to work excessive hours to get to the top which actually ruins your health and relationships. Personally, I realized that I wasn’t getting quality sleep. It wasn’t just the amount of sleep I was getting, but definitely quality as well. My performance suffered both mentally and physically. It seemed odd to me that I couldn’t figure out why I wasn’t performing at the same level over time. I wasn’t noticing that it was actually due to sleep deprivation.
When I started to look at how sleep impacted my day-to-day performance and the science behind it, I knew that it really is the starting point for any health journey. Sleep has to be the very first thing you fix, even before you change eating habits or physical regimens. Sleep is the foundation on which any healthy life is built.
What are some common mistakes people make around their sleep schedule?
Most people don’t have a shutdown sequence; which is a very simple routine you do throughout the day. First, you definitely want to eliminate stimulants a few hours before bed. These can include coffee, energy drinks, and blue light from your phone or computer as well. The blue light from electronic screens wakes you up, making it more difficult to fall and stay asleep. The body’s cellular reconstruction takes place during deep sleep so you need to have a good routine leading up to it.
A quality dinner will help facilitate that healthy sleep as well. Introducing different components of your meal (fats, carbs, proteins) during later times helps to eliminate cravings and your body burn fat. You can even add in some supplements like magnesium or magnolia bark to promote good sleep. No matter what, it’s important to understand how your body responds to specific additions throughout the day. It’s good to eliminate anything that gives you an elevated mental state. This can be anything including foods, drinks, and even exercise. It varies for each individual though, so it’s important to see what feels best for you.
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What are your thoughts on movement as a pillar of health?
Movement really depends on the individual. Exercise can be achieved through various different modalities. Personally, I will do a combination of bodyweight training with weighted training. At Pure Life Organics, we promote a lot of mobility-related exercises. If your joints aren’t mobile it seriously prevents you from progressing through an exercise plan or undertaking a new one. Exercise is an important pillar of health, but we like to look at it from a holistic approach. The movement doesn’t need to be a demand-oriented type of activity. So it can be something as simple as a relaxing yoga routine to help open your joints and promote that healthy mobility.
Our core clientele is 45-85-year-old men and women who largely have an inability to exercise. At that point, it often becomes paramount to help them comfortably reduce their weight. Once they have, they’re in a state where they can actually exercise. Some people have factors such as injury or diabetes inhibiting them. Their exercise can be as simple as walking around the house.
How do you approach the third pillar, nutrition?
I want every person to start with a two-week period where they are religiously tracking what they’re eating. From there you can do almost anything through some very simple tweaks and adjustments. Just 14 days of tracking helps us coach them through an analysis of the day-to-day routine around their nutrition. Once we have that, it’s easy to demonstrate to them where they can make improvements. Even small improvements will have a significant impact. Simple tweaks can help people reach their goals over time without needing to make any drastic changes. Whether someone is trying to lose weight, gain weight, or maintain, it’s much easier to make those adjustments once you know what your starting point is.
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About Todd:
Dr. Todd Lamb spent over 20+ years in the Army and as a SWAT Team Leader and had a deep passion for health and how it impacts people’s lives. In 2015, Todd made the decision to pursue his dream to create as many healthy people as possible while creating a healthy planet as well. At PureLife Organics not only do they work to provide people those solutions, but in doing so they’re also actively supporting reforestation around the world.
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