Hello and welcome to our blog.
This is the first of hopefully many conversations dedicated to the lessons of simplifying health and wellbeing.
Now, so often my clients come to me feeling really confused. Everywhere they turn they hear yet more health hacks, superfood supplements, 8 week abs, 4 week abs and magic beans galore.
I’m your host, Chris Newton. I’m a coach at Emergent Health and Wellness. And I teach people that health emerges quite naturally through the simplest of practices. No magic beans necessary!
In this show I’d like to return a sense of simplicity to your physical and mental wellbeing. The way nature intended it.
So I’d like to welcome you to our podcast, Conversations with Mother Nature.
Okay, I didn’t literally sit down and interview Mother Nature. But if I had, this is, I believe, what she would have o say about getting healthy in the modern world.
I want you to notice how simple health is supposed to be. Just effortless wellbeing the way it was intended. Mother Nature designed it that way.
Each week, Mother Nature and I will be discussing important health topics, from how to get fit and stay motivated, to managing stress and finding purpose. So I really hope you enjoy what I have for you here. And, of course, please share the lessons if you do.
So, without further ado, let’s welcome you to the star of the show, Mother Nature herself.
Chris: Welcome to the Podcast Mother Nature.
Mother Nature: Thank you for having me on the show, Chris.
Chris: May I first say a big thank you for trees, and mountains, and clean water, and….
Mother Nature: You’re very welcome, Chris.
Chris: So, as you may know already, this blog is all about health and wellbeing.
I feel like we’re living through a bit of a paradox in health these days.
On one hand the average person is living so much longer than ever before. Old age is achievable for the vast majority of us.
Yet the average person has never felt more chronically unhealthy. People complain of being tired, stressed, overweight, or unfit. And it’s normal to live with some kind of pain throughout adulthood.
I really feel for people, so I’m hoping you can help us learn to live a long life, but more importantly, live more vibrantly right up to the end.
Mother Nature: Of course, Chris.
I have some very simple rules that guarantee a long healthy life.
Chris: You do? But nature seems so complicated. At least that’s how it feels if you spend any time researching health on the internet, or in books.
Is it even possible to express the natural rules of health in a single podcast episode?
Mother Nature: I could express them in five sentences.
Chris: Oh. I should have expected you to say that. You designed us after all. Please, would you share them with my listeners?
Mother Nature: Of course.
Number 1. Live slowly and sleep deeply – as if at the pace of Nature.
Number 2. Eat from Nature’s plate – Fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, animals and fish etcetera.
Number 3. Exercise as if living in Nature – Walk lots, run a little, dance and lift heavy things often (that goes for men and women in equal measure).
Number 4. Socialise Naturally – in the physical company of others.
And lastly. Be kind to yourself. You’re perfect just the way I made you.
Chris: Thanks you Mother Nature. I love the last one particularly.
It seems so obvious when you list the rules of health out like this. I guess the complexity comes in when we start digging into each of them?
Mother Nature: How so?
Chris: Well. These topics are complex if we want to do them right. Right?
Take diet for example. My clients are always concerned with questions like: How many carbs should I eat? What supplements should I be taking? Should I be fasting, or grazing, or eating meals by a certain time? Should I be …
Mother Nature: Let me stop you there Chris. Before you have a panic attack.
Chris: Yeah, sorry. I was getting a bit worked up there! Please, go on.
Mother Nature: Just eat from Nature’s plate and enjoy the food. And follow the other four rules too. You don’t need to over complicate things.
For example, have you heard of the Hadza Indians, Chris?
Chris: The hunter gatherer tribes from Tanzania?
Mother Nature: That’s correct, Chris.
Did you know that they get approximately thirty percent of their calories from Honey? That’s pure sugar, mixed with a little water, wax, vitamins and minerals.
Yet they don’t experience diabetes. Can you tell me why, Chris?
Chris: Because it’s natural organic honey?
Mother Nature: No Chris. Because they adhere to my rules.
Honey is from nature’s plate. But so too are the fibrous plants and animal flesh they eat plenty of too, which balance out their blood sugar.
What’s more. I also don’t provide honey on tap for them. Nature’s plate is spread out across their landscape, so they eat what is available to them.
In addition they also walk several miles in the pursuit of that honey and bringing it home to the tribe. So they “exercise as if living in nature” by walking off the sugar hit.
Walking will even out blood sugar spikes in you too. You don’t have to be a hunter gatherer to benefit from my five rules.
Chris: Interesting. You’re saying it’s not really the food they eat but how that food fits in context with your five rules. In your example, the Hadza are eating from natures plate because you provide them honey. But because they have to walk to get the food, and walk again to bring it back to the tribe, they adhere to your exercise as if in nature rule too.
Combining the two rules means they don’t get diabetes. Even though they eat a lot of sugar.
Mother Nature: Yes. It really is as simple as that.
Just remember too that the other seventy percent of their diet is very plain and contains lots of fibre and protein. Not every meal is sweetened.
Chris: I see. Nature’s plate is mostly plain fibrous foods that make up the majority of what is naturally available to eat. But if we do have a sugar hit, simply walking can even out that spike too.
Mother Nature: Absolutely, Chris. Nothing complicated there.
Chris: I think maybe the simplest concepts can be the hardest to hear. Us humans do like to think we’re above nature!
Mother Nature: Well I designed you that way.
Chris: WHAT! I didn’t expect you to say that! I thought you’d be so disappointed in us. We keep destroying your good work.
Mother Nature: Well you humans do best when the chips are down.
I gave you a unique gift. The ability to gather together and lift each other up. Incredible things can happen when humans want change.
Chris: So whether we want to change our health, or take on grander goals, we have the capacity within ourselves, and our communities, to make that change happen.
Mother Nature: Yes. As long as you choose to stick to my five rule.
Chris: Got it! Loud and clear!
So what about mental health? Does this kind of wellbeing fit into your five rules too?
Mother Nature: That’s what the other three rules are for.
Chris: Ah, okay. Could you remind me of them please?
Mother Nature: Yes. The other three rules are: Live slowly and sleep deeply. Socialise naturally in the physical company of others. And be kind to yourself.
These are the simple keys to a healthy mind.
Chris: Wow. So physical and mental health really don’t have to be that complicated. In fact, they’ll emerge simply out of living by your five rules.
Mother Nature: Absolutely.
Chris: It sounds to me like the rules are simple. It’s maybe the baggage and beliefs we bring with us that actually get in the way?
Mother Nature: Yes. That’s where things can get complicated. But if you can remember rule 5 then you can move past your baggage.
I’m sure we’ll get into this discussion in good time.
Chris: And rule 5 being “be kind to yourself”?
Mother Nature: That’s the one.
Chris: Oh yes! We’re definitely going there in an episode soon.
Thank you so much Mother Nature. I feel inspired by the underlying simplicity of your work.
I appreciate you’re a busy woman so, for now, would you mind if I just do a quick summary of what I’ve learnt today? Maybe you can let me know if I’ve missed anything.
Mother Nature: Of course Chris.
Chris: Okay.
Health has become a paradox. We have never had so much potential to live to old age yet most of us will do so whilst carrying decades of chronic ill health along with us.
If we want to live long, yet also have vibrant health throughout life, we might be wise to follow Nature’s five simple rules.
1. Live slowly and sleep deeply – as if living at the pace of Nature.
2. Eat from Nature’s plate – Fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, animals and seafood etc.
3. Exercise as if living in Nature – Walk lots, run a little, dance and lift heavy things often (that goes for men and women in equal measure).
4. Socialise Naturally – in the physical company of others. not just online.
And lastly. Be kind to yourself. You’re perfect just the way Mother Nature made you.
Mother Nature: I think you’ve summarised that perfectly, Chris.
Chris: Thank you.
I know you said that we just need to follow these rules, but I get a sneaky feeling we’re going to need to learn how to apply these rules in many different situations.
Would you allow me to develop this conversation with you over time, directing it on to various different subjects? I think we could all draw some inspiring conclusions from your expertise.
Mother Nature: It would be my pleasure, Chris.
Chris: Thank you, Mother Nature. I look forward to speaking with you next week.
Mother Nature: Thank you. I look forward to it too.
So I hope you enjoyed this first conversation with Mother Nature. It’s been a real blast to create it for you.
Now, as you find yourself hovering over the subscribe button, I’m going to make a confession to you.
Whilst Mother Nature has an incredible simplicity, nothing she created, including your health, came over night.
If I’m going to do her justice and take you on a journey of learning about physical and mental wellbeing, then this podcast won’t be glamourising anything.
You won’t find health hacks that cheat ageing. No 6 week abs. No revolutionary diets. No miracle supplements.
We’re just going to keep it simple and learn how to implement nature’s 5 rules for health and wellbeing in all aspects of life.
Now, I teach all my clients that the first step to wellness is to develop a playful curiosity. Just be curious about the lessons you hear Mother Nature delivering and how you might play with them in your own health journey.
If that sounds like something you’d like to do, then please continue to press that subscribe button.
And whilst you’re at it. Please check out the links in the show notes for more resources on my website.
Thanks for listening and remember,
Great health emerges naturally, when you allow Mother Nature to guide you.
