Wellness hacks from the ancients

Ten Wellness Hacks
from the

ANCIENTS

LIVE FULL BOAR

The keys to a better life have not changed in thousands of years.
So put away your laundry lists and New Year’s resolutions. Since the dawn of time human’s have pondered
the tough questions: “why am I here?” “what is my destiny” “how do I pay lower taxes” “do I look fat in this?”
The ancients left behind many clues to a better life, so have a look at the following Ten Wellness hacks.
Even better, turn them into habits (we prefer the term living life ‘full boar’).
Here’s the good news: this is not complicated. The Longevity Project (read the book!) studied the common
characteristics that lead to a long, healthy life. Here are some findings:
The healthiest individuals...
-- Lived meaningful, committed lives, yet could laugh at themselves
-- Worked hard and were tenacious about caring for their families
-- Nurtured close relationships and were dedicated to things and people beyond themselves
So if you are worried that you will have to eat a strictly organic, vegan diet wearing tie-dyed hair shirts, move on.
The study showed that health came naturally as part of an active, engaged real life (i.e., not lived on a screen).
No lists were needed.
"Life is really simple,
but we insist on making
it complicated."
- Confucius, 551 - 479 BC

Hack or club
up-side the
head?

Boris the boar here with
Confucius and the gang to
offer my commentary.

1. Wonder - Feeling of amazement; curious to know more
According to modern psychology theory, one of the most important emotional foundations for
optimum mental health is the capacity for experiencing wonder and awe.
Bored? Use that device to explore something new. Then put it down and go DO something. Be curious.
Socrates and Plato will be so proud. To these great thinkers, studying life and asking questions was
nature’s greatest gift to humanity. Your brain loves to think, appraise, and explore the world,
discovering new sources of material and spiritual pleasure.

“From wonder into wonder
existence opens.”

“Wisdom begins in wonder.”
-- Socrates, 469-399 BC

- Lao Tzu, 604-531 BC

“Never lose a holy curiosity.”
- Albert Einstein, 1879-1955 AD

“Wonder rather than doubt
is the root of all knowledge.”
- Abraham Joshua Heschel, 1907-1972

Danish philosopher Kierkegaard claimed that
boredom was the root of all evil. Maybe.
(I thought it was pork rind plants.) I’ve had
a hard time trusting Danes since learning they
bred Great Dane’s to hunt my ancestors.

2. Get natural - Not made or caused by humankind
Natural sunlight can help boost your mood, immune system and increases the oxygen content in your
blood. Most Americans are deficient in Vitamin D, especially people of color. Log off & lace up.

The best source of Vitamin D? The sun. It was once used as a general tonic to heal almost everything;
the sun is powerful medicine and like all medicines should be taken in moderation and with respect.
Visit ewg.org for the best sun screens. And since running naked is mostly frowned on, you may need to
take a D3 supplement. Skip the tanning bed, get outside (within reason) and have a good dermatologist.

“In all things of nature there is something of the marvelous.” - Aristotle, 384-322 BC
“If you wish to make an apple pie from scratch,

you must first invent the universe.”
- Carl Sagan, 1934-1996
“Man's heart
away from nature
becomes hard.”
- Standing Bear
1834-1908

“One touch of nature makes
the whole world kin.”
- William Shakespeare, 1564-1616
This standing boar
agrees.

3. Connect - Bring together so that a real link is established
Teams, tribes, herds, flocks, hives, swarms, schools, cackles, parades, sounders and groves...
from humans to bees and trees, community is key to survival.
Joining and participating in one group cuts in half your odds of dying next year, according to Harvard
professor, Robert Putnam. In his book Bowling Alone, Putnam says the greatest social epidemic in
American life is loneliness. Online alone won’t really cut it. Social scientists suggest blocking off one
night, three hours a week, and get connected with other people. Join a group – or start one.

“The essence of community, its heart and soul, is the non-monetary exchange of value;
things we do and share because we care for others, and for the good of the place.”
- Dee Hock, founder and former CEO of the Visa credit card association.

“I am because we are.”
- African Proverb

“We cannot live only for ourselves.

A thousand fibers connect us with our fellow men.”
- Herman Melville, 1819-1891

“The unapparent connection
is more powerful than
the apparent one.”
– Heraclitus, 535-475 BC

Like real people
reading the opinions
of someone with
hooves and tusks?

4. Disconnect - Unplug and take a reflective look inward
Yes, dear social animal, you deserve some solitude - a break from the demands of society (online and
offline). It provides an opportunity for perspective, an escape from the challenge of the moment.
“Beware the barrenness of a busy life,” warned Socrates. What would he say today? Some find solitude
uncomfortable because they’ve learned to derive self-esteem by satisfying others. Au contraire! Selfreflection helps us correct mistaken thoughts and actions, and learn from them, creating a more
constructive life. Try a walking meditation – no technology – just you and the sounds around you.

“Know thyself.”
-- Socrates, 469-399 BC

“One of the greatest necessities in
America is to discover creative solitude.”
- Carl Sandburg, 1878-1967

“Be yourself; everyone else is already taken.”
- Oscar Wilde, 1854-1900
“Silence is a true friend
who never betrays."
That’s why I share
all my secrets with
mute swans.

5. Work - Engage in productive activity; make a real effort
Work is central to our cultural evolution; human civilization has been built on it...the creation of cities,
farms, industries, armies and high-speed Internet devices. Then why aren’t we better at it?
Is work taking over? Many no longer find the satisfaction in our daily work lives, dogged by bureaucracy,
meetings about meetings and office hours that are always on. The struggle is to find meaning and purpose
can lead to self-absorption. Rather than seeing everything in terms of its economic value, vs re-discovering
the values that make our lives fun and worth while – and thinking more about who we want to be.

“Choose a job you love, and you will
never have to work a day in your life.”

“Decide what you want, decide what
you are willing to give up for it.”
- H.L. Hunt, 1889-1974


“Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work.”
- Thomas A. Edison, 1847-1931

“The oldest, shortest words

- 'yes' and 'no' –
are those which require
the most thought.”

- Pythagoras, 572-490 BC

Get comfortable saying "No“?
Stop believing I am 'super-boar' ?
Can I still wear the cape?

6. Play - Engage in exercise or activity for fun and amusement
Play is not just for kids. Research shows that play is a crucial engine of well-being. It re-sets
the brain, reduces stress and boosts the immune system, improving vitality and creativity.
(Sources: Alan Krueger, Princeton University; Catherine O’Keefe, University of S. Alabama)
Play is simultaneously a source of relaxation and stimulation for the brain and body. It helps
develop your imagination, creativity and problem-solving abilities. Plus it teaches how to
manage and transform negative emotions and make work more productive and fun.

“Life must be lived as play.”

“Man is most nearly himself when he

- Plato, 427-346 BC

achieves the seriousness of a child at play.”
- Heraclitus, 535-475 BC

“A good laugh and a long sleep are the two best cures”
- Irish proverb
All work and no play makes Boris a dull boar.

7. Sweat - Perspire, using the body’s cooling and detox system
Sweating is one of the best things that your body can do to help keep itself healthy.
Home saunas are a hot new trend. Except they’re not new, by a loooonnnng shot.

Scythians, Celts, Finns, Koreans, Romans, Greeks, Native Americans, Africans (and more) who
have known about the healing power of sweating since the most ancient times. When you
sweat, your body undergoes a series of processes that allow for the release of toxins and an
increase in metabolism. Today, cancer clinics worldwide treat patients using high
temperatures to kill cancer cells without damage to normal tissues.

“Give me the power to create fever and I will cure any disease.”
- Parmenides, 515-450 BC

“Luck is a dividend of sweat.

The more you sweat, the luckier you get.”
- Ray Kroc 1902-1984

“Genius is one percent inspiration
and ninety-nine percent perspiration.”
- Thomas A. Edison, 1847-1931

“Patience, persistence
and perspiration make an
unbeatable combination
for success.”
- Napoleon Hill, 1883-1970

Saunas...mud baths...
Finally, some ancient wisdom
that truly speaks to me

8. Own it - Be accountable for what you think, say, do and want
Personal accountability sounds like a drag...until you apply it. When you take 100 percent responsibility
for holding yourself accountable, your performance, relationships and market value will soar.
Focus on the things that are in your control, the things that can be influenced and changed by your actions,
not about the things that are beyond your capacity to direct or alter. This summarizes important aspects of
ancient Stoic wisdom, which encouraged the development of self-control, spiritual strength and being an
unbiased thinker. You could say they were philosophers focused on what it means to be a stand-up guy.

“You've got to do your own growing, no matter how tall your grandfather was.”
--Irish proverb

“If you don’t stand for something,
you will fall for something.”

Prayer indeed is good, but while calling on
the gods a man should himself lend a hand.

- African proverb

“Peace comes from within.
Do not seek it without.”
- Siddhartha Gautama,
the Buddha, 500-420 BC

- Hippocrates, 460-370 BC

It is said that a healthy
adult bore consumes
each year one and a half
times his own weight in
other people's patience.

-

9. Share it - Allow someone to use or enjoy a skill or thing you possess
The research is consistent: sharing is good for happiness and health. A Harvard Business School
study found that giving money to someone else lifted well-being more than spending it on oneself.
Preventative medicine professor Stephen Post writes that giving to others has been shown to increase
health benefits in people with chronic illness. Neuroeconomics researcher Paul Zak found that people
who share and experience gratitude release oxytocin, a hormone known to relieve stress and improve
immune function. Why? It builds trust, releases health-boosting hormones, increases positive social
interaction with others, and promotes cooperation. Source: Jill Suttie, sharaeable.net

“Love is all we have, the only way that each can help the other.”

– Euripides, 480-406 BC

“Doing good to others is not a duty. It is a joy,
for it increases your own health and happiness.”
-Zoroaster, 628-551 BC

“I hold this as a rule of life:
too much of anything is bad.”
- Terence 185-159 BC

A good heart is better than
all the heads in the world.
(Hoping the testy Hydra isn’t
reading this.)

10. Give thanks - Appreciate what you have
The science of positive psychology tells us that being grateful for what one has—vs. a consumeroriented emphasis on what one wants—improves levels of energy, optimism, and empathy.
People who keep weekly gratitude journals exercise more regularly, have fewer physical symptoms,
feel better about their lives as compared to those who keep journals recording life’s stressors or
neutral events. Daily discussion of gratitude results in higher reported levels of alertness, enthusiasm,
determination, attentiveness, energy, and sleep quality. Grateful people also report lower levels
of depression and stress, although they do not deny or ignore the negative aspects of life.

“Gratitude is not only the greatest of virtues, but the parent of all the others.”
- Marcus Tullius Cicero, 106-43 BC

“Gratitude is the sign of noble souls.”
- Aesop, 620-564 BC

“Eat a live toad first
thing in the morning
and nothing worse can
happen to you for the
rest of the day.”
– Unknown

“Gratitude to gratitude always gives birth.”
- Sophocles, 496-406 BC

That, my friend, is false. I have lost
many a warty friend via this rumor.
"Three things cannot be long hidden:
the sun, the moon, and the truth."

http://tinyurl.com/ancient- game-of-you
Tap into wisdom of the ages and ancestral connections to unlock your
hidden potential. History’s greatest thinkers await you.
Scientists agree that it is good for the brain to move away from uninspired,
predictable thinking and push past the obvious. That’s why 500 BC is here.
Move over IQ, EQ, FQ (Intelligence, Emotional & Fitness Quotients)
Welcome to ‘UQ’ – the You Quotient – which inspired 500 BC’s Ancient Game of You,
a fun, stimulating game that feeds your quest to live better.

Wellness hacks from the ancients

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Wellness hacks from the ancients