So, how often are you "healthy"?

Just out of curiosity, concerning food and drinking, which are the daily habits of our fellow ATSers? What do you do to get yourself through the day? I usually go to a bar and get about 3 to 4 pints a day (usually light beer will do for me) and I don't pay much attention to what I eat, I just have whatever is in front of me. I don't smoke, never did and no one in my family smokes as well. I sleep late at night (normally around 2am) and I've been living like this for about 5 years - I'm 27 now. I'm starting to feel it in my stomach and am kind of worried. Am I really too far out of the curve or my drinking habits are still normal? I have many friends who are older than me (40s) and drink a lot more than I do and they seem just fine, but I also have met many people who believe I am "killing myself". What are your thoughts? And which are your habits?

Thanks in advance.

I watched about 15 food documentaries on Netflix. It really changed my perspective and lit a fire under me. On January 4th I bought a nutribullet and mustered up some resolve to change my diet to 90% fruits and vegetables. I slashed my processed sugar/junk food intake to virtually nothing, and now I drink exclusively water.


I'm happy to say the results have been very positive. I've lost 20 lbs so far and I have way more energy. My digestion is regular and very easygoing. I no longer have headaches, chronic fatigue, joint pain, insomnia, or a host of other small maladies that consistently lowered my quality of life.

The American diet is killing the world. Disease rates are skyrocketing, while more research points the cause to poor diet. I'm not here to preach, but I want to set a good example. I see people eating junk food all day, only to complain about their diabetes a few minutes later. Enough is enough, people. You can have a great healthy body if you want one, just stop eating corporate food.

I subsist primarily on coffee, sugar, complex carbohydrates, soda and and my vice is good tobacco. I know it's not the "healthiest" lifestyle choice, but for some reason I seem to excel best under this regime. It's not exclusive, by any means, I do enjoy a good soup, sandwich and salads, fresh fruits and the rare meat indulgence. I'll have a pint of stout lager on special occasions. I guess it's pretty ascetic by some standards, as one meal a day is the norm.

I think the trick to any dietary or lifestyle choice is that it's always best to listen to the subtle cues the body gives you. If you're starting to feel a level of discomfort or a sensation of toxicity from your drinking, it might be time to moderate consumption a wee bit. No one knows your personal metabolism and body as well as you do. Just be cautious, as alcohol does have a history of damaging the liver over time.

Stay happy, stay healthy!

I think I am pretty healthy. Maybe just because I havent seen a doctor in 15 years or so. I don't catch colds, don't get the flu.

I wouldnt say I eat healthy but I don't buy too much ready to eat foods. I love Bar burgers and wet burritos. I seem to be able to eat whatever I want and not gain weight. I stay between 175 and 180ish.

I drink beer occasionally.

There is never any type of OTC medication in my house. I do smoke to many cigarettes but no other type of drug.

It's a matter of genetics....

I have friends that are obsessive about the food they eat and never touch junk food but are sick all the time.

Conversely I have friends that drink, smoke, eat junkfood and never even get so much as a cold.

personally I tread the moderate path but still enjoy the occasional beef jerky, 40oz Colt 45 and 7/11 chili dog.
I seldom get sick.

Individual Metabolism and the enzymes a person can make well in their body is a big part of this. Some people can metabolize alcohol and sugars better than others, bringing them down to chemistry that can be excreted. Others have problems.

There is no magic to this, everyone's food choices should be tailored to our metabolism and also to what antigens we have accumulated over our life. Don't eat much of the attractant chemistry put into food, some is buried through chemical reactions created by ingredients and preparation practices. These hijack our cravings and these cravings make us consume foods to fix the chemistry of what we ate before. Remember, foods often require companion foods, not eating the companion chemistry can cause problems. Our bodies can form a conditioning to automatically create the proper enzymes so less mischievous chemistry is produced. We can't smell something cooking all day and then eat something unrelated well, enzymes are formed from smelling things.

My Bride and me are 55. We've developed what we feel is a health-producing lifestyle. Sleep is important, and the quality of sleep, because that's when your body repairs itself.

We have a light breakfast -- fruit and/or a bagel, and coconut water. The brown, mature coconuts produce the most flavorful water, imo. We both work hard. I'm more physical, but we both take time in the day to walk, climb, or do other physical activities.

Stretching seems to be very important. We both start the day with a little Tai Chi, and then both of us stretch for about 20 minutes in the manner that is best for each of us. I have done this since my 20's and I can't stress how important it is to be flexible.

We eat a lot of rabbit food for lunch -- cucumbers, salad, olives, sometimes a papaya, and tuna or chicken. Maybe some callaloo or broccoli with a ranch dip. Dinner is usually fish, beef, chicken, pork and some vegis. Fruit for dessert, sometimes with dark chocolate and nuts.

We drink a bit, rarely before noon. Sometimes some cherry wine in the afternoon, sometimes something harder. Neither of us drink high fructose corn syrup or ingest MSG. We drink Noni and coconut oil just before dinner.

When I was young, I didn't expect to live this long. Now that I have, I want to live well enough to enjoy life. We are very active, and frequently hurt ourselves. It's important to know how to augment your healing, because the older you get the longer it takes to heal.

When I was young, I was in punk bands and abused my body. It could take it, I guess. I'm glad to still be alive, and glad to be healthy and happy.

There seems to be a lot of crap it modern-day foods. Lot of stuff I avoid because I believe it to be detrimental. We try to grow much of what we need. I can't grow lettuce here, but I can grow Malabar "spinach", and tomatoes, and cucumbers, melons, callaloo, fruits, squash, pumpkin, breadfruit, etc. and I can angle for fresh fish.

Walking and swimming are both great activities. I believe in particular that the ocean has energies that help people. I know that sounds like new age crapola, and when my Grandmother asked me to take her to the sea, I thought it was bunk, but why not make her happy. Since then, I've come to wonder if the waters and all their life might be akin to huge batteries, and when we're in them, we get to share in the pulse.

Well, you asked.


ETA: How often am I 'healthy'? I'm most dangerous to myself when I feel wonderful -- that's when I forget to pull up small trees or mix concrete slowly. I would say that I'm healthy 75% of the time -- with repeated injuries putting me down from time to time. It's a process.

If you stop doing something, sometimes you loose the ability to do it. You can get it back, but with profound effort and dedication. Better to keep doing it until your time is done.

reply to post by kromaion


I cut out all processed foods where I could. I make anything that can be made from scratch.

I buy produce from local farmers markets. I try and steer clear of GMOs but I'm sure some still get in there. I don't eat anything with HFCS although I did cave the other day and bought my favorite ice cream. It did give me a tummy ache though, probably because I haven't eaten it in over a year!

I drink only water and have at least 1 cup of coffee sometimes 2 a day.

I find grocery shopping to be very unpleasant anymore because everything is processed and the stuff that is "labeled" GMO free is EXPENSIVE! I tend to google the product and do a quick background check so to speak on it. I have a found a few decent brands that aren't too high in cost that i enjoy.

Honestly I feel a lot better since I cut out all those foods about two years ago. It took a while because I didn't want to give up some of my favorite snack foods that i thought were healthy because they weren't really "junk" food but in reality they kind of are because of the ingredients were all GMO and laced with HFCS. I remember the first time I looked at a can of cream of mushroom soup and saw "modified corn starch." I was like wtf do they need to modify corn starch? I started looking more and more at the labels of the foods I ate and realized many if not all had modified ingredients. I then started reading more on food ingredients and watching some food documentaries on Netflix that really made my stomach turn.

I don't eat fast food anymore but I will not give up my occasional Steak and Shake milk shake. lol I'm sure it is laced with HFCS but I get one maybe twice a year so I think it's ok. I even gave up my beloved Thin Mints and managed to walk right past the table of Girl Scouts where in previous years I'd buy at least 5 boxes.

I eat a lot of chicken, pretty much the only meat I eat. I am not a big red meat person but will have beef here and there. I eat a lot of eggs, cage free of course. They are more expensive but I honestly do taste a difference. Sometimes I wish I had the "quick and easy" meals because I don't always want to cook but then I think of what is in it and I make whatever I want. See that's the thing when you know how to cook, you can make whatever you want!