Dynamite Circle – You are an Animal

Hunter-gatherers born into the captivity of modern society

Ideas & Advice

Below are a series of suggestions for things you can do to better align with your hunter-gatherer programming

Let’s start with a perfect day at DCBKK

Tomorrow at DCBKK

Wake up and get straight outside in the sun
Drink a load of water
Stretch like a cat (I like to find somewhere quiet and follow something like this or this)
Do press-ups to failure (start on knees if you need to), or, better still, hit the gym (elevate that heart rate)
Stop for a moment to reflect with gratitude at the cornucopia of choice at breakfast!
Eat what looks like food (reduce carbs and seed oils. Eat more protein, salmon, eggs, veg, a little rice, etc.)
Take periodic walks in the garden. Ideally, a few more press-ups or squats
Enjoy lunch but don’t overeat
Socialise – Unlikely to be a problem here (but remember to take breaks)
REST – Head to your room to meditate or 20 minutes of NSDR / Yoga Nidra
Get too hot (sauna/sun), or take a swim
Quick 5-minute stretch break again. Try something to improve mobility from sitting
Chat to others all sat in a squat position! (hold on to each other’s arm for stability)
Go easy on the booze
Avoid eating 3+ hours before bed

Movement

To increase cognitive and physical healthspan

Consider the amount of movement your hunter-gatherer ancestors had to do each day and try your hardest to emulate this. Here are some broad tips in no particular order:

Start each morning with a 2 to 5-minute stretch routine, just like a cat would (downward dog, cobra, cat-cow etc. Bonus points for getting a hang bar and using that each morning)
Social fitness – Stack two for one, and play sports with others, it also helps with accountability
Take calls whilst walking
Exercises to offset the hunched shoulders of desk use, e.g. Face Pulls
Low-impact cardio – get your 10,000 steps 90% of days (wearables are great reminders)
If you see the stairs, take the stairs. Add in lots of micro workouts. Where possible, you need to replicate the amount of movement our ancestors did
Walk after meals
Lift heavy things between two and five times a week to build muscle and bone density (particularly good if you want to lose weight, more muscle = higher metabolism)
Standing desk
Move away from your (standing) desk every 30 minutes for 5 minutes of moderate movement (a standing desk makes this easier)
Reduce the onset of short-sightedness (myopia). Follow the 20/20/20 rule. Every 20 minutes you should take 20 seconds to focus on something 20 metres away
Work to regain the mobility to sit in a squat, starting with books under your heel. All humans squatted daily until as recently as 1970’s the squat toilet was far more common than the modern toilet)
Follow a stretch routine each day to correct for desk posture and keep lower back pain at bay. Like this

Diet

Your diet is for weight loss and reduced inflammation (which inhibits our immune system) and to promote a healthier gut biome

Though the more you align to the following the better, it’s ok to follow it as an 80/20 rule, perhaps applying it at home, whilst still allowing for the joy of eating at restaurants and ‘unhealthy food’ from time to time

Understand that there is no perfect diet that all human beings have evolved to eat. We all possess a unique gut biome and genetic makeup. So, what works for one person doesn’t always work for another. Pay attention to how your body responds to different food. Track your energy levels
Understand that some broad brushstrokes of dietary advice are typically right for most
Eat whole foods (that’s foods that look like food)
A diet rich in fibre helps your gut biome
Eat leaves, vegetables, eggs, fruits, pulses, nuts, fish and meat
Eat fermented foods – kimchi, sauerkraut, kombucha
Don’t be afraid of fat (low fat products mean the fat is replaced with sugar). Where possible, eat fish (omega-3s), nuts, and olive oil, which align more with our ancestral diets than processed seed oils and omega-6 fat substitutes, which result in inflammation
Avoid vegetable oils and trans fats. Focus on olive, nut and avocado oil – not seed oils
Avoid as much industrial ultra-processed foods as you can
Experiment with limited caffeine, particularly first thing. A need for caffeine is a compensator for low energy, typically due to diet/exercise or poor sleep quality
Reduce consumption of starches and grains. If grains are eaten, go for rice
Avoid fruit juices and sodas
Eat more protein, aim for a ⅓ of every plate
Great protein sources aside from the meats include full-fat Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, eggs and many types of bean
If you take one supplement, make it creatine it’s fantastic for muscle growth and cognition
Eat more bone broth and offal, most of us don’t get enough collagen
It’s not about what you add to your diet it’s what you eliminate. AG1 and spirulina do not offset a shitty diet
Avoid eating close to bedtime. Try not to eat after 8pm (brush your teeth to avoid snacking). Give your body a clear period of fast for autophagy to take place. Try to remain in fast for 14 hours +
Avoid drinking alcohol within a few hours of bedtime
Avoid binge drinking (it destroys your gut biome, which in turn disrupts your mental health and the immune system). Switch to a non-alcoholic drink after your second drink, and wait one hour until the next alcoholic drink
Understand that just because a product says 100 calories, it doesn’t mean it’s 100 calories for your body. Your response can deviate by up to 10% and the caloric input of many foods, for example seeds, is often incorrect

Nature / adventure

Get sun exposure each day for 20 minutes, particularly when the index is manageable during the early morning and evening
Get sun exposure or bright light when you wake up to boost your circadian rhythm
Allow your body to experience shifts in hot and told temperature. Saunas and cold plunges are great for this
Spend time in nature each day. Even if it’s a 20-minute walk in the park after dinner. Leave your phone at home
Fill your house with plants (if you don’t travel too much) and, even better, get into gardening
Swap your lightbulbs at home for an intelligent circadian lighting system which adjusts to sunrise and sunset
No alarms – use sunrise clocks if you must
Go wild swimming
Get a pet
Essential oils containing phytoncides (I thought it was bollocky woo-woo, but it’s legit)
Hiking
Camping
Go to the beach
Use noise cancelling headphones for ambient music in noisy urban areas