Super 6
Driving home this weekend I had the opportunity to hear an interview with Dr. David Katz the president of American College of Lifestyle Medicine on the radio. The interview focused on what Dr. Katz would recommend the world do to be healthier during which he mentioned his “Super 6: feet, forks, fingers, sleep, stress, and love.”
He reported coming up with these six things working with a post-surgery cancer patient in 2011 who was seeking a way to prevent the cancer from returning. Dr. Katz wrote about that exchange and published it on the Huffington Post (article). While there were no quick fixes to be prescribed, there was this small list of factors that could add years to his life, and life to his years and they are applicable to all.
Super 6
- Feet: regular physical activity helps maintain or reduce a person’s weight, lowers blood pressure, elevates mood, and reduces stress
- Forks: what a person eats has a profound impact on their weight, physiology, stress response, and health
- Fingers: a person should never hold a cigarette in their fingers
- Sleep: sleep is when our bodies get to perform the majority of its repair work
- Stress: uncontrolled stress causes hormonal imbalances and propagates chronic inflammations
- Love: the only factor we cannot do alone, it has been shown time and again in research that those who are loved live healthier lives
The article notes that in Dr. Katz’ research the first three factors alone showed a reduced risk to all chronic illnesses by 80%.
I would add a 7th factor: chiropractic care. Chiropractic care can reduce pains felt in the body, improve function, allow for better quality of sleep, and by freeing interference in our nervous systems our bodies will be optimally prepared to adapt to any stress we face. If you, or someone you love, could use help in adopting any of these Super 7 Factors don’t hesitate to call and schedule time with me.