Hacking Health

Health has a strong correlation with happiness. You cannot be healthy without first being happy, it's just not possible because of the large role that it carries in your mental health.

That being said I will soon be starting a project for a new podcast and brand focused on happiness.

The ultimate goal in life is happiness and at the root of everything we do in life the real answer is happiness.

Some random examples...

- I desire to improve my health so that I feel better and live longer. I want to feel better because it makes me happy and I want to live longer because I am a happy person and want more time to enjoy life
- I desire to get stronger in the gym because I feel accomplished and there is less barriers in my physical line of work. Less barriers means less problems. The less problems I have the happier I will be.
- I desire to become a better basketball player so that I can win more games. I want to win more games because that makes me happy.
- I don't enjoy the same things as my mother, but I do the things that she enjoys because it makes her happy. I love my mother and her happiness makes me happy.

I know the examples are all over the place, but I wanted to just show some brief points that illustrate the fact that your ultimate goal is truly happiness.

If you are ever worried about an issue with your body then it is always better to be safe than sorry. This message applies to most if not all the components of your health.

- If you are working out and you think that doing another rep might ignite some injury you are working through, then stop. It is better to short your workout then prolong and worsen your injury.
- If you have a weird lump that you think is just a bump, but you aren't entirely sure then get to the doctor as quick as possible. It's better to pay the doctor to tell you that you are fine than to skip the doctor and find out it's serious the hard way.
- If you can't quite remember if you did your stretching this morning, then knock it out again, I promise that stretching a little longer is better than not stretching enough and risking an injury.

This all really comes down to shifting your thinking from short term to long term. Of course it's hard to see in the moment, but you got a lot of time left on this planet and you want to make sure you are as healthy as possible for it.

There are a ton of catchy labels on food packages now.

“No sugar”

“Zero calories”

“No artificial flavors”

“Non GMO”

“Natural”

These things can absolutely be, and most of the time, are good! However just because one things is good doesn’t mean the rest are. At the grocery store it is like a treasure hunt trying to find something that isn’t loaded with crap. Some of the common problems with these labels are

• Zero calories, but includes aspartame

• No sugar, but has a ton of sucralose

• No artificial flavors, but contains a ton of cane sugar

These are just a few examples of the irony that the grocery store has to offer. Just because there is something good emphasized on the package it doesn’t mean that the good is good for you. Always read the ingredients and look at the nutrition label to get the full story.

In today's podcast episode I went over how to handle toxic relationships.

The relationships we have in life are so impact on us as a person and it is important that you realize this (Also just FYI, when I say relationships I am referring to friends, family, significant others, business partners and other important people in your life). When you have a toxic (bad) relationship it is critical that you do one of the two methods to get rid of the negativity that is being inflicted upon your life.

Option 1. This is what I believe should be your go to and is my personal choice when put in this situation. FIX IT. Obviously, not everything is reparable, but I almost always want to try and save something that I once found value in and that includes my relationships. Communicate with the other person and let them know how you feel and what you think you two can do moving forward to make things better. It is critical that you don't come off critical or offensive. Pose the problem as the fault of both of yours whether or not you truly believe it is. Not every relationship will be able to be fixed especially when dealing with close minded or pessimistic people, but do your best!

Option 2. What I consider the last resort option and very often the actual solution. END IT. Sometimes there is no way to fix a relationship and you must let it go. It is almost never easy and this is a very serious thing to do, so I would put a lot of thought in to the situation before doing so, but sometimes it is the only answer. Hopefully you don't have to use this option, but it is certainly better than subjecting yourself to such a situation. It is important that when ending a relationship that you let the other person know what you are doing and why. Communication is essential in nearly every situation involving other people.

Hopefully your relationships are flourishing and you don't have to worry about these things, but if you are going through some tough relationships I hope this helps!

Don't worry about the numbers too much. Some people are dead set on reaching certain numbers and they shouldn't be.

- "I want to get to 125 pounds" some girls might say when losing weight.
- "I want to get to 200 pounds" some guys might say as they are trying to build weight.

The thing is some people are not going to get to these numbers. If you are 6 feet tall you are never going to be 5'8 because that's just the way you are. Some people have a base weight and while they can alter it to some extent they cannot change it too much. .

I used to be dead set on getting to 190 pounds. Obviously, I wanted to get there because I had perceptions that it would make me look and feel a certain way. Truth is though is I am 165 pounds now and after constant training I know that there is no way I am going to get to 190 pounds without holding more fat than I prefer or without being a giant pile of muscle. It took some time to learn, but now I know.

We never know how weight is going to look on us. There are so many different factors in how you hold weight. You should never be too dead set on numbers, because the mirror and how you feel are much better determinants of your health.

Figuring out your why is essential to keeping consistent in all your efforts in life, especially when it comes to your health.

• Why are you picking the broccoli over the other sweet side options?
• Why are you up 3 hours before work to go to the gym and make yourself uncomfortable?
• Why are you getting in early before all your friends and heading to bed?
• Why are you wasting time meditating when you could be doing work?

If you don’t know the why to these answers then you are likely going to fail on at least one of them. Your why is talked about a lot by famous entrepreneurs, but when we look at health I don’t see people asking it enough. Once you find you “why” ask yourself again.

• Why am I at the gym at 5 AM?
- So I can discipline myself to get in shape

• Why am I disciplining myself to get in shape?
- So I can look and feel better

• Why am I wanting to look and feel better?
- So I can live a better life and set a good example for my kids

Everyone’s why is different, but when you dig down and find out the true answer then you can find inner motivation!

Working out is essential no matter your goal in health. Workouts can be done in many ways, but one thing I have to say because I too messed up on is...

WORKOUT YOUR WHOLE BODY

It's really common knowledge to some, but when I started working out I just wanted bigger arms and I didn't know much at all. In the first couple months I never hit back or legs. Back because I didn't have the muscle mind connection and therefore didn't feel the workout working and legs because like most guys I hated it. I wish someone would've knocked some since into me sooner, but they didn't. So if you are falling into this trap please understand you need your whole body to get stronger, not just certain parts.

As I have mentioned before there are 4 pillars to your health that help define how healthy of a life you live.

1) Nutrition
2) Physical Activity
3) Sleep
3) Mental Health

I never like to say that any single one has more value than others, but that being said Mental Health is a lot broader than Sleep.

It can be very overwhelming to try and focus on so many things each day and trust me I completely understand. Each of these elements have years of material you could learn and you might simply be pushed away by the massive amount of information available. If you are struggling with balancing them all just try this quick run down for the next week. Really simple, but a very good baseline level of health!

1) Eat healthy foods, drink tons of water, and if you have any micro nutrient deficiencies then look into some healthy supplements.
2) Strength train multiple times a week (not everyday) and make sure you are constantly moving throughout the day with at least 1 hour of dedicated activity such as playing sports, a walk around town, etc.
3) Sleep the length required for you (start with 8 hours if you aren't sure) and eliminate all factors that can jeopardize your sleep.
4) Be a happy person who focuses on all around growth in life including your relationships, finances, physical goals, etc. Set goals for yourself and keep challenging yourself everyday to get better.

Have a great day and let's get healthy!!

Put the phone down. This is a key message for both the end of your day and the beginning.

At the end of your day it is crucial that you eliminate blue light visibility. Our phones have blue light that inhibits your melatonin, therefore causing us more difficulty in getting to sleep and also a lower quality of sleep overrall. Not good by any means. Also we tend to get our minds engaged when we are on our phones and right before bed you want to be doing the exact opposite. Calm your mind and allow it to ready for bed by keeping it as empty as possible.

In the morning you want to start your day on your own terms. This means choosing what happens, how it happens and when it happens. To do this requires getting up well before any obligations and avoiding reactivity. When we start our mornings by staring at our phones we most likely begin to react. Texts, emails, social media and other notifications all start to influence how our morning starts. Try and stay off your phone for at least 30 minutes after waking up to ensure that you are the one setting your tone for the day.

Our phones are incredible tools that have plenty of value and uses, but let's make sure we have a healthy relationship with them!

One of the keys to happiness in life is focusing on what can change and not what you can't. Sounds like common sense, but it's actually not. A lot of people focus on things they can't change and even after those things have far surpassed they still worry about them.

Change what you can, don't worry about what you can't. When I say don't worry, I mean don't get angry, don't get upset and don't let you mood even be slightly affected.

Even if you can change something, the answer should be not to worry. Because in the end you will either change it or you won't. The negatives emotions and mentality that clouds your mind and body will likely take you even further from changing that thing in the first place.

Life has tons of problems, trust me I know. Yesterday my truck broke down on the way to something that was time sensitive. I missed that thing and I am likely out hundreds, if not thousands of dollars for truck repairs. I can't change that though. The damage is done and even if there were some preventative measures I could've taken, I didn't.

The only thing you can do is prepare yourself for the next time. This DOES NOT require worrying, so don't do it. Trust me I have worried way to much for being only 21 and I know from experience that it isn't good for your health at all.

One thing that I struggle to do a lot, but am working on, is waking up at roughly the same time everyday. I believe that your body needs to be shocked and changed up when it comes to exercise and even nutrition, but sleep is the one area that this does not apply.

Sleep is extremely important, as I have emphasized in the past, and when we change up our sleep times every night our body doesn't what to expect. An evening routine that indicates to your body when it is time for bed is a bit combative of this, but the best way to deal with this is to get to bed at roughly the same time every night.

I am currently working on a wake up window of between 5AM and 6AM every morning, which means I should be getting to bed between 9PM and 10PM every night. Much easier said than done because of course life happens and if you are like me then you have people all around you who have different routines. However, once you get in to the routine of similar sleep times your body will start to expect your sleep. Your body will begin to use it's energy accordingly and make sure that you are ending the day and ready for bed at a certain time.

Our bodies are really smart and it makes sense because they are controlled by our brain which is a super computer in our head. Going to bed at the same time every night will help you to get in a routine that helps you maximize the battery that is your energy and it will also help with getting to bed easier.

This week I challenge you to get up and go to sleep within a 1 hour window every day. Tag some friends who you challenge to this as well!

Super excited for the new things coming soon. Already on episode 80, but haven’t constantly improving and changing things up like I would have liked. Next thing I’m working on is the intro. Also have a new podcast coming out soon regarding business and success. Stay tuned!

It can be hard to develop a strong mental health, I completely understand. If you are always looking for what’s wrong, don’t worry it’s not just you!

Our brains control our body and guess what? Our brains instinctively look for what’s wrong. It does this because it’s primary objective is to stay alive. If your brain wasn’t always looking for what’s wrong, you probably wouldn’t have made it to where you are today.

In order to get an optimistic view and start looking for what’s right instead of the opposite, it’s going to take some work. I know it’s not ideal that optimism doesn’t come preset in our mind, but believe me you can get there!

Focus today on keep an optimistic view!



(Tag 2 friends that need to hear this message)

You can start to significantly reduce your chances of cancer simply with your diet. Yes, genetics play some role, but I have read that as much as 80% of cancer is diet induced. I haven’t done extensive research on this, but 5-8 cups of veggies a day has been proven to be a strong preventative measure to cancer.

I’m not huge into veggies myself so what’s easiest for me is green drinks and throwing a couple cups in my smoothie. Usually can’t even taste the difference!

What’s your favorite vegetables?

The way you look is important to most people, as I believe it should be. The healthier you look can sometimes correlate to how healthy you actually are, however this isn’t always the case. I have met some people who I would have taken for very healthy, once talking to them and getting to know them I found out otherwise. The bigger and more appropriate indicator not only for other, but also about yourself is the way you feel. If you wake up everyday with a lot of energy, well rested, an abundance of positivity, motivated and ambitious, and your skin is clear then you are likely a very healthy individual. Obviously, these aren’t all the cues and these cues can be misleading, but cues such as these give you a good general idea that can really help you evaluate yourself when you’re trying to figure out if all your hard work has been paying off. Have a great day everyone!

Been away most the summer, but back home and ready to get back to the everyday routine of reality! I haven’t been on most social media platforms over the summer, but I have been keeping my podcast relatively updated and am currently at episode 70 so check it out!

—- https://open.spotify.com/show/3c7KMkWH00eAvGg1Bwtaba?si=50LPrxGiRM2h4vd8ZVctvg

Anyways today I wanted to talk about the importance of surrounding yourself with a healthy environment. It’s what I did my most recent podcast episode over, but if you haven’t heard it yet here’s a quick synopsis.

The people who surround you affect many factors of your life. It’s good to have admirable and empowering people in your lifestyle. I’m not saying that all your friends have to be super into health or motivational speakers, but when you surround your self with those kinds of people it becomes much easier to apply the same things to your life. Pick your circle wisely and if someone isn’t contributing to your life in a positive manner then you may want to rethink their position in your life. This isn’t to upset anyone or make you drop any friends, but just help you to realize the importance of a healthy environment that is so crucial to your happiness and growth as a person.

“You’re the average of the 5 people you spend the most time with”

Hacking Health Podcast A podcast on my journey into the lifestyle of health. On a mission to make the world a healthier place. by Anthony Messina

Do not beat yourself up too much when you make a mistake. This is something I see not only myself, but more so my girlfriend do especially when it comes to neglecting your diet. I am a huge believer in eating healthy as I promote a healthy lifestyle, but that doesn’t by any stretch of imagination mean that I never eat unhealthy things.

You are human and there is food in the world that has been constructed to taste good. Sugary, high in sodium, and artificial ingredients are key components of these foods. They were built this way to taste good so it’s no surprise that every once in a while you are craving a sweet.

If you have a day where you eat out a couple times cause you didn’t prep food in advance, you got a dessert somewhere after your meal cause you were still hungry, you splurged and finished the person’s meal next to you. Guess what? It’s okay, you’re human. The key here is to realize you indulged which is okay every now and then. So long as you don’t repeat this behavior on a daily basis or multiple times a week.

The reason I bring this up is because I have seen people and at times myself overreact to little errors. There was a time in my life when I was in middle school and first few years of high school where I had a dessert with every meal and there are people who do this still. That being said I got past that and I am alive. So your little mistake is not as big as you are making it out to be. Don’t go significantly change your routine to compensate for one day, just eat a fewer calories the next day or workout a little longer. Don’t beat yourself up and dwell on it because it’s going to be alright.

This all comes down to worrying. What’s done is done and you can only change your actions moving forward not the past. Don’t stress to much about it, love your life with moderation and learn from your mistakes!

Find yourself an accountability partner.

It’s easy to THINK you’re going to stick with a habit. Heck, it’s easy to SAY you’re going to stick with a habit. The truth is Action is the only thing that matters. Our judgement can get clouded and we can lose motivation. However, when you have 2 people looking out for you it becomes a lot less likely for that to happen. It doesn’t have to stop there, 3, 4, 5 people can all be your accountability partners.

Let your accountability partners know what it is you are trying to do and they will help you stick with those goals. Some of the best people to hold you accountable are people who have similar goals and passions, so if you have friends like this you can both hold each other accountable.

Multiple minds is better than one especially when it comes to holding yourself accountable.

Doing some research in to plant lectins utilizing much of the work of Dr. Gundry.

Lectins are large plant proteins that are also defense mechanisms created by plants for their predators. Plants are living things and don't like being killed just as animals and us don't either. One of the most commonly known forms of lectins that you have probably already heard of is gluten. Not everyone reacts the same and our body does have some defenses against these lectins so don't get too alarmed just yet.

Will continue to update you guys as I learn more and more!