10,000 years ago, we used to walk the African Savannah. We hunted and we gathered fruits and vegetables in tribes of about 150 people.

We don’t walk anymore. We drive big SUVs, or we take public transportation. But our bodies were designed to walk, not to be sitting down in a vehicle or in front of a computer.

We don’t hunt or gather anymore. We just go to the nearest supermarket, and there it is, food ready to eat.

And we don’t live in tribes of 150 people with whom we share our day-to-day lives, we live in little apartments or cubicles, psychologically isolated from everyone else.

This abundance of food and improved mobility is now the source of many undesirable consequences, such as obesity and cardiovascular diseases, and loneliness.

Here are some ideas to prevent further deterioration of our physical and mental health.

Eliminate sugar from your diet

When we used to walk on the African savanna sugar was only available in the form of fruit. Fruit carries a lot of calories in a small package, as opposed to vegetables which carry a small number of calories. Excess calories would transform into fat, which allowed our ancestors to walk or run farther.

Our sugar craving ancestors were able to pass their genes to future generations until our present day. So our craving for sugar is normal and hereditary.

But today, we have all the sugar that we want, at any time, with very little effort. As we consume all the sugar we want, the excess sugar is converted into fat, the fat that we don’t get to burn because we don’t walk or run anymore as an everyday activity, and thus, we become obese.

Walk more

We have been walking the earth for thousands of years. Only in the last 100 years, we have started using other methods of transportation such as cars, trains, and airplanes, but our bodies were made for walking and walking have so many benefits that we should not overlook.

Even if we don’t need walking a method of transportation, we should walk because walking…

• Improves your cardiovascular system
• Reduces the risk of heart failure
• Help reduce body fat
• Increases endurance
• Improves our creative thinking
• Increases bone density
• Increase the production of serotonin in our brain
• If you have a walking companion, it increases the amount of human interaction which in part lowers the occurrence of stress, depression, and anxiety.

To get started, all you need is a pair of walking shoes and maybe a walking companion. If you walk 30 minutes per day for the rest of your life, you will add many years of health and happiness to your life.

Look for social interactions

We are social animals. We used to walk the savannah in groups of about 150 people. Being separated from our tribe was the equivalent of a death sentence, that’s why we fear loneliness and exclusion.

Conversely, being connected with others make us feel safe and happy. It doesn’t matter if others are part of our family, friends, or social groups. It all contributes to our sense of safety and companionship.

Social interaction has a beneficial impact on our health, our longevity, and our psychological wellbeing. Our most happy moments are when we share our lives with others.

Conclusion

There is no magic pill. These are simple formulas, easy to implement, and they don’t cost much money. All you need is the determination to put it into practice.

1. Stop eating sugar
2. Walk more
3. Look for social interactions.

If you introduce these three simple habits into your life, you will live a long, happy, and healthy life.

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