Better Through Balance
My Tripod for Wellness: Physical, Physiological, and Psychological Stability
Balance has been teetering at the top of my priority list in recent months for several reasons. The first reason is quite literal: I’ve had a couple of near-slip-and-falls of late. Each time, thank goodness, I was able to catch myself, but I thought, “My gosh, in a split second, this is how it happens.” It got me thinking about how critical balance is in many aspects of life as we age, yet it isn’t at the forefront of many health and lifestyle discussions, let alone exercise programs.
Concurrently, I’ve been plagued for several months with a very perplexing, often painful rash on the upper half of my face, primarily around my eyes. I’ll spare you all the details, but by eliminating a handful of foods that I identified as triggers, I’ve been able to significantly reduce the occurrences. As I get back on track, it’s a reminder that I need to be cautious about getting stuck in food ruts. When I find something I like and I go overboard—even if it’s healthy—it can lead to imbalanced and lopsided nutrition, creating new problems.
Lastly, Andrea and I work from home, and although we walk every day and have a few weekly outings such as church and errands, our social interactions are a shadow of what they once were when we were in an office and interacting with a variety of people. While I enjoy the quiet and solitude of setting my own pace in my own environment, this asymmetrical daily routine can be too much of a good thing, with repercussions professionally, emotionally, and spiritually. I now understand how the epidemic of isolation seeps into people’s lives.
Taken in aggregate, these observations have impressed upon me the need for balance in all facets of life. A life in balance forms the essential, stable foundation for health and well-being. Balance is inherently delicate and must be continually renewed to be sustained, making imbalance always just a tipping point away.
For optimal wellness, I envision a tripod, the elegant symbol of balance and foundational stability, embodying three core principles: physical, physiological, and psychological.
Physical balance
Although balance alone has yet to have its moment as an in-vogue exercise, I have seen people start to incorporate aspects of it into their routines here and there. As the aging population continues to grow and the incidence of age-related falls increases, I predict that we will see greater emphasis on improving and maintaining physical balance.
Physical balance requires us to engage three essentials: our body’s abdominal core, stabilizing muscles, and proprioception—a fancy term that refers to our sense of spatial awareness. Challenging these three foundational functions will make us stronger and more stable, safeguarding against stumbling and the collateral damage of tumbling.
I’ve started incorporating super simple single-leg stands while brushing my teeth, 30 seconds on one leg, then the other. Now I'm graduating to closing my eyes while on one leg, which is easier said than done! A few other balance exercises include putting on your shoes while standing on one leg and bending down to touch your toes on one leg. Even the seemingly innocuous heel-to-toe walk along an imaginary line improves coordination and stability.
Most importantly, I do all these barefoot to engage and build foot stabilizers, our secret weapon!
More advanced core and strength-based balance exercises can be done without any equipment on the floor. A few to try:
• The Plank, which can be done in the push-up position on your hands or your elbows, is crucial for maintaining posture and equilibrium. Start with thirty seconds and gradually increase the time. (If you find your back hurting, it means you aren’t engaging your abs properly, so focus on tightening those muscles.)
• The Bird-dog strengthens the back, glutes, and abdominals while challenging balance. From all fours, extend one arm and the opposite leg. Hold briefly and switch.
• Glute Bridges strengthen hips and hamstrings, which help stabilize pelvic alignment. Lying on your back, knees bent, simply lift your hips (forming a bridge) and slowly roll back down to the starting position.
If you want to kick it up a notch, dynamic balance exercises mimic real-life movements and are excellent for intermediate to advanced training.
• Lunges (Forward, Reverse, Walking) require balance, control, and strength coordination. You can do these with just your own body weight or while holding weights for an added challenge
• Single-leg Deadlift is excellent for the posterior chain of muscles (the glutes, hamstrings, and lower back) and proprioceptive training. To try this, hinge at the hips and lower your torso while extending one leg behind you for balance, similar to a "T" shape
• Step-ups engage multiple muscle groups and improve joint alignment. (These are one of my personal favorites that I do every day for those glorious glutes.) You can step up on anything stable, such as a box or (in my case) even a strong coffee table.
With all movement, consistency matters almost as much as intensity. Remember to train both sides equally!
Physiological balance
The human body is a complex metabolic system, requiring a wide range of nutrients to maintain its delicate balance. Unfortunately, it's easy to get off-track and stuck in ruts, especially given the abundance of easy-grab prepared foods and the exasperatingly tumultuous sea of hyped diets. Carnivore, Omnivore, Paleo, Keto, Vegetarian, not to be confused with vegan, and the list goes on and on. From my research, extreme diets may be good transitional elimination diets, but not for the long term—they are simply too out of balance.
I believe there is great wisdom in eating seasonally and ancestrally: foods that our great-great-grandparents would have eaten. This can sometimes seem to be a tall order, as today's agricultural practices blur the seasons and our markets are overrun with processed food.
I primarily adhere to a Mediterranean-style diet, which is well-rounded and consists of fresh fruits and vegetables, eggs, seafood, olive oil, some legumes, minimal dairy and grains, and rarely any added sugar. Alcohol has moved to my “no list” for the time being.
Variety is my Achilles heel; I get comfortable in food patterns and must constantly remind myself to “eat the rainbow” and switch foods up. I’m working on incorporating more fermented foods because they are an excellent way to feed the good gut bacteria and maintain a balanced and diverse gut flora. High on my list are sourdough bread, olives, kefir, parmesan cheese, and cottage cheese. To add more variety, I’m on the hunt to find a pleasant sauerkraut and pickled onions to round out my choices.
Psychological balance
We have evolved as social beings who thrive in community and familial relationships. Now, however, we find ourselves in a paradoxical social age: we are living in the most technologically advanced time in history, with the most tools for communication, and yet there is an epidemic of loneliness. In a recent longitudinal study of over 2 million people, this invisible culprit of social isolation is responsible for a 35% increased risk of all-cause mortality and early death.
The Blue Zones (identified by researchers as the world’s six longest-lived communities) share nine interconnected habits that contribute to their extraordinary health spans. Three of the nine are: social connections, faith, and stress reduction. (Interestingly, a leg of their tripod.) All live in tightly knit communities, where many people reside in generational homes. They meet daily for coffee or tea and conversation at homes or cafes, and generally have a variety of daily, meaningful social interactions.
As Andrea likes to say, “iron sharpens iron,” so working, interacting, and connecting with a range of people can make us better and fuel our souls. Interestingly, there is also a physical by-product of these exchanges: an increase in oxytocin (the hormone that stimulates social bonds), a decrease in cortisol (the stress hormone that regulates many bodily functions), and a stronger immune system. It’s easy to see how the lack of these critical interplays has an impact on overall health and well-being.
Working from home for a handful of years has brought this topic to the forefront. Although Andrea and I are at opposite ends of the introverted/extroverted scale, even the wallflower in me misses meeting new people and the spontaneous, lively conversations around the lunchroom table. It has made me realize, especially as we get older and life situations change, that we need to be deliberate in creating what was once impromptu. Just this last week, a friend of mine organized a card/game afternoon for a group of women, with the first one this Sunday, and I’m so excited! I never thought I’d look forward to a simple afternoon out so much.
Lastly, I strive to read and listen to a variety of information and podcasts, so that I’m not socially or intellectually lopsided. Visual stimulation is also very important, so even changing up normal walking and driving routes can balance our brains.
The ultimate balancing act
Balance is not a fixed destination but a dynamic state, always shifting. Like the tripod, it is uniquely elegant, adaptable, and foundational. In cultivating balance and keeping each leg of the tripod strong through our choices, we can create a life that is aligned, resilient, and whole; fundamentals to live well, age great.