Three pillars of a healthy life

Most of us know that in order to be healthy, we need to eat right and exercise. However, those two things may not be enough, according to journalist and anthropologist Scott Carney.

In his latest book, What Doesn't Kill Us: How Freezing Water, Extreme Altitude, and Environmental Conditioning Will Renew Our Lost Evolutionary Strength, Karni presents his theory that our bodies need external stress in the form of exposure to cold and high temperatures, if we want to realize its full potential.

Karni states that our ancestors did not have air conditioning or heating, which protected them from harsh weather conditions, and states that we may be doing ourselves a "disservice" by protecting ourselves with modern technology.

"Man was created to move and run. A sedentary lifestyle leads to the development of heart disease, cancer, diabetes - many diseases that are a common cause of death in the modern world," says the anthropologist.

Our bodies "bloom" when we feed them healthy foods, but they are destroyed by processed foods that we reach for in search of high calorie content.

“When it comes to anatomy, modern humans have lived on Earth for nearly 200.000 years. This means that your colleague, who sits at a desk all day, under artificial light, has basically the same build as cavemen who hunted antelopes," says Kani.

“To get to this point, people have had to overcome a huge series of obstacles. We fought off predators, froze in blizzards, sought shelter from the rain, hunted and gathered our food, and kept breathing despite the suffocating heat. Until recently, there was never a moment when comfort could be taken 'for granted' – there was always a balance between effort and enjoying what we deserved. All this time, man survived without technology and had to be strong to survive," he added.

Despite the fact that modern life brings a lot of comfort and enjoyment, Karni believes that it may not be good for us.

"Without a challenge to face, or a threat to ward off, we will be without important stimulation. Take for example anxiety, which is one of the most widespread psychological problems today. Some researchers believe that it is an evolutionary adaptation that got out of control. Anxiety may be part of our 'fight or flight' response, which keeps us alert in dangerous situations. Since there is no real danger, such as predators and other natural threats, this state may overcome us during public speaking or speaking to other people," he says.

In his book, Karni, in collaboration with Dutch fitness expert Wim Hof, presents the idea that introducing challenges into our environment could improve our lives and our health.

Hof, known by the nickname "The Iceman", advocates a method of physical transformation that combines exposure to extreme external conditions (predominantly low temperatures), with a special conscious breathing technique that tries to establish greater control over innate unwanted physical reactions. Hof claims that this way not only strengthens the body, but people recover faster from illnesses and injuries.

Despite the fact that several independent studies have confirmed his claims, scientists are not yet sure whether it is just a placebo effect.

It should also be noted that what did not harm Hof ​​- swimming in icy water - killed several people who entered the training without prior consultation with a doctor, and good physical preparation for such physical stress.

That's why Karni expressly mentions in his book that readers should be well aware of the potential negative consequences, that is, the dangers of Hof's extreme training, reports Beauty and Health.