Tony Riddle's Natural Lifestyle Philosophy For Optimum Health, Happiness & Vitality
Nov 14, 2022
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Tony Riddle, a barefoot ultra runner and author of "Be More Human," shares his insights on natural living and well-being. He discusses the importance of glucose control and sleep for metabolic health. Riddle dives into rewilding, emphasizing how reconnecting with nature enhances personal growth. He shares experiences from a challenging 2,000-kilometer coastal run and the transformative journey from city life to nature. The conversation highlights the significance of playfulness and movement diversity in achieving optimal health.
Living naturally involves finding ways of living that are more in sync with human biology in any environment.
Practicing downregulation techniques, such as conscious breathing and intentional rest, can counter the chronic upregulation and stress of modern life.
Incorporating more movement into daily life, observing how children move and play, can activate underutilized muscles and improve posture.
Voice work, including breathing exercises and vocal expression, can unlock emotions and facilitate healing and self-expression.
Engaging in activities like dancing can provide a sense of freedom, release stress, and enable joyful and expressive connection with the body.
Creating a sleep environment aligned with natural rhythms and biology, using amber lighting and limit screen exposure, enhances restful sleep.
Deep dives
Living naturally in any environment
Living naturally doesn't mean living in nature, but rather finding ways of living that are more in sync with human biology in any environment.
The impact of modern lifestyle on health
Stress, anxiety, overwhelm, fatigue, obesity, depression, and lifestyle illness are hallmarks of our modern, convenience-focused world.
Connecting with nature and rewilding
Reconnecting with nature and rewilding our lives involves dismantling and deconstructing ways of living that don't serve us, and adopting a more natural and intentional approach to our daily habits and environment.
The importance of downregulation and mindfulness
Practicing downregulation techniques, such as conscious breathing and intentional rest, can help us counter the chronic upregulation and stress of modern life, allowing our bodies and minds to heal and thrive.
Movement as a Key Practice
One important practice for better health is incorporating more movement into our daily lives. This can include simple activities like sitting less on the couch and experimenting with different sitting positions on the ground. Observing the way children move and play can serve as inspiration for adults to become more mobile and agile. Natural movement can help activate underutilized muscles and improve posture, leading to a reduction in pain and discomfort.
Exploring Voice Work
Another beneficial practice is exploring voice work. Breathing exercises and vocal expression can help unlock emotions and free the voice. This can be as simple as yelling into a pillow or engaging in various vocal exercises to awaken and expand the voice. Voice work can be a powerful tool for healing and self-expression.
Embracing Play and Dance
Cultivating a playful mindset and engaging in activities like dancing can have a profound impact on overall well-being. Play and dance can provide a sense of freedom, release stress, and enable people to connect with their bodies in a joyful and expressive way. These activities can involve simple movements and can be done in the comfort of one's own space.
Improving Sleep Environment
Creating a sleep environment that aligns closely with natural rhythms and biology is essential for restful sleep. This includes considerations such as using amber lighting in the evening, limiting exposure to screens before bed, and making the bedroom a dedicated space for sleep and relaxation. Making small changes over time, such as using organic bedding materials or improving air quality, can greatly enhance the sleep environment.
Focus on Natural Movement and Root Causes
When addressing chronic conditions like lower back pain, it's important to focus on natural movement and address root causes rather than seeking quick fixes or symptom relief. Exploring natural sitting postures, improving mobility, and realigning joint actions can help reduce pain and improve overall well-being. It's essential to address the underlying causes of chronic pain and make long-term changes to our movement habits and posture.
Changing sitting positions and using supports can improve posture and joint mobility
Sitting in different positions and using supports like bolsters can help improve posture and increase awareness of the body. For example, sitting on a hard seat or floor can promote better posture and awareness compared to sitting on a cushioned surface. Using supports can also alleviate tension in the pelvic floor and lower abdomen. Additionally, taking a joint-by-joint approach to sitting can help assess mobility and stability in different areas of the body, such as the ankle, knee, hip, and lower back. By making adjustments to sitting positions and incorporating mobility exercises, it is possible to improve posture and joint mobility.
The importance of aligning the head, chest, and pelvis in posture and movement
Maintaining proper alignment of the head, chest, and pelvis is crucial for optimal posture and movement. When sitting or standing, keeping the head up and the chest open allows the body to be in a more aligned position. Slouching or leaning forward can lead to imbalances in the spine and negatively affect walking and running mechanics. In order to improve balance and stability, it is recommended to focus on aligning the head, chest, and pelvis, keeping them stacked on top of each other. This alignment can help distribute forces more efficiently, reduce strain on the body, and contribute to better overall movement.
Developing competency in movement through crawling, balancing, and hopping exercises
Developing competency in movement involves engaging in exercises that challenge balance, coordination, and stability. Crawling, balancing, and hopping exercises can be beneficial for improving movement patterns and strengthening the body. Exercises like crawling on all fours, practicing single-leg balances, and performing hopping drills can engage the muscles, enhance proprioception, and improve core stability. These exercises can also help restore natural movement patterns that may have been compromised due to sedentary lifestyles and footwear with narrow toe boxes. By incorporating these exercises into a regular routine, individuals can develop greater competency in movement and enhance their overall physicality.
Here to rewild us and reconnect us to that which is most essential is barefoot ultra running phenom Tony Riddle.
Returning for his 2nd appearance on the podcast (his first being over 3 years ago on episode #463), Tony is a natural lifestyle coach who has devoted his life to studying what makes us human and how to live naturally in the modern world.
Today we pick things up where we last left off in an old school, no video, audio-only conversation convened during my recent visit to London that goes deeper into Tony's natural lifestyle practices.
Tony and I cover his various endurance feats and training, his unique coaching philosophy, and the principles that underscore his new book Be More Human, a bible for deconstructing the ways of living that aren’t serving us, and reconnecting with new ways of living that are more in sync with our human biology.
This conversation is packed with a battery of actionable practices and strategies to rewild and reboot your life. My hope is that you employ these strategies and they allow you to maximize your human
potential. Enjoy!
Peace + Plants,
Rich
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