The Comfort Crisis: Wild = Happy & We Are Far From It
Welcome to the era of comfort and convenience. We've got it good, and there's no denying it. But what if I told you that our cushy lifestyles might be taking a toll on our bodies and minds?
That's the essence of "The Comfort Crisis" by Michael Easter, a wake-up call that reminds us of the benefits of discomfort and challenges. In this article, we'll dive into the comfort crisis, and I'll encourage you to consider how each point hits home in your life.
It's time to make a change, one small step at a time, to boost your physical and mental well-being. So, The Comfort Crisis: Wild = Happy & We Are Far From It...
Let's start by throwing a few numbers into the mix to paint a clearer picture - all these numbers are drawn from Michael Easter & his research which you can explore here:
Activity Levels: Our ancestors were, on average, about 14 times more active than we are today. They didn't have the luxury of hitting the gym; their daily lives were the workout, from hunting for food to surviving the wild.
Strength Comparison: Here's a jaw-dropper: the arms of an average prehistoric woman were about 16% stronger than today's Olympic rowers. It's a powerful reminder of just how soft our modern lives have become.
Processed Food Woes: When we indulge in processed foods, we're naturally loading ourselves with up to 500 extra calories per day. But it's not about blaming the potatoes or veggies – it's the way we process them and how much we chow down.
Is Comfort Really Hurting Us That Much?
Potatoes Aren't Bad For You
Processing and the Dose. Let's get down to the nitty-gritty: the real problem isn't food itself, it's the way it's processed and the monstrous doses we consume. Take potatoes, for example. Boiled or baked without frills, they're not likely to be devoured in excess. But when you deep-fry them or drench them in butter and salt, it's a whole different story.
Snack Attack
Snacking, as we know it today, wasn't even a "thing" 30 years ago. Fast forward to now, and we've got a snack food industry that knows how to keep us coming back for more. They offer value, variety, lightning-fast consumption, and a dash of flavour enhancers that make it incredibly easy to overindulge. Over 50% of us will be obese in 12 years. I know which 50% I want to remain a part of.
Scarcity Mindset
Our brains are wired to harken back to the days when food was a precious commodity, and obtaining it required discomfort and effort. That's why many of us lean on food and comfort as a source of solace. Consider this when you're diving into your next fast food binge or grabbing a snack on the go. Food used to be scarce. We used to have to walk for miles to hunt and forage. Uber eats delivers it to your door with the only muscle being moved your finger...
Embrace Discomfort
"The Comfort Crisis" encourages us to be the 2%. For instance, when you're confronted with the choice between the stairs and the escalator, ask yourself if you could be one of the 2% who chooses the stairs. Can you believe, despite knowing the health benefits, that only 2% of people choose the stairs? This still blows my mind! This is the essence of embracing discomfort, of making the choice that's not necessarily the easiest but has a whole lot of benefits.
People think I'm crazy for getting in the lake. But cold exposure is one incredible tool we can use to raise our adrenaline levels in a way that is hard to achieve in the modern world. It releases endogenous opioids and cannabinoids (yes, they act like their namesakes) that actively change your mental state.
In our cosy, modern lives, it's easy to lose sight of our primal selves. "The Comfort Crisis" reminds us that we can find the balance between the comforts of today and the challenges of yesteryear. It's a call to action that challenges us to break free from the stranglehold of comfort and step out into the world.
The message here is simple: tweak your life just a bit. Do a little more exercise, opt for the stairs, whip up a home-cooked meal, and say no to those tempting snack foods. It's about improving your mental and physical health, one step at a time.
So, take a moment to ponder how the comfort crisis theory fits into your life, and consider the small changes you can make today to boost your well-being. The path to a healthier, happier you is right at your fingertips.
Get Help Making Changes
Our Programmes help you examine each and every aspect of your life and include what you might initially find slightly uncomfortable. Home-cooking your family meals, preparing your own breakfasts and lunches, or heading out for a walk. The thing is... these tiny incremental changes add up. They add up to build you into a totally new human being in the days, weeks and months that follow. Cool eh?
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