My Intermittent Life

In the beginning of July I followed the Intermittent Living coaching week. This week we learned – from the PNI-master Leo Pruimboom himself - how to implement cPNI-triggers to protect against the damaging effects of modern life and subsequent chronic diseases.

cPNI-triggers, que? I hear you thinking😉. Let me explain myself a bit better.

Over the course of our million(s)-years-evolutionary-journey, we – and especially lineage of Homosapiens-grand-grand-grandparents - have gone through a lot. We were exposed to intermittent oxygen deficiency, periods of food and water deficiency, intermittent cold and heat, an proper infection once and a while and even some small wounds every now and then. But what didn’t kill us made us stronger: our system is super innovative and (over millions of years) has built-in mechanisms to not only survive these challenges, but it even made them vital. A good example is exercise, although we are initially damaging our muscles, this little damage activates our body’s ‘survival mechanisms’, self-healing capacity is promoted and we come out stronger. Physical activity now is an essential and vital component of everyday life because of our evolutionary origins.

Thinking this over, isn’t our body just genius, being able to turn challenges into its own medicine? It apparently knew even earlier than Gloria Steinem that 'the art of life is not controlling what happen to us, but using what happened to us'. Anyway, back from feminism to evolutionary medicine.

As our body is a whole, so this principle does not only go for exercise, but for any of the challenges we have gone through during evolution and mentioned before. And it is not only a medicine, because the absense of the above challenges cause disease because for every protective system in our body counts on of the pillars of cPNI: if we don’t use it, we lose it. When we do not move, our muscles (and all related other health-functions, which are multiple!) disappear. And so do all the other survival mechanisms.

But let’s look at the (wine)glass halffull , polyphenols in red wine are very healthy after all as well as the laughter accompanying it;), and focus on what we can do and together take the little steps towards great health. After all, a positive mindset is an important part of the health-solution and the smallest steps have the biggest impact.

Besides promoting general health, it is scientifically proven as well that cPNI-triggers combined in a tailored way, can help in a wide variety of specific chronic diseases. Depression (myself being the ultimate proof!), obesity, Multiple Sclerosis, Alzheimer and Cardiovascular diseases, are only a few of the many other examples where Intermittent Living has shown to have positive impact.

As Intermittent Coach one has to practice what you preach, so yesterday I put on my happy socks, walking shoes, and with a smile at my face I started a long mountain walk (on an empty stomach – intermittent fasting!), took a very cold bath in one of the lovely streams (cold-therapy!) did some breathing exercises belonging to this specific protocol and mindfulness exercises (amongst which mindfull walking). After coming up from the easier part of the mountain, I stumbled accross two amazing people in their 80ies walking up the ultra steep part (in quite a pace) carrying all kind of working materials: talking about Intermittent Living examples.

After finishing I had a lovely, satisfying meal in good company. My blood glucose, blood pressure and ketone levels showed a happy body, but (for me much more important) I had new creative ideas, felt full of positive energy (while having had a challenging week) and at night I slept like a baby. What else could we wish for?

Intermittent Living does not only work into ‘obvious’ measures like metabolic flexibility (the ability of the body using besides glucose also fat as a source) but also results in ‘less obvious’ benefits like increase in (mental and physical) resilience and decision-making capability and when done together: stronger teams. This suggests not only benefits for the individual, but Intermittent Living having high potential for businesses and their people as well.

Are you ready implementing Intermittent Living into your life or business or would you like to learn what cPNI can do for your health or in your health-journey? Feel free to contact me if you need any support.

PS: In my Yoga and Sport classes online I apply Intermittent Living triggers and advice in the best way possible as well to support your health and Intermittent Living journey. Feel free joining and hope to see you online (for example tonight!).