35 Ways to Rewild Now
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Last week we posted an example of an extreme rewild that included buying rural land and moving across the country to live out of a tent and shipping container. However, it’s worth mentioning that anyone can rewild their life, anytime, anywhere, and for no cost. Often, it’s not what we add that improves our quality of life, but what we take away. If you know someone short on time or money and would benefit from the inclusion of some healthy habits, please share this post with them. If you’re someone that’s already fairly dialed in with your habits, I’ll wager there’s something below you’re missing, or perhaps, forgot about.
Stats For the Average American
Spends 7 hours and 4 minutes looking at a screen each day (1).
Is sedentary for 9.5 hours each day or seated for 51 hours and 44 minutes during a typical week (2).
Spends 90 percent of their time in climate-controlled spaces indoors (3).
More than 60 percent of their caloric intake comes from ultra-processed food (4).
133 million Americans – nearly half the population – suffer from at least one chronic illness, such as hypertension, heart disease, and arthritis (5).
Moving Forward
These statistics are only getting worse as people further distance themselves from how humans lived for thousands of years. The suggestions below shouldn’t cost any money and, in many cases, will save you money; especially when you consider the cost of living with a chronic disease or depression. You will also notice I’m not telling you to forsake modern life but to instead build in a few habits that safeguard your mind and body.
Start Now
Cancel Cable.
Sell or throw away video game consoles.
Turn off alerts from apps.
Delete social media from your phone and regain your lost time.
Use breaks during work to go for walks or climb stairs.
Park further away in parking lots.
Take the stairs.
Stand while doing office work or taking calls.
Alternate between the couch and stretching on the floor during movies.
Wouldn’t it be great if everyone lined up for the stairs, instead of the escalator?
3. Eat like a human.
Remove ultra-processed foods, seed oils, and processed sugar from your diet.
Eat meat, organs, eggs, dairy, fruits & vegetables.
Stop eating fast food.
Eat at restaurants less. (Almost all restaurants cook with seed oils)
Reduce alcohol to 1-2 drinks, 1-2 times a week, or quit altogether.
‘Let thy food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food’ - Hippocrates (400 BC).
4. Reconnect with nature at least once a day.
Put your phone on airplane mode and just enjoy the sun on your face.
Touch the leaves of trees and shrubs when you walk by.
If you live in a city, find the closest park, and go there.
If you have access to a wooded area, walk in it.
Walk barefoot in grass.
Head over to all trails and find the closest trail to you.
5. Sleep Better.
No caffeine 8 hours before bed.
Avoid bright lights and screens 1-2 hours before bed.
Make your bedroom pitch black.
Put your phone on do not disturb and place it away from your bed.
Find a way to stay cool. Open a window, lower the thermostat, turn a fan on.
Dim lights, candles and a book is one great way to wind down before bed. What’s your bedtime routine?
6. Remove chemicals from your environment.
Swap chemical cleaning products for natural ones.
Don’t heat food in plastic containers or cups.
Use hygiene products derived from natural ingredients, such as Dr. Bronner’s.
Don’t drink unfiltered tap water.
Remove air fresheners and scented candles from your home.
Switch to all natural cleaning and beauty products (they are becoming widely available), or save money and make your own.
7. Experience discomfort
Take a cold shower for 15-60 seconds.
Shovel snow in your T-shirt.
Go for walks when it’s hot, humid, or raining.
Turn everything into a workout. Carrying groceries, kids, etc.
Try fasting for 8-24 hours.
Try finishing your hot shower with cold water and embrace the discomfort. Don’t do this before bed because it will energize you.
The Time is Now
Delete the apps on your phone and turn off notifications.
Raid your cupboards and throw away junk food.
Throw away all the products around your home filled with chemicals.
Sell the coffee table in front of the couch, so you have somewhere to stretch.
Print this list out and stick it on your fridge, take a screenshot, and do whatever it takes to start implementing these habits.
You have the power to change your life. Don’t believe that you need an excess of time or money to start improving your position. Nothing listed above seems very important on its own, but when you start combining habits their effects are multiplied and the results speak for themselves.
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