
Ask HN: Any health tips? - seymores
What works for you and what don't. Lets hear it.<p>I don't know about you guys but vitamin b complex really helps in my ability to focus and mental acuity.
======
keefe
In my view, we are physical/emotional/intellectual creatures and harmonious
functioning of all three centers leads to exponentially increasing
productivity.

Physically, I treat the body as a machine that runs on macronutrients (fiber,
protein,carbs) and micronutrients. I looked up daily requirements of each
macro and I make sure I get them. Micronutrients come from a vitamin. A
cornerstone of my diet is the protein smoothie - orange juice, brown rice
protein, probiotic yogurt. Muscles are made of protein and they grow by
stressing them until they breakdown then letting them regrow bigger. So, I do
cardio every day and weights alternating upper/lower 5/7 days.

Emotionally, the key for me is minimizing lying and living according to my
principles. I also make sure to take time to take pleasure and relaxation.
This does wonders for my motivation. I also try not to express or fixate on
negative emotions, rather to take them as a signal that change is required and
then let them go by as unnecessary wastes of energy.

Intellectually, I am merciless with myself. I use lists and lots, really a
lot, totally excessive numbers of tests to make sure that I'm not seeing what
I want to see.

That's about my philosophy of living a healthy life.

~~~
mixmax
I'm curios about the tests. Can you expand?

~~~
keefe
nothing particularly interesting really. most of them are in junit. otherwise,
it's simple stuff like marking off when I stick to schedule or violate it,
estimating times and then checking those estimates.

------
lotharbot
Drink enough water. Even _slight_ dehydration causes fatigue, emotional
discomfort, and loss of focus. (There's an easy way to tell if you're
hydrated: your urine will be nearly clear.)

Get enough sleep.

Eat a balanced diet: lots of veggies and fruit, some lean meat and dairy, and
the right amount of carbs to keep your blood sugar consistent without adding
too many empty calories.

Keep your body moving. Sitting in your chair staring at a screen for 8
straight hours is stressful. Get up and take a short walk while you're
thinking through a problem. Pick up a hobby like biking, swimming, or martial
arts.

~~~
seymores
But taking vitamin B complex make my urine bright pretty yellow :-)

------
javanix
Stay away from ALL fast food. Even their "healthy" choices are designed to
maximize profit margins, and there's just something unsavory about decades of
processed food.

I stopped eating fast food about 3 years ago, and I have felt healthier ever
since - I didn't change any other significant part of my diet/living situation
- and I've only gotten sick once or twice, my migraines have decreased despite
the added stress of college, plus I've become a better cook.

------
metamemetics
-Fruit is healthy\quick\convenient\delicious and is always a great standby. Try to eat a little fat with them though (walnuts, almonds, hazelnuts are great) to stabilize the blood sugar impact and absorb any Vitamin A.

-Cook with coconut oil or olive oil

-If you don't like eating your veggies, try them with more garlic. Or add spinach in with whatever you're cooking, it gets a good flavor once heated and even works with pasta.

-Vitamin D supplement is extremely important if you are moderately nocturnal, you also can't absorb any calcium without it (look into this late-night coders)

------
m0nty
I went low-carb three weeks ago and have lost c. 6lbs (edited!) since. I gave
up alcohol a week later (still have the occasional one though). Feeling much
better, sleeping better, more energy, etc. I have always been skeptical of
"fad" diets but this one is working fine for me. "Good Calories, Bad Calories"
by Gary Taubes was the starting point for all this.

~~~
ovi256
That much weight loss (6 Kg) sounds great! Good job. Be careful with loosing
too much too fast, that could leave you with skin folds (excess skin hanging
loose). I seem to remember 1 kg per week is the safe amount. Ask a physician.

~~~
m0nty
Ack! I meant 6lbs, 3Kg!!

My understanding is it tails off after a few weeks, but thank you for the
advice. I think it has something to do with fluid loss in the early stages or
something like that.

~~~
carbocation
Yes. Glycogen is branched, polymerized glucose, and has a strong affinity for
water. When you go low-carb, you reduce your glycogen stores, and thus your
water stores. This type of weight loss is rapid but temporary (insofar as it's
not a reduction in what most people want to lose: fat).

------
tokenadult
Avoid fads. Overdoses of this or that trendy food or supplement are surely a
bad idea. Support healthy eating by daily outdoor exercise. Get more sleep
than you have been getting recently.

~~~
seymores
I think almost everyone I know in the IT industry underestimate how important
it is to get enough sleep.

~~~
wazoox
Until you get older. I recently came to the realisation that I need three days
to overcome the fatigue of a 3 hours night sleep. That means I can't afford a
short night every week, else my productivity will drop dramatically.

------
chipsy
I believe strongly in the power of supplements to structure the rest of diet.
Here is my current supplement structure:

Multivitamin + 6000 IU Vitamin D + Calcium

Omega-3

Whey protein(at approximately the bodybuilder-style "one gram per pound
bodyweight" level)

For meals I mostly eat in a low-carb/paleo fashion - because I find the fatty
foods easier to digest, overall. Protein, fat, fiber, are what I look for(and
quality fats too, a lot of the cheap vegetable oils seem shady and give me bad
reactions). Adding the whey protein really helped because it nullified a lot
of the cravings that would make me break the meal plan. Discovery: if you eat
like a bodybuilder, even without training you're going to start looking sort
of like one.

The other supplements are general health measures to help my mood, alertness
and immune system. My GF, who has not yet bought into clean eating, recently
got the same bug as I did at about the same time. I barely realized it was
there and was over it in three days. She was taken down for about a week with
some vicious "can't-do-a-thing" days in the middle. I've only been with her a
short while, so I hope I can encourage her.

------
CytokineStorm
Why rely on HN's anecdotal advice when you can use scientific evidence?

[http://www.informationisbeautiful.net/play/snake-oil-
supplem...](http://www.informationisbeautiful.net/play/snake-oil-supplements/)

------
johnswamps
A cup of tea and 5-15 minutes of meditation always helps to start my day.

------
awolf
Daily exercise (biking, running, or swimming) has greatly increased my overall
coding productivity. I'm able to work longer hours with a higher level of
focus.

------
scorpioxy
Just one, exercise.

I try to exercise at least 3 times a week, I do some cardio and then exercise
with weights. After a month or so, your food intake will likely change and
you'll start to realize what you need in terms of nutrition. Your body will
also become stronger and you will sleep much better and the exercise itself is
great for stress relief.

As far as supplements, I don't like them. Even the case of taking multi-
vitamins is getting mixed reviews from physicians.(I take a vitamin D
supplement on Dr's orders)

------
DougWebb
I had a bad cholesterol profile: low HDL and high LDL and triglycerides. I
really didn't want to take any statins because of the dangerous side-effects,
so my doctor prescribed niacin instead: Niaspan. I had taken over-the-counter
niacin before with no results, but the Niaspan gave me the niacin flush that
first night, and after a few months my LDL, triglycerides, and total
cholesterol were all in well inside the healthy range, and my HDL was just
below the healthy range. I just had my six-month followup blood tests, but I
haven't gotten the results yet. I'm expecting to be in pretty good shape.

I've taken between 1000mg and 3000mg per night, adjusting based on my body's
response. At first the flush happened within an hour of taking the pills, then
it either stopped or it was happening while I slept. I ramped up the dosage as
the flush effect weakened and I stayed at 3000mg for a while, but now that's
too much. It seems like my body only needs 2000mg now for the full effect, but
I don't flush until about six hours after I take the pills. Based on my blood
test results, I may ramp up again to get the flush faster or back off to
reduce it.

The flush itself lasts about an hour. It's not comfortable, but it's not bad
either. You get hot, red, and kind of itchy. I understand that it's part of
the healthy effect of the niacin: expanding your blood vessels and washing out
toxins through your skin (which causes the itching).

If you want to try this, you need to get the prescription stuff. The OTC
niacin is definitely not the same, at least not here in the US where vitamins
are unregulated food products that generally don't contain what they claim to
contain.

~~~
carbocation
Niacin has toxicities, just like statins. Except for niacin's flush (which is
not indicative of any harm, but can be quite uncomfortable), I think the
absolute risk of dangerous toxicity for both statins and niacin is very low.
Taking both, in supervised fashion, is reasonable.

As an aside, I agree with you re: getting prescription niacin. If you do go
with the over-the-counter stuff, make sure it is _not_ "no-flush". The
evidence is not consistent with the notion that no-flush niacin has any lipid-
modifying effect.

~~~
DougWebb
Any drug can cause problems, and you should always inform yourself before you
take them. The niaspan information is here:
<http://www.rxabbott.com/pdf/niaspan.pdf>

From what I've read, it's tough to overdose on niacin, especially the
sustained-release forms. There are also apparently no deaths or long-term
harmful results from overdoses either. However, they warn against using
niaspan if you've already got liver or kidney problems or if you're taking
statins too. I also read a warning that ER doctors can misinterpret the
symptoms of a niacin overdose as an allergic reaction and give a treatment
which does a lot more harm than the niacin would on its own.

I don't have any handy references about statins, but I've read that the side-
effects are both more common and more dangerous; so much so that it's
questionable whether or not they should be allowed on the market at all.
They're also less effective than niaspan, I believe. The anecdotal evidence I
have is that my mom was taking a statin for a while. It improved her
cholesterol, but she also developed the bad heel pains that supposedly
indicate a dangerous side-effect from the statin is occuring. When she stopped
the statin, her heel pain went away. Since then her cholesterol hasn't been
bad (though it did get somewhat worse after stopping the statin) but if it
gets bad again I'm going to insist she try the niaspan instead.

For what it's worth, I don't work for the company that makes Niaspan. I'm just
a very satisfied customer.

~~~
carbocation
Sustained-release niacin is well known to cause hepatic toxicity. This is
reported both in the label that you reference, and in the primary literature.
These problems do not occur with immediate-release preparations - only with
sustained release (such as Niaspan). So that is worth being aware of.

Statins are among the safest drugs ever used - so much so that most medical
people talk about trying to give them to more, not fewer, people. Like niacin,
statins can lead to insulin resistance. Statins don't appear to increase
cancer risk, which was in question for awhile. There is some literature
supporting the notion that reduced LDL may lead to increased cancer, but this
is not dependent on the mechanism of cancer, and this conclusion is not yet
supported by enough data to make it a concern for anyone. Heart disease is
what will kill most Americans, so this is still the primary concern.

------
fizx
Quit drinking soda.

------
theycallmemorty
Go to bed and get up at the same time every day.

Don't do anything in your bedroom except sleep and sex.

------
watmough
Take a fish oil supplement and a multivitamin.

Eat as little as you can get away with allowing you to control your weight (up
or down!), and do everything you can to reduce your stress levels.

------
chett
Over the last 6 months I've lost a little over 20 lbs by eating healthier and
exercising.

I tracked what I ate with an iPhone app and joined the gym. Tracking food
intake was tedious but helped me unlearn bad eating habits. I've gone from
panting after 5 minutes on the treadmill to running 4 miles in about 35
minutes. I feel like I've found a sustainable, enjoyable pastime that will
keep me in good health for years to come. Support from my wife was crucial
too.

------
bpourriahi
I have read no books on Vitamin D and only a couple asthma-related articles on
its benefits. My lungs were in severe pain and I had been looking for anything
that could help, so I tried it. WOW. HUGE difference. Turns out D is extremely
important and being deficient can impair and damage many things. It has helped
with focus, agility, and I feel MUCH better. It has really help with my
depression and lack of focus, which were very serious issues (I was unable to
work.. seriously).

Try it for yourself and judge. Not the puny 400IU a day. Take 10,000IU a day
for a week (it's not toxic) and see if you feel better.

I have hypothyroid and this perpetuates D deficiency.. I desperately needed
it. But most people need more Vitamin D, and its effects are widespread and
largely unknown. You can do your own research, but please don't tell me its
toxic because of the FDA. Try for yourself and pay attention to your body.
Just know 400IU is worthless.

------
juliend2
(organic) vitamin D helped me this winter because there is less sun during
these months (in Canada).

I also sit a lot less in front of my computer since i've read
[http://www.businessweek.com/print/magazine/content/10_19/b41...](http://www.businessweek.com/print/magazine/content/10_19/b4177071221162.htm)
(thanks HN for this) .

------
msluyter
Adopt a program of RSI prevention, whether you have it or not.

------
lena
Don't forget your teeth. Dental health is correlated with general health, and
some dental problems are not reversible (I have severe erosion because I used
to drink soft drinks all day).

Apart from diligent tooth brushing (give the inside of your teeth as much time
as the outside, and brush at least 2 minutes) eating habits are very important
for dental health as well.

\- Limit the amount of times you eat (it is better to eat 6 candies in one
sitting than it is to eat 4 pieces of candy during the day) \- Don't drink
soda, but realise that for your teeth apple and other fruit juices are just as
bad, so severely limit them as well. \- Don't brush your teeth immidiately
after eating. \- Eat xylitol mints or chew xylitol gum after meals

------
Artifex
Avoid all wheat, oats and soy products for a week. See how you feel.

Turned out I had a gluten sensitivity for the longest time, and I felt loads
better going off all gluten.

Soy also acts as a phytoestrogen in the male body - could potentially be
counteracting testosterone production.

------
krmmalik
Someone taught me a philosophy "Eat Well, Move Well, Think Well", which i am
trying to implement in my life right now.

Eat Well - Other than the obvious, this also related to your environment, in
terms of the quality of the water you drink, the detergents you use and their
harmful effects etc

Move Well - Its not just about plenty of exercise, but more about the right
kind of exercise. Anything that stimulates the correct response from your
spine which feeds back to the brain

Think Well - Having a positive, can do attitude as well as performing
visualization exercises of yourself in a healthy state, since the mind cannot
differentiate between reality and imagery in the brain.

------
gcv
Plenty of exercise. Try hundredpushups.com for a nice, easy-to-start program.

~~~
wazoox
Be careful that pushups can get hard. I had shoulder pains after doing more
than 50 pushups a day for a few weeks (down to 30 now).

Vary exercise, and particularly do aerobic exercise, walking, biking, running,
swimming, skipping rope... The best is to do some exercise every day.

~~~
freshfey
Your shoulder pain is not the result of the pushup program, but more the
result of bad form, disbalances in your body (one muscle group is stronger and
has to support the other one -> more tension on the weak) or other health
issues.

~~~
wazoox
Oh yes it is. I had ankle and knee pain running more than 40 km a week, too.
I'm simply getting too old for more than 2 hours of intense sport a day, I had
to get back to 60 to 90 minutes.

------
tjstankus
Pay attention to macronutrients (carbohydrates/protein/fat) and eat them in
proportion to each other. You'll need to do some reading and a bit of
experimentation to find what fits your needs best. Getting the right balance
of macronutrients will postively affect your mental acuity. That and exercise.
If you're getting enough exercise, it's much easier to get good sleep. Once
these big picture things are in place, _then_ worry about micronutrients
(vitamins).

------
johnmw
My uncle lived to 106 and until he was about 102 he had more energy than me.
Apart from his good genes (alas, he was an uncle in law), I think his two main
secrets were:

1\. He loved life. Really loved it. He kept active, doing the things he loved
until he died. 2\. He seemed to live pretty much stress free.

------
sev
* Stay far away from microwaves

* Don't drink soda

* No fast food

* Have fruits and veggies daily

* Lots of water

* Exercise daily

* Stretch daily

* Meditate/Yoga

~~~
wesley
Is the microwave myth still going strong here?

------
hga
If you have problems with insomnia or even a tiny bit of seasonal depression:
[http://www.amazon.com/Philips-goLITE-BLU-Therapy-
Device/dp/B...](http://www.amazon.com/Philips-goLITE-BLU-Therapy-
Device/dp/B001I45XL8/)

------
whimsy
Wasn't there a blog post by someone within the last few weeks re: some sort of
"hacker workout schedule" involving x pushups, y crunches and z something
else?

That looked intriguing to me, but I forget where it was.

------
michael_dorfman
Following health tips you found on internet discussion sites (even ones as
interesting as HN) is a bit like chewing gum you found on the sidewalk.

Seriously: "What works for you and what doesn't"? Science.

------
wallflower
A foam roller. Awesome for relaxation.

[http://www.livestrong.com/article/24888-using-foam-roller-
ba...](http://www.livestrong.com/article/24888-using-foam-roller-back-pain/)

------
scorxn
Despite the ad-peppering, <http://www.simplefit.org/> has some good info and a
very manageable workout/nutrition schedule.

------
protomyth
I was told to take vitamin b complex by a doctor because my finger tips were
going numb (I thought it was something worse). I don't think it helped my
focus.

------
praptak
As a medicine doctor and a former president of USA I advice you not to seek
health advice from anonymous guys on the internet. Btw, yerba mate kicks ass.

------
mbenjaminsmith
Get enough sleep; eat fresh / organic meats, veggies, fruits; exercise
(training for amateur competition is good); try to stay as positive as
possible.

------
jacoblyles
Don't eat such large portions, and cut back on the caffeine. Both of these
things help me stay mentally sharp.

------
spython
Give up smoking. Really.

------
zackola
don't drink soda. eat more vegetables, eat less meat.

------
wendroid
Get to bed by midnight & get up when you wake (no alarm clock).

Only eat wholemeal wheat.

Eat plenty of greens - broccoli, kale, savoy cabbage (high iron stuff)

Eat an apple on your way to the office.

Coffee only before mid-day

------
edkennedy
Welcome to BODYBREAK, with Hal Johnson and Joanne McCloud.

Greens+ extra energy eliminates the need for mid afternoon naps, and as a side
benefit you may not need to drink coffee anymore! Piracetam/Aniracetam has
personally proven effective for focus, memory and mental acuity. ZMA can
increase the quality of sleep as well as assist muscle growth and testosterone
production. Exercise improves mood and many other health factors. We recommend
trying this workout: <http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/timothyf.htm> Tim Ferris
also has a diet designed for losing weight:
[http://www.fourhourworkweek.com/blog/2007/04/06/how-to-
lose-...](http://www.fourhourworkweek.com/blog/2007/04/06/how-to-lose-20-lbs-
of-fat-in-30-days-without-doing-any-exercise/)

SEX. Lots of it. reduce your stress and practice good fitness emotionally and
physically. I read something interesting this morning that stress can cause
increases in abdominal fat, which is the worst type of fat in terms of it's
long term health detriment.
<http://stress.about.com/od/stresshealth/a/cortisol.htm>

Have a healthy attitude, stay positive, and remember KEEP FIT AND HAVE FUN!!!

~~~
edkennedy
I guess this message would of been better conveyed in video format.

~~~
whimsy
It would have been better if it didn't read like an infomercial.

~~~
edkennedy
Sometimes I forget everyone is not Canadian. Bodybreak was a series of
educational ads on Canadian TV in the 80's. For ex: Here's an exercise you can
do sitting down.
[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t1p6K0xGKd0&feature=relat...](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t1p6K0xGKd0&feature=related)

