1. Processed Food (Inflammation)

When arthritis brought my whole life to a dead halt this spring, I decided to try a plant-based diet. The results were ridiculous. In about a month, I went from barely being able to walk to running a 60-second 400m (in barefoot shoes) and regularly crushing 20-minute 5Ks like they were casual jogs.

I’m now 5'11" and 145 pounds, which would have felt wimpy to my 170-pound self, but accepting my body the way it is feels amazing.

Here’s the best part—fruits, veggies, and legumes are so low-fat, you can literally stuff your face all day long and not gain a single pound. If you keep lots of vegan munchies on hand, it’s easy to resist junk food.

Plus, plants are much cheaper than meat!

Breakfast: steel-cut oats and half a banana (instead of cereal)

Lunch: freeze canning jars of legumes/veggies (instead of takeout)

Snacks: nuts and seeds (instead of chips and candy)

Dinner: veggie stirfry, sweet potato stew, etc (instead of meat)

Dessert: fresh fruit (instead of cookies and pastries)

Rules: mostly plants, not too much, and organic (when possible)

Further Reading: How Not to Die by Dr. Michael Greger

2. Working Out (Injuries)

Planet Fitness closed about two weeks after the Coronavirus pandemic started ramping up, which left me without a gym for the first time in ten years. Initially, I tried using free weights, but the pain that had been developing in my knees and hips just got worse.

I could barely walk and I started to question whether I would ever be able to run again. As a last-ditch effort, I bought a book on bodyweight exercise. I didn’t care for it, but the general idea was interesting.

After some experimenting, I finally stopped taking other people’s work out advice and stuck to natural balancing/flexing moves. That, plus switching to a vegan diet made my whole body leaner, meaner, and pain-free.

It’s also more fun and less hassle, overall.

Gyms: cancel your membership, you don’t need it

Weights: throw them out and just use your body

Advice: ignore fitness advice and do what feels natural

Flexing: tense your muscles, aim to feel a “burn” (not pain)

Balancing: do exercises on one leg to recruit more muscle groups

Bending: avoid full extension, as it can stress your joints

Cardio: running and hiking are better than static lifting

Freedom: bodyweight exercises can be done whenever, wherever

DIY: use benches, walls, and tree limbs to work different angles

3. Medication (Allergies & Baldness)

I started taking Zyrtec in middle school to treat my pollen and dust allergies. It became so automatic that I took it every day for fifteen years. After going plant-based, I decided to go medication-free.

I thought my allergies would go nuts, but there was almost no difference. I also felt less drowsy and more focused during the day.

The same is true for my other meds. Propecia made me depressed instead of stopping my hair loss. Nasal sprays gave me nosebleeds. Inhalers reduced my lung capacity. In every case, the side-effects of modern science were worse than the symptoms I was trying to alleviate.

Allergies: wash/vacuum frequently and eat a vegan diet (inflammation)

Hair Loss: just shave your head and grow a beard

Mental Health: minimalism, outdoor exercise, avoid TV and news

Sleep: buy a hands-free book stand and read for 1–2 hours before bed

Everything Else: some or all of the above

Further Reading: Lost Connections by Johann Hari

4. Cushioned Shoes (Plantar Fasciitis)

In 2017, I got a part-time job at a local running store. With the employee discount, I was able to score some of the best shoes in the world—from high-cushion Hokas to “zero-drop” Altras.

The problem was, no matter how many brands I tried, I kept getting injured. Calf strain. Plantar fasciitis. Joint pain. Shin splints. Plus, the shoes would wear out in under three hundred miles (not bad at a 50% discount, but expensive for regular customers).

Finally, I ordered a pair of Vibram FiveFingers (minimalist toe shoes). After switching to a “midfoot stride” and training nearly barefoot for three months, my injuries disappeared. I haven’t had a single twinge for TWO YEARS, which is virtually unheard of in the running community.

Bonus…at 2,000 miles, my Vivos and Vibrams both feel brand new.

Cushion: throw your cushioned running shoes in the garbage

Barefoot: practice running barefoot around a local turf or grass field

Stride: use a midfoot stride (it’s impossible to heel-strike barefoot)

Footwear: buy Vibram FiveFingers or VivoBarefoot (if you don’t like toes)

Orthotics: inserts are a scam (your arches do not need support)

Trails: trails are softer, more varied, and easier on your body

Miles: gradually increase your distance with barefoot shoes

Racing: put your body and health before your training goals

Further Reading: Born to Run by Christopher McDougall

Conclusion: The Caveman Rule

There’s been so much hijacking of the word “natural” in the past decade that it’s hard to even tell what’s natural anymore. Amazon and Google are rife with brands that claim to be organic (or minimal or harmless) but turn out to be poisonous garbage.

My favorite trick for deciding what’s natural is “the caveman rule.” When you’re unsure about a product or you have a bad feeling, ask yourself…

How ridiculous would a caveman look doing this thing?

I can picture a caveman eating plants, running, washing their face, and wearing minimalist shoes or sandals. But when I try to picture a caveman eating at McDonald's, bench pressing two hundred pounds, using a nasal spray, or strapping $200 cushioned Nikes on their feet…

I just can’t, it’s too fucking ridiculous. (: