We dusted the history books off for these ancient health and fitness secrets. There's thousands of years of wisdom here to master and keep you busy for well over a lifetime. Enjoy!

*secrets categorized by the most probable region and/or culture of origin.  

- Exercise your entire body: they lifted weights, raced horses and hares, bent or straightened metal bars, pulled ploughs or carts, lifted bulls and wrestled lions, or swam in the sea

- Stay active throughout your entire life or else you'll get sick easier and die sooner

- Eat more protein and whole foods, their diet was rich with natural, with whole grain bread and lots of meat from oxen, bulls, goats and deer

- Do a whole bunch of different exercises and learn new things and abilities

- Detox by sweating

- Hot and cold therapy

- Sunbathe 

- Train smart, not hard. Training was a total discipline, combining elements of biology, physiology, ergometry and sports medicine

- Don't fit your workouts into your lunch hour, make it apart of your entire day

- Remedy nutritional imbalances by eating a variety of different foods

- Drink fermented foodstuffs, including wine

- Eat local food, and right off the trees

- It's healthy to find a balance between work, rest, and play

- Self-control as a major factor in total health and wellbeing

- A man is only as healthy as his soil, water, way of life

- Do a variety of BOTH pleasurable and unpleasure activities

- Treat the person first, the disease second

- Combine aerobic and anaerobic exercise for peak health and fitness

- Chronic stress and worry weakens the mind and body, relax

- High carb diets increase fat gain and lower fitness

- Don't eat too much sugar, even natural sugar from fruits

- Ear more foods and fruits seen to decrease inflammation (things with more anti-oxidants) 

- Sit on the floor cross-legged when you eat to boost digestion

- Slow cook foods in all-natural cookware for optimal nutrition and flavor

- Eat meals at least 2-3 hours before bedtime

- Yoga for mental health, wellness, and fitness

-  Go for a short walk after each meal

- Relax for 10 minutes in the morning before getting busy 

- Hydrate with a glass or two of water in the morning

- Proper sleep cures more than half of all disease

- Anything consumed in excess, just because it tastes good, is not good for health 

- Eat when you are hungry

- Chew your food like a goat, very well

- Eat healthy fats

- Aroma therapy and natural herbs for health, hyenine and performance

- Meditate

- Eating with your hands helps you lose weight 

- Get a massage 

- Mud and mineral baths

- Eat fresh vegetables and clean your teeth after each meal

- Think before you act

- Don't overtrain

- Social support and friends for longevity and health

- Eat bitter foods in place of sweets for weight loss and digestion 

- Drink herbal tea for malaise and energy 

- Use pressure points and mindful movements to support healing 

- Mobility and coordination are more important than strength

- Peak environmental health it key for peak human health, a strong relationship between people and their surroundings

- Prescribed medicines should only be used to decrease symptoms, not treat or cure a disease

- Unhealthy urges to self-medicate steam from underlying energy and health imbalances, or Qi

- Use heat and drink herbals teas to increase blood flow, energy, and vitality 

- Embrace being uncomfortable for rapid health gains (caldron lifting anyone?)

- Get a massage for muscle health

- Practice various breathing techniques for improved mental health and fitness, including breath holding

- Eat three or two meal per day 

- Avoid snacking for proper digestion and "body-rhythm"

- Use music and various sounds to promote wellness and mental health

- Having anger is like injecting poison inside your body 

- Live simply and desire little: Let go of fame and profit. Limit sights and sounds. Moderate material goods and wealth. Lessen smells and tastes. Eliminate lies and falsehood. Avoid jealousy and envy.

- If you have a disease, most of the time, it's your own fault

- Every part of the body should be "exercised", not just the muscles and brain 

- Nature provides everything needed for helping and healing the human body. 

- Dance improves the mind, body, and soul 

- Eat the entire animal 

- Eat seasonally, rely least on grown crops, hunt for meat and gather fresh fruits and vegetables

- Move slowly most of the time and "exercise" very vigorously for short bits 

- Healthy emotions are at the foundation for peak health and wellness

- Health is more than just your body, it extends out into the entire community and world around you

- Go around barefoot 

- Live more outside 

- Intermittent fasting (16 hour window of no eating allowed)

- Squat for #2 and better GI health, don't do it like you're sitting on a chair 

- Go to bed when there is no light and it's cold, and wake up when there is light and warmth

- You gotta move! About 2 hours everyday, and at least 2 minutes every hour

- Don't sip water to hydrate. Drink a glass or two at one time

- High-fat sources from wild game should be prized for their health and energy benefits

- Approach health like a detective, devise a logical approach/system of care and adapt it based off the results

- Drink coffee and eat chocolate for brain health, longevity, and focus

- Sustainably farm and harvest your own food, always regenerate the earth

- Use sports as a way of training the body and mind for stresses and demands of war and life

- Life is always centered around a healthy relationship with and taking care of nature

- Tell stores as not just a way of entertainment, but as a way of life

- Art and music is a spiritual activity that allows people to unite and reach a high version of themselves

- Life is but a dream and everything is connected

- The importance of believing you will heal vs. hoping you will heal

-Respect nature more than yourself 

- Spend more time with family

- Hydrate when sweaty and exhausted with coconut water (electrolytes and carbs)

- Visualization and metal preparation improves performance

- Build endurance and increase vigor by battling the forces of nature

- To become a master at something, you must study the craft as much or more as you practice it

- Sitting in a chair all day is deadly. It's better to rest in various "seated" positions padded or unpadded on the floor

- Don't wear heavy clothes everywhere all the time, it's a okay to be a little cold so that you naturally acclimate to the climate over time

- Moving more frequently and at an easy pace helps you lose weight better than not doing anything all day then working out really hard

- Seek joy and purpose instead of just "punching the clock"

- Eat until you are about 80% full

- Compete against others in games or "rituals" for self improvement

- Use clay for skin health 

- Value hospitality and strong relationships 

- Leave a minimal impact on the earth

- Try group healing ceremonies with lots of music and dancing

- Only take what you need from the earth

- Natural remedies and herbs are usually the best solution

- Raw milk improves immunity and lessens allergic responses

- Solving problems and "earning you keep" is essential for a healthy mind and life satisfaction

- Eat more salmon and fish 

- Take forest baths 

- Swim in cold water for greater resiliency in the winter

- Take comfort in the simple things, like a good book by a warm fire

- Practice Sisu, the art of perseverance

- The best six doctors anywhere, and no one can deny it, are sunshine, water, rest and air; exercise and diet

-Take a siesta

- Sophrology: combines eastern and western influences, meditation, breathing techniques, gentle movement, positive psychology and visualisation to give a sense of being calm and in control

- Uitwaaien: Spend time in wild, windy weather

- Fika: Prioritize social interactions over work

- Kur: It's more important to take care of yourself and take long breaks than work endless hours

- Contrast hot-cold therapy

-Milk and honey is both good for your gut and skin