1. Lessen screen time before bed

2. Chew more before swallowing

3. Lessen exposure to Wi-Fi

4. Drink filtered water

5. Improve your diet

  5.1. Improve your diet – Reduce gluten

  5.2. Improve your diet – Reduce lactose, casein

  5.3. Improve your diet – Reduce seafood

6. Regularly do sports and exercise

7. Practice meditation

8. Practice vagus stimulation: 4-7-8 breathing technique

9. Avoid intoxicants (smoking, alcohol, drugs, etc.)

10. Maintain a regular sleep schedule

11. Take cold showers

12. Get enough high-quality social interaction

13. Practice Thymus Tapping

14. Get an Air Filtration Device for Your Home and Work Space

1. Lessen screen time before bed

Using your cell phone before bed or as you are falling asleep is bad for you and can disrupt sleep in several different ways.

Firstly, the blue light emitted by a cell phone suppresses the natural production of melatonin. A lack of melatonin secretion makes it difficult to fall sleep and affects the timing and quality of sleep cycles. Research has shown that melatonin can also help regulate menstrual cycles and helps to protect against neurodegeneration that occur naturally as we age.

Secondly, the stimulating or stressful content of our phone activity (social media usage, reading the news, browsing internet forums, etc.) keeps the brain alert and aroused, thereby delaying sleep and reducing the overall amount of it that you can fit in to a given schedule. According to a study done by Harvard University (which can be viewed at https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.1418490112), study participants who used an E-reader before bed took an average of ten minutes longer to fall asleep versus those who were reading a normal print book. Whilst this may not seem like an extraordinarily high number at first, this will lead to less REM sleep over multiple nights, a stage of sleep critical in solidification of memories and directly correlated to creative and problem-solving ability.

Thirdly, the effects of electronic screen usage continue into the next morning. The same Harvard study cited above shows that participants who used an E-reader before bed reportedly took hours longer the next day to feel as though that had fully “woken up” compared to those that read print books instead.

Some other tips regarding a healthy sleep schedule include: establishing a relaxing bedtime routine and dimming your room lights in the hours before you fall asleep.

2. Chew more before swallowing

Yes, a seemingly simple tip such as this can lead to better health outcomes for you. Chewing your food thoroughly allows you to absorb more nutrients and energy from your food.

When chewing, we break it down into smaller pieces and increase its surface area, not only making it easier for our digestive systems to process, but also making it easier for our bodies to absorb the maximum amount of nutrients from the food. Further aiding in the digestion and nutrient absorption process, chewing stimulates our stomachs to release gastric acid.

As strange as it may sound at first, chewing can also help us to regulate our weight and dental health. Chewing sends signals to our brain which trigger the release of hormones that regulate appetite and satiety. When we chew enough, we are quite literally giving our brains enough time to regulate and prevent us from overeating. Regarding dental health, when we chew, we release saliva, which allows us to wash away food particles and bacteria from our teeth and gums. Saliva also contains minerals that help strengthen our tooth enamel and prevent cavities. The mouth exercise we get from chewing also helps to strengthen our jaw muscles and bones, which aid in the prevention of tooth loss and jaw problems.

Another benefit of chewing thoroughly is that we reduce the risks associated with swallowing large chunks of food, such as aspiration, choking and indigestion. In addition, we help prevent infections, gastric inflammation, bloating, gas, acid reflux, and constipation.

Finally, chewing also enhances our enjoyment of food! When we chew food, we release the flavours and aromas of our food, enhancing our satisfaction and taste experience.

3. Lessen exposure to Wi-Fi

While studies done on the effects of Wi-Fi, mobile data and Bluetooth on the human body have not been fully conclusive yet, there is certainly reason to believe that these may have a negative effect on our bodies. All three of these emit electromagnetic radiation, which can damage DNA and cause cancer. Other effects of prolonged exposure to electromagnetic radiation include infertility, cognitive impairment, and oxidative stress. It is important to note here that the closer one is to a source of radiation, the stronger and more detrimental the effect of that radiation will be to the body of the individual.

Furthermore, electromagnetic radiation may interfere with our sleep quality, interrupting our circadian rhythm which regulates our sleep-wake cycle. This can lead to fatigue, insomnia, depression, and other associated problems such as a lack of concentration throughout the day. It is important to note that children are especially at risk, as they are more vulnerable to the effects of electromagnetic radiation, since their bodies and brains are still developing.

Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and mobile data are obviously prevalent in modern society, and completely shielding ourselves from it all the time is not feasible. Thus, we can limit our exposure to them by:

•            Turning off the home Wi-Fi router – especially during the night – and only using LAN cables. There are adaptors that can be used for devices that do not normally connect via LAN, such as LAN-to-USB adaptors for use with our mobile devices.

•            Trying to keep a safe distance from Wi-Fi routers and other wireless devices.

•            Using protective devices or materials that can shield from, or reduce the radiation emitted from Wi-Fi.

•            Reducing the time we spend online and on our mobile devices when not connected to the internet via LAN cable.

•            Avoid keeping your mobile data on during the day, especially considering that by doing so you’re keeping a source of constant radiation pressed right up to your body for hours at a time!

•            Avoid using wireless devices, apart from your cell phone, especially if they are also typically pressed to your body. Bluetooth headphones are a prime example of this, where the device constantly emits electromagnetic waves close to your brain.

•            Check your phone only after breakfast. It is better to not expose yourself to radiation while your brain is still exiting its sleep stage and entering its wakeful stage.

4. Drink filtered water

Depending on our location, tap water may contain contaminants or other substances unhealthy for our bodies. In fact, some tap water may even contain radioactive substances such as tritium, plutonium, uranium, and potassium-40. Filtered water (such as that found in home water filters, or filtered through a simple water filter jug) reduces our exposure to these harmful substances that may be present in unfiltered water, such as fluoride, chlorine, arsenic, aluminium, cryptosporidium, giardia, and other bacteria, viruses, metals, and chemicals. These substances can cause various health problems, such as cancer, infertility, cognitive impairment, Alzheimer’s disease, hyperactivity, learning disabilities, skin problems, liver diseases, gastrointestinal diseases, and more.

Filtered water also helps us to take care of our teeth by removing the excess fluoride found in tap water to prevent tooth decay. Too much fluoride causes a condition known as dental fluorosis, which is a condition that affects both the strength and appearance of our tooth enamel.

Due to the chlorine and sulphur of many tap waters, filtered water also tastes better and has a more pleasant odour than its alternative. Lastly, filtered water is oftentimes more alkaline than tap water, which may be more acidic. Alkaline water can help our cells absorb more water and nutrients faster and easier than acidic water.

However, to reap the benefits of filtered water, and avoid the drawbacks of tap water, we should preferably use the best water filtration method; reverse osmosis. Especially reverse osmosis filters with a remineralization stage. Reverse osmosis filters use high pressure to force water through a membrane that removes most of the contaminants and impurities from water. They often consist of several components, such as a pre-filter that removes larger particles and a post-filter that removes any traces of contaminants and odours from the water after it has already been filtered through the main membrane.

5. Improve your diet

Having a healthy and well-balanced diet, in combination with exercise, is extremely important for mood, mental health and physical stability. It is important to bear in mind that what we put into our bodies to digest is directly what we fuel our bodies with – and one cannot expect a petroleum car to function properly if it is fuelled by crude oil! Generally, the best general proportion of food intake for the average person would be 40% carbohydrates, 30% monounsaturated or polyunsaturated fats, and 30% proteins. However, things such as incorporating a good number of vegetables in your diet, as well as ensuring you ingest enough varied vitamins and minerals is well-known knowledge at this point. Therefore, we would like to focus on some diet-related no-no’s that are unfortunately widespread in the average western person’s modern diet.

5.1. Improve your diet – Reduce gluten

Gluten has a myriad of health problems associated with its intake, and the risks of having a diet heavy in gluten are not only related to diseases such as celiac disease. Gluten-free diets lead to improved digestive health since it can cause inflammation, bloating, gas, diarrhoea, constipation, and other digestive issues. Because our intestines are so closely linked to our mental well-being, gluten can cause debilitating symptoms such as brain fog, mood instability and a lack of energy. This is not only applicable to people who have an intolerance for gluten! Gluten widens the space between our gut cells, so it allows for all unhealthy compounds to be more easily absorbed into our intestinal walls and negatively affect our bodies and minds.

As a bonus, cutting out gluten can directly help you with weight problems or food cravings. Firstly, gluten affects your metabolism directly, leading to your body gaining unhealthy weight much more quickly. In addition, it also helps you with cravings and is one of the quickest ways in which you can improve your overall diet. How does this work? Well, think about the foods that contain gluten; bread, cakes, beer, chips, fried chicken, cookies, the list goes on! What do all these foods have in common? They are all well-known as foods that cause weight gain. By going gluten-free and looking for alternatives, you are indirectly encouraging yourself to eat alternatives such as fruits and vegetables, and to eat less oils, saturated fats, and processed food. This leads further into a gluten-free diet lowering your risk for contracting cancer, heart disease, diabetes and other such conditions over time.

5.2. Improve your diet – Reduce lactose, casein

We also recommend cutting out milk products, due to their inclusion of the family of phosphoproteins, casein. Studies have shown that casein, and therefore by extension, milk products, may very well be carcinogenic, specifically increasing the chance of breast, prostate and colon cancer. We do not recommend ingesting a high quantity of milk products at all, but there are some options available with low amounts of casein. One of these options would be well-fermented, hard cheeses such as parmesan. Cheese with high protein counts are definitely to be avoided, as they contain high amounts of casein – the most common example of this being cheddar cheese. Other milk products that are low in protein are also good low-casein options – for example ricotta, urda, feta and butter.

Speaking of milk-products, lactose is another commonly-ingested compound in the west that is not good for one’s body. In fact, one could argue that it is almost abnormal to be consuming high amounts of lactose – did you know that according to PubMed, it is estimated that approximately 65% of the world’s population is lactose intolerant, which would mean that the majority of people cannot properly digest lactose? Cutting out lactose from your diet can quickly reduce gastrointestinal discomfort, reduce digestive irritation and inflammation, as well as improve both the consistency and regularity of bowel movements.

Due to the fact that lactose is a simple sugar, a lactose-free diet also leads to improved skin health. If you are looking for a simple way to get clearer skin and reduced acne, removing it from your diet will help greatly.  In addition, dairy products – which lactose is found in – have been linked to certain chronic diseases. Increased cholesterol levels, increased blood pressure, and inflammation are the most common examples of this.

If you are not willing to forego all milk products, which contain the likely carcinogen casein, we recommend at least taking the small step to cutting lactose out of your life. Luckily, there are many dairy options available that, while containing casein, do not contain lactose, or contain very small amounts of it compared to other dairy products. The list includes, but is not limited to: probiotic yoghurt, kefir, gouda, blue, provolone, camembert and parmesan cheese.

There is no need to worry about not getting enough calcium if you cut out milk products! Calcium is found in a myriad of foods, such as seeds (poppy, sesame, sunflower, etc.), nuts (almonds, Brazil nuts, hazelnuts, etc.), soy products such as tofu or tempeh, dried fruits such as apricots or dates, leafy green vegetables (kale, spinach, broccoli, bok choy, etc.) and fortified foods such as cereals, juices or plant-based milks.

5.3. Improve your diet – Reduce seafood

Finally, we would like to highlight the risks of seafood products, including fish. While some intake of seafood is okay, eating it often can pose some serious health risks to you. Probably the largest risk being a high metal content, in fact, much higher than other sources of meat. Mercury, lead, arsenic, cadmium, nickel and chromium are all metals you do not want to be absorbing in high quantities at all, and all are found in abundance in most seafoods. This is due high levels of human-related contamination in oceans worldwide, but also certain natural processes. Industrial waste, emissions, agricultural runoff and mining activities are all human activities that contribute to this, while things such as volcanic eruptions, rock weathering and the Earth’s crust itself all allow metals to dissolve into the waters of the ocean. Due to marine life absorbing this contaminated water, they absorb these toxins directly, which then get transferred to our bodies if we eat this contaminated flesh.

At Deep Diagnosis, we understand that dietary changes may be daunting at first and that it is difficult to cut out some of your favourite daily snacks. This is why we commit to supporting our clients through this time, and help them stand firm through their initial cravings until the stage where they themselves can physically feel and see the benefits they are providing to their bodies. And once you are at that stage, trust us, it is hard to go back to a previous unhealthy diet – once you go back to old habits, you will very quickly notice the negative difference in bodily function and turn back to continuing with your new healthy diet!

6. Regularly do sports and exercise

It is a well-known fact that regular exercise is good for us, and not without reason! Exercise quite literally makes us happier and lessens stress through the release of endorphins, serotonin, and norepinephrine – all of which are brain chemicals that improve our moods and aid in relieving depression, anxiety, and stress.

Of course, exercise also helps us control our weight and prevent obesity. When we are physically active, we burn calories and increase our metabolic rate, helping us to lose fat. As a bonus, exercise builds muscle mass and further burns calories even when we are at rest after doing it!

Regular exercise has also without a shadow of a doubt been proven to lower the risk of many chronic diseases and boost our immune system. Conditions prevented by regular exercise include, but are not limited to: heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, stroke, cancer, arthritis, and osteoporosis. It does this by improving our blood circulation, reducing inflammation in the body, regulating our blood sugar levels, and enhancing the immune system, allowing us to better fight infections.

Although exercise is supposed to make us feel tired, over time it actually has the opposite effect. It boosts energy levels and endurance by improving our cardiovascular and respiratory efficiency, allowing us to deliver more oxygen and nutrients to our muscles and organs. In addition, regular exercise enhances our sleep quality and quantity, allowing us to fall asleep faster and deeper by regulating our body temperature, hormones, and circadian rhythm. Due to the reduction in stress and anxiety that exercise causes, it also allows us to avoid common factors which impact quality of sleep and keep us awake at night.

Last, but certainly not least, exercise has a great benefit on sexual health. It increases our libido, sexual arousal, and orgasms via the improvement of blood flow, hormonal balance, mood, and body image (indirectly boosting our confidence to boot). Exercise has also been shown to aid in pre-existing sexual dysfunctions – such as premature ejaculation and erectile dysfunction in men and low sexual desire or pain during penetrative intercourse for women.

Note that we are not recommending that you train as if you are going to be your country’s next top Olympian. According to popular science, it is recommended to do at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise or 75 minutes of intense aerobic exercise per week, alone with some muscle-strengthening activities two or three times per week. This amounts to much less time than one would expect per day, so no excuses on skipping out on such a beneficial activity! The wonderful thing about exercise is also that there is very likely a form of exercise that is enjoyable for you. Long walks through the city or along the beach, jogging, sprinting, swimming, cycling, dancing, playing sports, hiking, canoeing, rock-climbing, and more are all viable forms of exercise. Even just walking enough for your cell phone to give off that “you have walked 10,000 steps today!” notification is enough.

We would also like to specifically point out the benefits of being outside when doing physical activity, such as going for a walk in the woods. Firstly, outside air is less polluted in general than inside air, and therefore lowers your risk of respiratory diseases. Additionally, sunlight itself has been shown to improve sleep and be a reliable source of vitamin D for the body. It is not necessary to be shirtless to reap this benefit, as in the modern day the majority of vitamin D is absorbed via sunlight hitting our forearms when we are outside. Remember to always wear sunblock in sunlight to prevent skin damage.

Out of all the tips in this list, not only is exercise one of the most beneficial, but it can certainly be the most fun as well!

7. Practice meditation

Research done by psychologist Matt Rossano suggests that group meditations have been practiced in a loose form around campfires since the early days of humankind, hundreds of thousands of years ago. While Rossano argues that this form of fire-gazing may have helped rewire our brains and contribute to making humans what they are today, meditation has since been studied and written about intensively, and certainly still has a variety of benefits for us modern folk.

By calming our minds, meditation reduces stress and anxiety. By this method it has been shown to lower levels of cortisol in our bodies and increase the levels of endorphins, serotonin, and norepinephrine – all chemicals that are also boosted by regular exercise and improve our moods. In doing so, meditation can also have a direct positive effect on our sleep quantity and quality, and boost the immune system in order to prevent diseases and reduce inflammation.

Just as Rossano postulates happened in prehistoric humanity, meditation can also help improve imagination and creativity. Other mental benefits that a modern human may benefit from include an improvement in patience, tolerance, and self-awareness. Meditation can help us to manage negative feelings and develop tools for managing stress.

While all forms of meditation carry the benefits listed above, it is important to note that meditation does not just mean sitting cross-legged on a hard floor and doing breathing exercises. It comes in many forms, and just like with exercise, there is something for everyone out there. We encourage you to look up the various types of meditation, try some of them, and try others if the ones you tried are not for you.

Some examples of commonly-practiced meditation include: guided meditation, mindfulness meditation, focused meditation, movement meditation (yoga, tai chi, qi gong), and heart-focused meditation. However, it is important to note that meditation can also be just doing or focusing on one thing at a time. For example, looking at a flower in nature, or washing the dishes and feeling appreciation while doing it.

8. Practice vagus stimulation: 4-7-8 breathing technique

Vagus stimulation refers to stimulating the vagus nerve – the longest nerve of the autonomic nervous system which controls our bodies’ involuntary functions. The vagus nerve carries motor and sensory information to our cardiovascular, respiratory, and digestive systems. Major organs such as the heart, lungs, throat, oesophagus, stomach, and intestines are all serviced by this important nerve. Occasional stimulation of this nerve can have various benefits, such as improving mood, immunity, heart health and digestion.

Luckily, we do not need a “pacemaker” for this nerve surgically inserted in order to reap the benefits of stimulating it, as a degree of stimulation can be done ourselves. In order to do this, we can use a breathing technique called 4-7-8 breathing. To do this, follow these steps:

•            Sit comfortably with your back straight.

•            Place your tongue at the top of your mouth, behind your top teeth.

•            Exhale completely through your mouth around your tongue. Make a whoosh sound as you do this.

•            Close your lips and inhale through your nose as you count to 4.

•            Hold your breath like this, without moving, as you count to 7.

•            Exhale through your mouth around your tongue for a count of 8, making a whoosh sound again as you do this.

This breathing technique can be done when stressed, but can also be used before going to sleep to help fall asleep faster and better.

PLEASE NOTE: This technique lowers your blood pressure and slows your heart rate. If you overdo it, you may feel dizzy or light-headed. It is important to listen to your body and stop if you feel uncomfortable or unwell. Consult with your doctor if you have major existing heart conditions.

9. Stay away from intoxicants (smoking, alcohol, drugs, etc.)

Despite intoxicants being a normal, oftentimes expected, part of certain social interactions, it is far better to avoid them completely or monitor your intake very closely. Scientific consensus on why these are bad for you is not difficult to find, but in case you need a reminder, smoking and drinking alcohol:

•            Increase the risk of a huge variety of cancers. Both substances have been proven beyond a shadow of a doubt to be carcinogenic which means they damage the DNA of the cells and cause them to grow or replicate abnormally.

•            Cause cardiovascular damage. Both smoking and drinking are known to damage the heart and blood vessels, leading to cardiovascular problems such as heart disease, stroke, peripheral artery disease and high blood pressure. Both substances increase the levels of cholesterol and triglycerides in the blood, which clog the arteries and reduce blood flow to organs, causing them to have functional impairment.

•            Cause hepatic damage. Fatty liver, cirrhosis and liver cancer are all possible consequences of ingesting or inhaling these intoxicants due to how they cause inflammation in our bodies’ organs and scar our liver tissue. This is very dangerous, as the liver is responsible for filtering toxins from our blood, and impairment of the organ can directly lead to an increase in toxins present in the body.

•            Negatively affect the brain and nervous system. Both substances interfere with neurotransmitters that regulate mood, behaviour, and learning, as well as the amount of oxygen our brains have at their disposal in order to function at peak capacity and maintain healthy brain cells. Other neural effects of smoking and drinking alcohol include cognitive impairment, memory loss, dementia, anxiety, and severe addiction.

•            Impair the immune system. Both of these intoxicants reduce the number and activity levels of white blood cells in our bodies, making it much harder to fight off infections and diseases. Due to the immunological impairment caused by them, the risk of autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis and lupus also increase.

Both habits are not only very harmful, but also highly addictive. Note that it is never too late to quit either one, and in doing so you will give your body a chance to recover from the damage that has been done to it. Most countries have services designed to help you quit, make use of them if you need it.

Please note that heavy alcohol addiction should be quit under the supervision of a doctor, as the physical withdrawal effects can be deadly in some cases, manifesting as seizures and hallucinations among other dangerous symptoms.

While alcohol and tobacco products may be the most common and socially-acceptable intoxicants out there, we should mention that all drugs inherently come with health risks, some extreme. The health risks vary from drug-to-drug (examples include high quantities of heavy metals in marijuana, an elevated risk of heart attacks and seizures from cocaine usage, or organ failure from heroine), so it is difficult to summarize them all here, but it is important to note that quitting all forms of drugs are an important step to improving both one’s mental, as well as physical health.

10. Have a regular sleep schedule

Sticking to a consistent bedtime and wake-up time is more important than we may first realize, and the benefits thereof can only truly be appreciated once we try it for ourselves.

Having a regular sleep schedule allows us to improve the quality of our sleep tremendously, as our brains have been trained to feel sleepy and awake at the same times every day. This helps with insomnia, a difficulty in waking up in the morning, and energy levels throughout the next day. An additional benefit of sleeping better is that you reap an improvement in cognitive strength, prevent cognitive decay, and improve your emotional well-being. This helps to lower everyday stress, anxiety and depression.

However, it is not just our brains that are trained by a regular sleep schedule, but our entire body. Having a regular sleep schedule can actually lower the risk of various health problems occurring, due to the improvement in cardiovascular, metabolic and immune functions that are brought about by it. Therefore, as strange as it sounds, a regular sleep schedule is one step that you can take among others to help prevent your risk of cancer, heart disease, diabetes and infections or inflammations in the body.

We understand that there may be a variety of circumstances that lead to someone having trouble maintaining a sleep schedule. For these people we highly recommend melatonin supplements. Melatonin is a hormone found naturally in the body that regulates our sleep and circadian rhythms. The release of melatonin also stimulates the production of an important neurotransmitter for sleep; GABA. GABA reduces brain activity and facilitates bodily relaxation. When melatonin is activated, both it and the GABA that it indirectly produces work together on each other’s receptors to help us sleep, as well as regulate a healthy sleep cycle.

While both of these substances can be taken in the form of medication, you should note that they are both also influenced by external factors, such as light, stress, diet and other medications. Therefore, following all the tips on this page, along with supplementation of melatonin, is important if you are trying to improve your sleep schedule. Just taking melatonin supplements may not be enough if the external factors affecting melatonin production are very strong.

Also, if you don’t feel melatonin and/or GABA supplementation is having any effect on you, we recommend that you have a blood test done. This is to see whether you already have enough of it in your body, in which case your sleeping issues may stem from other internal or external factors that should be taken care of. If you already have enough melatonin in your body, taking more via supplements will have little effect.

11. Take cold showers

Wim Hof, a famous Dutch motivational speaker and extreme athlete, had a theory that a modern, sedentary lifestyle has crippled the bodies and minds of modern humans. Thus, he came up with what is known as the Wim Hof Method.

This method, which is more of a lifestyle, focuses a lot on breathing techniques, cold therapy and commitment. If you are interested in what he can teach you, we advise you to have a read through https://www.wimhofmethod.com, it is well worth it.

However, if incorporating an entirely new way of life into your busy schedule is too daunting, we can recommend a simple, daily task that you can take from this method: cold showers.

Cold showers benefit us in a variety of ways. Firstly, the small, manageable amount of stress that they put on your body kick-starts a process called hardening. After a prolonged period of gradual hardening exercises, our nervous system starts to be able to handle the daily stress of work and life much better.

Cold showers also help us to remain more focused and alert during the day, as well as improve willpower and discipline. Willpower and discipline is certainly something that can be practiced and thereby improved, and practising it every morning or evening when you wash yourself is an easy way to get better at it. As the cold water hits your body, you are also stimulated to take deep breaths, cleansing your body from carbon dioxide and promoting alertness throughout the day, particularly if the shower is taken in the morning before you get to work or school.

Scientific studies have also shown that cold showers increase the number of white blood cells in the body – the cells responsible for protecting your body against viruses and other infections. It is believed by researchers that this process is achieved by an increased metabolic rate that is caused by the cold shower itself. Which leads us into a final benefit…

Weight loss. Yes, by increasing metabolic rate, cold showers directly help to promote weight loss. We would like to be clear here and warn that cold showers alone do not make you shed those extra kilos. Rather, it is yet another tool to help you lose weight in tandem with exercise and a healthy diet.

12. Get enough high-quality social interaction

Humans are social creatures by design, and it should come as no surprise that having a healthy social life and contact with people that love you is extremely beneficial to us both physically and mentally.

Not only has it been shown that people with a good social life tend to have better mental health and an improved immune system, but they actually live longer on average, even after accounting for the individual’s overall level of health.

Frequent social interaction also limits our risk of dementia. It is especially important for older people, the demographic unfortunately the most prone to loneliness in modern society, to get out of the house and talk to people if they do not have relatives that come to visit them. Not all social interaction is good, however. We would like to state that having contact with somebody toxic in your life is more detrimental to your physical and mental health than not having contact with anybody at all.

13. Practice Thymus Tapping

The thymus gland – also known as the “happiness spot” – is an organ belonging to the lymphatic system behind your sternum in the upper part of your chest. It plays various roles in our immune system and overall health, and can be stimulated by gently tapping on it. The vibrations created by this practice stimulate an increase in the maturation and release of white blood cells (specifically T lymphocytes) which train the immune system to fight against infections and even cancer. In addition, the practice can help with instant stress relief and long-term emotional/mental benefits.

To locate the thymus and stimulate it, you can place two fingers on the upper part of your chest, directly above your breastbone. You should then gently tap this area with your fingertips or a closed fist approximately 20 to 30 times. As you do this, take deep breaths and, if you want, repeat a positive affirmation or mantra to yourself. Thymus tapping’s cumulative benefits work best when it is practiced multiple times daily, but it also has minor immediate benefits from the first time you do it.

Immediate benefits:

• Stress alleviation: Tapping your thymus activates an immediate relaxation response, calming your nervous system and helping you feel more grounded.
• Energy boost: Yes, tapping your thymus gland can lead to an immediate minor boost in energy. The practice stimulates blood flow, leading to a mild sense of refreshment and energy, especially when you feel particularly tired or fatigued.
• Fighting the flu: When you feel a flu coming on or when you already have the flu, tapping your thymus once or twice daily stimulates the release of white blood cells which help fight off the virus. It also helps rejuvenate your energy levels.

Cumulative benefits – when practiced daily, thymus tapping can help with:

• Increased immune system strength: by tapping the thymus consistently over a longer period of time (just a few times per day over multiple days is enough) you are encouraging the production of white blood cells which strengthen your body’s defence mechanisms against infections and other diseases
• Emotional well-being: Over weeks or months, consistently tapping the thymus can contribute to an overall sense of well-being and emotional stability/resilience.

We highly recommend incorporating a bit of thymus tapping into your daily routine as reaping its benefits is effortless, takes little time, and does not require you to change your schedule in any way to do it. We especially recommend daily tapping to those who are prone to anxiety, stress or panic attacks. Give it a try! Doing it daily is simple and it has potentially significant benefits.

14. Get an Air Filtration Device for Your Home and Work Space

The air around us may seem empty, but it is filled with particles, bacteria, and viruses. Some of these can slowly cause irritation or other health problems over time. At Deep Diagnosis, we strongly believe that purchasing an air filtration device (or installing an air filtration system if you have the funds) is a good investment.

Some common unwanted particles in the air around us include: dust, pollen, pet dander, fungal spores, harmful gases, airborne viruses and bacteria and other general irritants. These unwanted particles can cause a variety of health or quality-of-life issues, so air filtration devices have a variety of benefits:

• Improvement of indoor air quality: air purification devices remove irritants and unwanted particles such as dust or mould spores from the air, but they can also improve the quality of the air you breathe by reducing or eliminating odours. Air purifiers equipped with activated carbon filters are particularly good at removing odours.
• Control of airborne allergens: air filtration devices are effective at removing most common airborne allergens such as particles given off by hairy pets, pollen and dust. If you suffer from allergies, you will undoubtably benefit from an air filter and your breathing will feel more comfortable and less irritated.
• Protection for vulnerable people: not only people with allergies or weaker immune systems benefit greatly from air filters; the elderly and children are also particularly sensitive to small air particles and irritants. Air purifiers create a healthy environment for everyone, but it is especially important for these members of your family.
• Removal or reduction of airborne illnesses: as mentioned before, many harmful viruses and bacteria are present in the air we breathe. While we cannot avoid this in our everyday lives, we can certainly use these devices to remove contaminants and our risk of airborne disease from the places where we spend the most time – our work spaces and homes.
• Improved sleep quality: nighttime allergens, even if they are mild, are a contributing factor to restless sleep. It is beneficial to remove these irritants from our places of rest to get an immediate improvement in sleep quality and reduce that feeling of irritation in our throats when we wake up in the morning.

There are many different types of air filtration devices on the market, and it might be overwhelming for someone to decide which type of air filtration device is best for them. We will list some of these types below, but if you have any questions please feel free to contact us and we will help you choose. The important thing to remember though, is that any type of air filter is better than no air filter, and no matter the type you purchase, you will gain benefits from it!

• HEPA (High Efficiency Particulate Absorbing) filters: highly effective filters comprised of fiberglass fibre mats that trap a large majority (up to 99.97%) of airborne particles as air flows through them. These types of filters are what you will most commonly find in medical settings such as hospitals where air purity is very important. They are usually more on the expensive side, but they are generally also the most effective type of air filter that exists – hence why they are often used in medical facilities or laboratories requiring uncontaminated air. With that being said, mid-range HEPA filters are available on the market that strike a good balance between cost and performance.
• Carbon air filters: these filters use highly absorbent activated carbon which is very effective at trapping chemicals, gases and bad smells. This type of air filter is particularly good at removing bad odours from the air, such as the smell of pets, smoke, cooking and mould. As a bonus, these types of filters can usually be purchased cheaply.
• Ionic air filters / Air ionizers: these rely on voltage to charge air molecules, which then produces negatively charged ions (anions) which attract particles in the air in a similar fashion to static electricity attracting particles such as hair. These are particularly common in commercial air filtration systems.
• UV light filters: Another fairly expensive, yet very effective option, UV air filters use UV-C light to treat air. This type of light is highly effective at destroying bacteria, viruses, mould spores and other living contaminants that may be inhaled. While these filters are often integrated into HVAC (heating, ventilation and air conditioning) systems, standalone options are also available on the market.