Behaviors

Use recovery of smell as one partial readout of sensory recovery after concussion or head injury.

For improving balance for sport, dance, or other activities, train balance dynamically through lots of different planes of movement rather than relying only on static drills.

Avoid the standard American diet pattern centered on processed, packaged foods.

Pay attention to your own symptoms and experiences with foods and investigate suspected intolerances rather than dismissing them; especially relevant for suspected gluten or wheat sensitivity.

Mostly plants and whole foods; not necessarily vegan or vegetarian, and can include animal products at varying levels such as 10%, 25%, or 30%.

Shift plate composition so vegetables, grains, and beans are central, while meat is reduced to about 2 ounces or used as a condiment or side dish.

Run with a weighted vest, including on incline trails; removing it on later runs can make running feel easier.

Put your face into cold water while holding your breath to activate the mammalian dive reflex; lab protocols use about 10 degrees Celsius / 50 degrees Fahrenheit water. Strong safety caveat: do not test breath-holding casually on your own due to blackout and drowning risk; if pursuing free diving, learn from a truly expert instructor under proper conditions.

Learn what to expect in grief, what is happening, and why; seek evidence-based information rather than outdated stage models, including through bereavement support groups.

Have loved ones around during grief; support is emphasized as physiologically important, especially early after loss. This can include close in-home support in the first days after a spouse dies, having someone or a pet in the room while sleeping, and reaching out to a sibling or best friend during waves of grief.

During grief, do not neglect routine care; check when you last saw your doctor for a regular checkup and stay current with preventive care such as mammograms and teeth cleanings.

If grief is not changing over time, remains stuck, or gets worse rather than improving overall, seek a psychologist or a specific evidence-based psychotherapy intervention.

Assess physical health during bereavement support, such as checking blood pressure, alongside teaching coping skills and support-seeking.

If grief leaves you amped up and unable to sit still, work with that bodily state through movement, such as going for a run every day, even if that was not previously your pattern.

Use emotional suppression temporarily when needed for function, such as before a pitch meeting; not as the only strategy.

Allow yourself to engage grief directly, such as by looking through a photo album and feeling the tears, while also learning how to come out of that state again.

If you notice rumination, change environments to disrupt the thought pattern; a concrete example is getting up and walking outside.

Write a document for loved ones with things you'd want them to know if you die, separate from a will, and update it often as relationships and wishes change.

Use exposure rather than avoidance for fear around death-related triggers; for example, do not stop flying because of panic during turbulence, but do it again and again even if it is brutally painful.

Move back and forth between dealing with the loss and restoring a meaningful life; this includes handling practical life tasks after loss, such as doing the taxes, even though they are stressful.

Identify the specific conversations, places, tasks, or social activities you are avoiding in grief, then begin re-engaging; for example, reach out to friends you miss and try resuming dinners even if it initially feels painful.

Aim to avoid large glucose spikes and crashes in order to maintain energy and focus throughout the day.

Use glucose feedback to determine what food choices to make and when best to eat relative to exercise, sleep, and work.

Recommended in the context of glaucoma risk; especially relevant because glaucoma can run in families.

After poor sleep, avoid napping during the day to preserve sleep pressure for the next night.

After poor sleep, do not consume extra caffeine to get through the day because it can impair the following night's recovery sleep.

After poor sleep, resist going to bed earlier; go to bed at your normal time.

Spend time in silence as a reset; initial discomfort tends to give way to calm. Includes turning off background music and TV instead of keeping constant noise on.

Read in paper form, choose challenging material, and keep your phone out of the room to support sustained attention and deeper understanding.

Use your phone less overall, including taking long walks without your phone and refraining from smartphone use for set hours each day.