WELLNESS gurus are an interesting bunch, but few, if any, are quite as eye-catching as Troy Casey.
A charismatic chap currently residing in Arizona, Casey is, for lack of a better word, controversial.
Ethan HillTroy Casey, 56, also known as the Certified Health Nut[/caption]
instagram – @certifiedhealthnutCasey is the author of #RippedAt50[/caption]
But he’s also in incredibly good shape. At 56, and closing in on his 60s, the guru possesses a considerably better physique than many men half his age.
‘The Certified Health Nut’ told The Sun that he considers himself a “leading longevity authority,” and “has successfully restored physical, mental and emotional balance to clients who have failed with all other systems”.
A vocal proponent of “perineum sunning“, or “butt hole sunbathing”, Casey enjoys exposing his anus to roughly 30 seconds of sunlight every morning.
According to Casey, the vitamin D absorbed through the orifice results in elevated mood and helps increase his libido.
“[Thirty] seconds of direct sunlight injection to the anal orifice is equivalent to being outside in the sun all day!” he once wrote.
It’s important to note, however, that no science backing up these wild claims exists.
Another health hack the ex-model swears by is the consumption of his own urine. In fact, he even rubs it onto his skin.
This, he told The Sun, is just one aspect of his rigorous skincare routine.
While many opt for a cup of coffee to start their day, Casey kicks off his day with a glass of pee. He refers to it as the “hair of the dog!”.
The routine helps boost his testosterone, or so he professes.
Again, like “butt hole sunbathing” drinking your own urine is not advised.
It may work for eccentric individuals like Troy and Bear Grylls, but sticking with water is probably a safer bet.
As a Versace model in Milan, Italy, 33 years ago, Troy studied nutrition, herbs and internal purification as, in his own words, “a way of looking and feeling great in front of the camera”.
The health coach claims to have “scoured the Earth for the most powerful health and healing methods,” even working with indigenous tribes in the Amazon as – again, in his own words, “a medicine hunter.”
Longevity tips from the Blue Zones
The Blue Zones are five regions across the world where people regularly live to the ripe old age of 100, largely thanks to their diets and daily habits.
The term was coined by author and National Geographic fellow Dan Buettner, who made a name for himself studying the world’s longest living people.
The Blue Zones include Okinawa in Japan, the Nicoya Peninsula in Costa Rica, Ikaria in Greece, Sardinia in Italy and Loma Linda in California.
According to Dan, inhabitants of these swear by nine lifestyle tips.
Dubbed the ‘Power 9’, the longevity guru argued that they can provide “instructions and clues for how we can set up our lives to live longer”.
They include:
Moving naturally rather than going to the gym
Having a purpose in iife
Keeping stress to minimum with naps and happy hours
Stopping eating before you’re full
Eating mostly plants
Drink no more than two glasses of wine a day and never bingeing
Belonging to a community, faith-based or not
Putting your loved ones first
Keeping a social circle that supports healthy behaviours
Read more on the Power 9 tips here.
This involved studying the ancient Vipassana Meditation technique, one of the oldest known modes of meditation, and Ashtanga Yoga, an extremely athletic form of hatha yoga.
Author of #RippedAt50: A Journey To Self Love, Casey’s YouTube channel, currently boasting more than 133,000 subscribers, is growing in popularity.
Casey suggests that “his unique holistic approach uses nature-based simplicity anyone can follow”.
But one needn’t drink their own urine and expose their nether regions to powerful rays to benefit from Troy’s advice.
In fact, Troy provided The Sun with his top seven tips for a healthier, happier life that aren’t too wild:
1. Eat real food
“Real food,” Casey says, “can be defined as what your great-grandparents ate”.
In other words, “farmer direct without pesticides”. Think fresh fruit, fresh vegetables, nuts, fish, whole foods.
Casey’s point is a valid one – heavily processed foods like crisps and ready meals often contain inordinate amounts of added sugar, sodium and trans fats.
Although these ingredients make the food we eat tasty (and extremely addictive), too much of them can result in various health issues, including obesity, heart disease and high blood pressure.
2. Movement is medicine
At a bare minimum, Casey urges readers to “get the body moving for 10-15 minutes a day”.
This can be a leisurely stroll outside, a quick jog, a swim, and/or push-ups and sit-ups.
The exercise is not as important as the fact that you are moving your body, says Casey.
The NHS advises aiming for 150 minutes of moderate intensity exercise each week.
3. Stop mouth breathing
Breathing through the mouth “activates the sympathetic nervous system”, Troy says, which operates like the accelerator in a car and can trigger a fight-or-flight response.
Instead, he asks readers to “practise slow nasal breathing into the diaphragm” – which taps into the opposing parasympathetic nervous system.
This part of the nervous system is linked with relaxation and restoration, helping you to cope with stress.
4. Don’t mess with sleep
Get at least seven hours of sleep each night, says Casey.
Wise words – getting at least seven hours of quality sleep each night helps improve thinking, performance, mood and health.
To improve sleep, wind down a few hours before bed and “tune to your circadian rhythm”, AKA your body clock.
You can do this by making sure to get enough sunlight in the day, which helps with producing the sleep and wake hormones at the right times of day.
5. Stop overthinking
To combat the deleterious effects of stress, “use meditation to file away stinking thinking”.
Effective meditation techniques can help restore the body to a calm state and eliminate the physical effects of stress.
Don’t know where to start? Well, there’s an app for that – many hundreds of them in fact, such as Calm and Headspace.
Not interested in using an app? Try finding a quiet room with no distractions, other than a scenic view, perhaps. A place where you can be at one with your thoughts for five minutes each day without looking at your phone.
6. Get barefoot in nature
Walking barefoot in grass or “earthing” has been found in some studies to be beneficial for health.
Some believe there is a relationship between our bodies and the electrons of the earth.
But if that sounds too whacky, there is substantial evidence to suggest being around nature is calming.
“Use the natural rhythms and sounds of nature to destress” Troy advises.
Can’t find any grass? Try a glass of wine instead. Footwear optional.
7. Stop mindlessly scrolling
Social media, says Casey, is not real life. Instead of scrolling, put down the phone and go outside.
Studies show that being in nature helps reduce feelings of anger, fear and stress.
Social media, on the other hand, can have the opposite effect.
It’s easy to set limits on scroll times on phones nowadays.
Casey used to be a model and now uses holistic practises to keep his looks and optimise his healthEthan Hill
Casey leading breathwork at a retreatSupplied
instagram – @certifiedhealthnutCasey’s YouTube channel, currently boasting more than 133,000 subscribers, is growing in popularity. He gives tips on health and wellness to his more than 200K Instagram followers[/caption]