Beatrice Crespo, Doctorate in Medicine and Sports PerformanceHe presents his book “Healthy Micro Habits” It aims to eliminate some False myths About sports, food or mental health in a work that includes interactive elements generated by artificial intelligence. She founded Freedom & Flow and has spent more than a decade researching worker well-being in multiple sectors.
What exactly are the benefits of micro habits? Microhabits are actions that last less than two minutes and have a peaceful effect. It’s small actions that give you enough incentive to incorporate the habit. Eating healthy is a very big goal. It’s easier to take small actions to form a habit.
Is two minutes enough to improve the quality of life? Not just two minutes, but if you add small actions you can impact the quality of life without needing drastic changes. Typically, we suggest extreme habits that are difficult to maintain over time.
Lack of emotional health generates short- and long-term debt due to loss of talent.
How can micro habits help manage work stress? To manage work stress, there are several types of micro habits. An example of this is language. It takes less than two minutes to choose the words you’ll use to reward the people you work with. “Hey, you did a great job.” Positive language increases levels of oxytocin, serotonin, and endorphins and helps reduce cortisol levels.
Are we experiencing more and more stress or is mental health not yet given importance? Mental health has always been on the table, but now it’s starting to become normalized. Companies are beginning to focus on removing stigmas around mental problems or mental health within the workplace. Mentoring is going through a very big cultural change where the person is being put at the centre. Lack of emotional health generates short- and long-term debt due to loss of talent. It directly affects solvency, negative events on a daily basis, and ability to generate business. As mental health impacts business, it worries companies.
You can’t change your genetic predisposition, but if you have good habits, you can help your genes not express themselves in disease.
As a communicator, how do you try to reduce the culture of minimal effort in sports or health? By incorporating small actions or strategies we can reach the same goal but in a healthier way. Through humor, I can make a person learn more about habits that don’t work, but we keep doing them. If we laugh at ourselves, subtle habits can become more ingrained.
Can good eating and exercise habits conflict with genes? We have a certain genetic predisposition and also what is called epigenetic genetics, which is based on everyday choices. You can’t change your genetic predisposition, but following good habits (along with reducing exposure to pollution or sunlight) can help you prevent your genes from being expressed through disease. You can have a genetic predisposition to type 2 diabetes, and you may not have it or have it much milder than if you didn’t have a healthy lifestyle.
We set ourselves extreme challenges, like running 10km or going to the gym every day. We must commit to going one day and the rest will follow
Can a person who is extremely obese or extremely thin re-educate his hormones? naturally. An obese person has a metabolic problem that goes beyond the accumulation of excess fat or adipose tissue. This altered metabolic context can be reversed through good lifestyle habits but also through medical monitoring and a change of mindset. Reducing calories is not enough, it requires many other changes. In the case of a very thin person, it is more difficult if it is due to anorexia, because psychological work must be done to have a healthy lifestyle. Another thing is whether you are a big or thinner person, you are conditioned by your bones and acceptance is required.
How can exercise help a person with diabetes or any other non-communicable disease? The World Health Organization estimates that non-communicable diseases represent 70% of deaths in the world. Regular practice of physical activity generates a series of stimulating hormones that activate muscle mechanisms and vital organs that protect the body, make it more sensitive in the event of diabetes and allow us to reverse cardiovascular problems. It’s not much of an organized sport, but increasing physical activity levels and getting regular physical activity can reduce the effects of a disease you have a genetic predisposition to.
There are also vital problems that are not given importance. There are many people obsessed with extreme and unhealthy exercise.
What is the most difficult challenge for those who start exercising? The hardest thing is to motivate yourself to do the routine in two days. Having a good time is another milestone. We set ourselves extreme challenges, like running 10km or going to the gym every day. We must commit to going one day and the rest will follow.
Why is there less sports culture among women? If you don’t have female sports references to follow, you think it’s impossible and don’t give yourself a chance. The lower sports culture is due to the lack of references. Not because they don’t exist, but because they haven’t been given the vision.
How important is strength sports in combating menopause? Strength training is vital to maintain bone levels and to help maintain hormonal changes. And also to maintain muscle tone, which is very important for exercise hormones, which regulate pancreas function, insulin resistance, and reduce inflammation and fluid retention that many of us suffer from throughout our lives.
AI will tell you what you should eat, what type of exercise is best for you, or what exact habits work best for you.
Does physical appearance take precedence over health in today’s society? Aesthetics are a very big motivator to get fit, no less than health. We are all looking for the aesthetic reward even if we take care of ourselves for our health. This is not bad, what is bad is becoming obsessed. There are also vital problems that are not given importance. There are a lot of people obsessed with extreme and unhealthy sports practices that are shared online to the detriment of others.
Why did you incorporate artificial intelligence into this book? I wanted the paper book to be a gateway to an interactive virtual world. From my texts, illustrations and avatars are created that move and tell the story.
How can anyone use AI to improve their health? We are constantly using artificial intelligence even if we are not aware of it. Social networks are based on an algorithm created using artificial intelligence, and activity bracelets can recommend songs based on your heart rate. I’ve been working at Stanford University, where I combine genetic information with your tastes, preferences, and body responses. In the future, people will make fewer decisions about health because AI will tell you what to eat, what type of exercise is best for you, or what exact habits work best for you. That’s the goal, to create a creative chat that tells you what’s healthy for your lifestyle.
Sports, food, emotional management, health digitalization, etc. How do you achieve everything without dying trying? With fine habits. The theory of marginal gains is that if you can incorporate 2-minute habits into your daily life, become conscious and add those small actions, you stop setting yourself up for impossible challenges or monumental lifestyle habits. Exercising, eating well, controlling my emotions…they’re great habits, but there are little things. Removing mobile phone notifications or swiping for more than five minutes are some tips for incorporating healthy habits without dying trying.
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