Five primary wellness tools comprise you chosen lifestyle. They are arranged here in a hierarchy that flows from one to the other, and include:

     1.) Rest
     2.) Positive mental attitude
     3.) Diet
     4.) Exercise
     5.) Supplementation

You might think that what you eat and/or the supplements you take would be your most important tools to help you achieve optimum wellness. But all the good nutrition in the world will not make you feel your best or give you the most robust state of health if the other three points are given less attention.

Haven't you noticed how difficult it is to feel upbeat about the the day that is about to unfold before you when you arise in the morning after a night that, well, went by just a bit too fast? You need to be well rested for the neurotransmitters in your brain to replenish themselves, and achieve homeostasis. With your brain prepared for day, it is easier to generate a positive mental attitude, and to solve problems before they trigger mind boggling anxiety.

And with a clear mind, thinking positively, it is far easier to choose healthy foods at each meal. A positive outlook is usually characterized by an innate respect for the physical body that carries it through the world at large. So a rested body gives rise to a positive mental attitude, which in turn leads to more informed food choices, resulting in a better overall diet.

One more wellness tool can be added now with ease, and that is: Exercise. Our bodies were designed to be used. In fact, they evolved over millennia around a schedule of rigorous exercise, often lasting from dawn to dusk, that might continue for several concurrent days. It is what our hunter-gatherer forebears had to do, and our bodies adapted to the lifestyle. The days of hunting and gathering would be followed by a period of a few days of relative rest, with time consumed by simply resting or basket weaving, or refurbishing the weapons arsenal of spears, lances and fish traps. Exercise followed by rest builds strength and fitness. People of that time developed a state of fitness equivalent to that of our most elite Olympic athletes of today.

We may be alive today, but the body and the internal biochemistry we bring with us is that of our ancient ancestors. The last significant change to the human genome occurred about 40,000 years ago. So your body is craving exercise, and is meant to have it. With adequate rest, a positive mind, and good food, it should be easier to discover a willingness to test your latent Paleolithic body through a combination of aerobic and weight-bearing exercise.

Nutritional supplements come into play as the final wellness tool just because we are so old on the inside. Our ancient biochemistries calibrated themselves around diets comparatively low in calories relative to a high amount of micro nutrients (i.e. vitamins, minerals, polyphenols, fiber, etc.) We still need that high level of nutrient density, yet today's cultivated and farmed foods deliver a nutrient mix that has shifted dramatically in favor of calories and away from trace nutrients.

Supplementation has now become mandatory if one hopes to approach the nutrient load expected and desired by our internal Paleolithic biochemistry. We need to intensify micro nutrient intake relative to dietary intake of the macro nutrients: Protein, fat and carbohydrate. In that way, this final wellness tool called "supplementation," can help return us to our Paleolithic roots, and to optimum, vibrant health.