Own Your Health

How to Start Taking Responsibility for Your Health

Author

New Zapiens
September 11, 2025

Happy Thursday, Zapien — Here’s what we’re diving into this week:

Forever,
Karol, Martin, Simon & Andy

Presented By

How to take health into your own hands

What two decades of getting my own health back and helping hundreds of clients doing so has taught me.

Everyone begins their health journey at a different starting point. Some feel that they are getting older and look at preventing decline or getting their youthful energy back. Others are preparing for athletic competitions, aiming to enhance their performance and optimize their recovery. Again, others are very sick and try to solve the puzzle of getting their health back together.

For me it had been the latter. In years of competitive endurance sports in my youth, I kept pushing through increasingly frequent strep throat infections with several courses of antibiotics per year. At the same time, I slept very poorly, suffered from anxiety, and consumed a rather poor diet, all while trying to somehow keep up a high level of performance (which, no wonder, declined continuously).

After starting university, adding a demanding law study including a gap year at Oxford University, my energy levels tanked further. I stopped exercising, except for snowboarding, which kept adding whiplash accidents into the mix. When starting to see doctors for my extreme exhaustion, nobody could tell me what was wrong until eventually, my body gave up completely.

Years of seeing any doctor or naturopath imaginable followed.

Short Hack Long Life

Polyphenols for cardiovascular health and longevity

Polyphenols are plant compounds that go far beyond being antioxidants. They help blood vessels stay flexible, reduce inflammation, and support overall vascular health.

The PREDIMED trial showed that a Mediterranean diet rich in polyphenols from extra virgin olive oil, nuts, fruits, and vegetables lowered the risk of major cardiovascular events by about 25–30%, mainly through reducing strokes, compared to a low-fat diet. Another study found that people with higher polyphenol intake lived longer and had lower overall mortality.

Researchers suggest that polyphenols improve endothelial function, support healthy blood pressure, and interact with the gut microbiome. Intervention trials show that foods rich in polyphenols can improve vascular function and blood pressure within just a few weeks.

In short, a diet high in polyphenol-rich foods supports heart and vessel health and may contribute to healthy aging, even if direct longevity effects are not yet proven.

How to eat more polyphenols:

🍫 Cocoa powder (10 g) ~345 mg
🌰 Walnuts (30 g) ~104 mg
🫒 Black olives (50 g) ~285 mg
☕ Coffee (1 cup, 200 ml) ~428 mg
🍵 Green tea (1 cup, 200 ml) ~178 mg

→ Aim for 650 mg or more per day, ideally from diverse sources.

For a full overview of foods and their polyphenol content, see the Phenol-Explorer database.

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WhatsApp Group Summary

Vitamin D & Supplements

Discussion: 
Members shared experiences with vitamin D, noting the importance of combining it with K2 and tracking levels through blood tests rather than switching brands constantly.

Consider this:
• Get your vitamin D level checked before and after supplementing.
• Pair vitamin D with K2 and magnesium for better absorption.

Fitness Habits

Discussion: 
Members shared simple ways to add more movement, like wall sits while brushing teeth, extra stair climbing, or alternating slow and brisk walking.

Consider this:
• Build activity into daily routines — even small habits add up.
• Try intervals in walking or short strength holds for extra benefits.

Female Health

Discussion: 
Members noted that much health content targets men. They shared resources focused on women’s biology, hormones, and training, mentioning experts like Stacy Sims, Gabrielle Lyon, and Shona Vertue. Books like Altern by Elke Heidenreich offered refreshing perspectives on aging.

Consider this:
• Explore female-focused resources to adapt health routines more effectively.
• Balance science-based advice with strategies that fit your life stage and goals.

Community Health Stack

Ben Greenfield

Biohacker, fitness coach, endurance athlete, and triathlon expert with over 120 races. Blending ancestral wisdom with data-driven health optimization.

Ben's Trusted Brands

Ben's Health Routine

Routine
• Wake-Up: 4:30–5:00 AM, water, sunlight, grounding
• Care: Tongue scrape, oil pulling, skincare
• Prep: Foam roll, breathwork, prayer, HRV check
• Work: 60–90 min deep work, coffee
• Family: Morning meditation with kids
• Day Flow: Workout, light breaks, short nap
• Evening: Outdoor play, reading, prayer
• Sleep: Red light, cooling bed, mask

Workout
• Yoga: Mobility sessions
• Strength: Kettlebells, bodyweight
• Cardio: Run, swim, cycle
• Recovery: Sauna, cold plunge

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Health Disclaimer

New Zapiens’ products and services are not intended to substitute for professional medical guidance. Our content and media offerings do not aim to diagnose, cure, or address any medical issues.

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