June marks Men’s Health Month, dedicated to raising awareness about preventable health issues and advocating for early detection and treatment of diseases like cancer, heart disease, and depression. In recognition, our CEO and co-founder Ashwin Cheriyan shares his top tips for staying in tip top shape – from nutrition to exercise and lifestyle habits.
What are your top three, non-negotiable acts of health and wellness you must do every day to feel your best?
- Eat greens to start every meal! Green smoothie for breakfast. Amazing Salad for lunch. Sauteed greens with dinner!
- Spend at least 30 minutes being outside. Go for a hike. Walk the dog. Just get outside for some sunshine!
- Get plenty of sleep. Sleep is the key to productivity, mental clarity, and optimal physical performance.
Coming from a tech startup background, when did you realize taking care of your health was crucial to your performance as a leader?
I realized this quite early because between running an early-stage startup and having a young child, it becomes easy to let sleep and exercise become less of a priority. However, I started to notice an increase in my stress levels manifesting in less patience with my teammates as well as a decrease in the quality of my work as a direct result. This prompted an urgent priority in slowly building the right team around me that allowed me to ensure that I was able to prioritize my own health so I can show up as a better leader for Thistle.
As a father, is it important for your children to see you making healthy choices?
Definitely! The most powerful thing you can do for your children aren’t the things you tell them to do; rather, it is the example you set every minute of every day. I promise they are watching you constantly and these micro-touch points have a disproportionate impact on the behavior of your kids. If you’re drinking sugary soda regularly, it shouldn't surprise you that your kids will gravitate towards those as well.
How often are you exercising weekly, and what are your favorite activities to do?
I try to exercise daily because it can be something as small as going for a 30 minute walk outside. I try to focus on three key areas - strength, endurance, and mobility and try to include weights, yoga, and running to form the baseline for my performance. That said, my favorite activities are mountain biking and surfing and exercising and investing in mobility is how I can ensure that I maximize my performance on these activities which bring me so much joy and minimize my risk for injury.
What are your favorite Thistle meals, and what is your favorite benefit you gain from the delivery service?
I love Thistle’s take on traditional Asian meals. They are packed with so much flavor and still incredibly good for you. I eat Thistle 5-6 days a week and the biggest benefits are twofold: 1) getting back a ton of time not having to cook or think about meal planning and 2) not sacrificing on having a delicious, craveworthy meal but feeling amazing immediately after eating with no fear of falling into a food coma, typically associated with having a less than healthy meal.
Anything else to add?
Self care is so critically important for both short and long term health and I'm so glad we get to play a small role in the lives of our customers in helping them live higher quality lives.
June marks Men’s Health Month, dedicated to raising awareness about preventable health issues and advocating for early detection and treatment of diseases like cancer, heart disease, and depression. In recognition, our CEO and co-founder Ashwin Cheriyan shares his top tips for staying in tip top shape – from nutrition to exercise and lifestyle habits.
What are your top three, non-negotiable acts of health and wellness you must do every day to feel your best?
- Eat greens to start every meal! Green smoothie for breakfast. Amazing Salad for lunch. Sauteed greens with dinner!
- Spend at least 30 minutes being outside. Go for a hike. Walk the dog. Just get outside for some sunshine!
- Get plenty of sleep. Sleep is the key to productivity, mental clarity, and optimal physical performance.
Coming from a tech startup background, when did you realize taking care of your health was crucial to your performance as a leader?
I realized this quite early because between running an early-stage startup and having a young child, it becomes easy to let sleep and exercise become less of a priority. However, I started to notice an increase in my stress levels manifesting in less patience with my teammates as well as a decrease in the quality of my work as a direct result. This prompted an urgent priority in slowly building the right team around me that allowed me to ensure that I was able to prioritize my own health so I can show up as a better leader for Thistle.
As a father, is it important for your children to see you making healthy choices?
Definitely! The most powerful thing you can do for your children aren’t the things you tell them to do; rather, it is the example you set every minute of every day. I promise they are watching you constantly and these micro-touch points have a disproportionate impact on the behavior of your kids. If you’re drinking sugary soda regularly, it shouldn't surprise you that your kids will gravitate towards those as well.
How often are you exercising weekly, and what are your favorite activities to do?
I try to exercise daily because it can be something as small as going for a 30 minute walk outside. I try to focus on three key areas - strength, endurance, and mobility and try to include weights, yoga, and running to form the baseline for my performance. That said, my favorite activities are mountain biking and surfing and exercising and investing in mobility is how I can ensure that I maximize my performance on these activities which bring me so much joy and minimize my risk for injury.
What are your favorite Thistle meals, and what is your favorite benefit you gain from the delivery service?
I love Thistle’s take on traditional Asian meals. They are packed with so much flavor and still incredibly good for you. I eat Thistle 5-6 days a week and the biggest benefits are twofold: 1) getting back a ton of time not having to cook or think about meal planning and 2) not sacrificing on having a delicious, craveworthy meal but feeling amazing immediately after eating with no fear of falling into a food coma, typically associated with having a less than healthy meal.
Anything else to add?
Self care is so critically important for both short and long term health and I'm so glad we get to play a small role in the lives of our customers in helping them live higher quality lives.
