What should my first bog post ever be about, what should my first blog post be about….In a few weeks, many will be making New Year’s resolutions and health related resolutions are often high up on the list.
When it comes to health, there is no shortage of information out there. One could argue that in so many ways people know more about nutrition, exercise and how to live a healthy life then then ever have before. Any topic we think of, we can look up on our smart phones and our access to information is limitless. So how come that most of us don’t exactly feel very healthy. I mean we kind of know what we should and should not be doing. Yes, there might be a lot of confusing information and guidance but in general we know…. and yet majority of us do not jump out of bed before the alarm goes off, filled with energy. Instead we rely on vast amounts of over the counter medications and “cures” for all of our inconvenient health glitches.
I think that in order to achieve optimal health – by optimal I mean rock start awesome, not just “your blood tests are normal” standards- it simply has to be important to us. It has to be more important than other things, it has to be important enough to peak our curiosity, to pay attention. We have to first notice that we are bloated because we have not gone #2 for three days, that we have had to take Nyquil every night last week and still barely got any sleep or that the only way we can stop our body from aching is by arming it with some ibuprofen.
Then when we start noticing, we have to realize that none of the above or any of the other minor health glitches we are experiencing are normal. Instead our genius body is trying really hard to send us signals: hello, my adrenals are shot that is why you are so tired in the morning; you are torturing me with dairy that I simply cannot digest so don’t be mad about your breakouts; if you only stopped staring are your phone screen for 18 hours a day, maybe we both could get some sleep – hello, is anyone listening?
I feel so much compassion for my skin care clients who come in for guidance with skin challenges. As we start talking, we discover the challenges they face – excessive facial hair growth, adult acne, melasma, rosacea and so on. I cannot even tell you how often they tell me: “I feel like something is not quite right – my hormones are out of whack; my digestion is off etc. but I went to my doctor and he/she told me that everything is ok.” First, I want to pull my hair out and I want to yell at somebody on their behalf. Then I remember to congratulate them for noticing that something is off and encourage them to perhaps see another health care professional, one that will partner with them and not dismiss their input.
So make a resolution to make your health important, make it matter to you. Pay attention and then fight for it. Don’t let your minor inconvenient health glitches become a massive health crisis, you have so much control! I feel so grateful for advances of medicine that put me back together after basketball injuries or car accidents but I do not believe for a second that it is my doctor’s responsibility to keep me healthy. It is up to me to learn and live my life in a way that keeps me feeling good. Until you truly embrace this idea, you will continue having to ask Alexa for the latest diet or exercise fads that generally move you even further from optimal health. So be courageous and put your health first and you know what, do not even wait until January – start now. I am off to a walk with our hounds.
Our 15 year old husky newfie mix taking a break on our walk
