The only real way to begin lowering healthcare costs and incidents of disease (particularly in the US) is for each of us to take responsibility for our own health and the health of our families. It sounds simple, but not so in a Western culture where hospitals, overworked doctors, insurance companies, and pharmaceutical companies all claim to know what’s best for our health. Sadly, this imbalance can only happen because we are getting increasingly more ill and so evermore willing to hand over the reigns to what is actually rightfully ours: health and well-being. Here are five foundational ways each of us can take back the reigns to our own sustainable health:
1) Sit down.
Meditation not only calms the mind, lowers heart rate and blood pressure, and reduces anxiety, as proven for centuries and recently in scientific testing; but meditation brings us in tune with our bodies and emotions. We begin to feel the subtle changes of a muscle or a mood as we practice meditation, and this becomes a very accurate scale alerting us when something is out of balance. The human body constantly makes changes in order to maintain homeostasis in all the cell and organ systems. When we tune into our bodies and minds, we can decipher the minute signals being sent to us before they become full-blown colds, migraines, tumors, or disease. We begin to act accordingly to help our body in its balancing process, taking stress off of an already overtaxed system. And the underlying benefit is a renewed relationship to our bodies, one that is based on mutual respect, instead of an incessant fear that it will turn against us at any minute in the form of cancer or heart attack.
To meditate: Sit in a quiet place, in a comfortable straight-backed position. Take a few deep breaths, then settle in to following your breath as it moves in and out through your nose. Do this in whatever way seems most comfortable, either just follow the touch of breath on your upper lip, or the rise and fall of your ribcage, or speak a small sound in mind with each inhale and exhale. “So-hum” is a common one. When you have thoughts, that’s fine. Simply notice the thought and go back to following your breath. This is just to get you started; but set a timer for 5 minutes, 10, whatever you can manage. And try it at your desk, on the train, waiting in a line. It’s a practice that takes on many levels over time and the physical benefits are vast.
2) Subtract and Add.
Discontinue eating sugar and pre-packaged foods. All forms of refined sugar are highly disruptive to the human system. When you eat whole fruit, you are getting the appropriate amount of fiber your body needs to deal with the sugar in that fruit. Fruit juice, high-fructose corn syrup, cane sugar, agave, etc,... exclude these from your diet. Remove ready-made foods, frozen meals, boxed foods, and the other 80% of the grocery store that has been prepared by someone else, from your diet. This is a grand start! Begin adding a variety of fresh vegetables and green leafy ones to your meals. Fresh vegetables and greens from your local farmer’s market are the most rich in vitamins and enzymes. Do what you can. Start by picking up a vegetable at the grocery store that you have never cooked before. Make it a fun thing with your children. Who can find the best recipe for this such-and-such? Subtract and add. These simple beginning steps to better nutrition will speak for themselves. I guarantee you will notice the changes. Especially if you’ve been meditating!
3) Write Along.
Begin a food/mood journal. Just grab a notebook and keep it in your kitchen or at the table. Write down what you eat and what kind of mood you are in. Stop back by later and note how you feel, again note your mood. Do this in whatever manner works easiest for you. If you have children, make it a food/mood drawing pad and let everyone express how they feel. Most of our behaviors and choices, especially food behaviors, are ruled by our moods and few of us are in touch enough with ourselves to realize what’s going on. Here is another place meditation will serve you well. After a period of time, say 3- 6 weeks, if not sooner, you will begin to notice certain patterns. These patterns can reveal many things that only you will properly decipher about yourself, but among them will be emotional eating behaviors, allergies and sensitivities, food addictions, fatigue, etc. You may even notice arthritis or rosacea flareups; these are often exacerbated by certain foods. Food addiction may sound remote, but few of us escape this phenomenon. Whatever food you must have every day, that is probably where your addiction lies. Food addictions tend to cause energetic and behavior disruptions that we are completely unaware of because usually we have become so accustomed to them. Food addictions often align with food allergies and sensitivities, and are a worthy indication of something awry in your bodily system, which may herald a larger health problem down the road.
4) Say Maybe to Drugs.
Doctors are often brilliant and astute caretakers, but do not take your doctor’s word as law. Doctors are consultants on your health journey, not the all-knowing Oz. Always look behind the curtain to see what you’re dealing with. Look into the drug they suggest. Look into the surgery. Find out what are the pros and cons from several sources, not just the pharmaceutical company information list or sites that are sponsored by said companies. Hear from folks who have taken it or done it. And look into alternative therapies. “Alternative medicine” is usually something that has been practiced for centuries somewhere else. And more often now, allopathic medicine includes alternative training. Again, talk to people who have tried it for your similar symptoms. You have to do the research. Then you can make a choice you feel confident in, which is empowering. We are more confident in ourselves and our lives when we execute control over our choices. This reality can singularly increase health and wellbeing in each and every one of us.
5) Remember the Good Times.
Recently a frazzled friend sat bemoaning how busy her life had become and that even when she took an occasional day off, she had no idea what to do with herself. She had no idea what she enjoys, what relaxes her, or how to unplug. To some degree we can all relate to this story or know someone we love who fits the bill. It’s a sad happening in a very amped-up, busy culture. Our socio-economic system expects a lot from each of us and we push ahead to meet the mark. At what cost? Diabetes, heart disease, cancer, auto-immune disease, Alzheimer’s; these are a handful of the issues plaguing us and our families. Am I suggesting that disease is related to lack of joy? Yes, I absolutely am. And I am not alone. Stress-management, physical activity, sunshine (vitamin D), happier relationships, stronger communities, mental stimulation-- these are a few of the side-effects of enjoying life. That means doing some of the things you enjoy on a regular basis. Sit down and make a list of five things you enjoy doing. If you can’t think of any, list five things you enjoyed doing once in your life. Then make time in your week to do it. Take a painting class, join a volley ball league, go bowling, take a walk with a friend, join a knitting circle, research a historic topic that gets your blood burbling. Do something to cultivate the innate joy in you. I’ll warn you, this joy is contagious. Your mom will notice. Your spouse will want to hug you. Your kids will want to ask you questions. And not only do enjoyable activities have health benefits, they also help us keep our priorities in perspective. When we are constantly working or dealing with “things” we become trapped in repetitive mind loops and behaviors that have damaging effects on physical and emotional health, and just downright make life less meaningful. And that’s a shame, because every life has meaning.
This list really offers 5 doors. Doors open to you to take responsibility for your health in a way that runs deeper than discussable here. The discovery is endless and real. The body and the heart likes what is behind these doors, I promise. And if you feel discouraged or stuck, that’s to be expected too! Because real change happens over time, not as quickly as we often demand. Some change happens in a blink, sure; other change takes years. Uncontrollable outside factors do exist that affect our health detrimentally, but plenty of tools also exist within our own grasp that we leave unused. Investment of your time and energy in responsible health belongs only to you. Try it. Teach your children to do it. And be well.
