Turning back the tide

 

 

To see it in action, all you need to do is stand outside your local Chemist, watching the comings and goings. Particularly, how many people – of all ages – are leaving with prescription bags or, in many cases, carrier bags. 

 

Alternatively, do a quick straw poll of family and friends. You may be surprised by how many of them are taking at least one prescription medication – and often many more – and this just doesn’t apply to the older generation… 

 

You may also notice – perhaps for the first time – how many conversations seem to centre around people’s health concerns, hospital appointments and medications. 

 

Put another, it seems as though illness has become the norm… 

 

Rather than repeat what we said in 2016, you can find it here. 

 

What makes us particularly sad is that this approach overlooks a simple truth. Our bodies are incredibly resilient, intelligent and want to be well. Put another way, vibrant good health is our natural state. And you may want to read that last sentence a few times to really let it sink in. 

 

We just have to learn to listen to our bodies, take any hints they may be giving us – also known as symptoms (!) – and give them what they need to be able to heal. It really is that simple. For a quick reminder about the miracle that is the human body, click here. 

The good news is there are ALWAYS things we can do to help our bodies heal, often in a remarkably short time. 

 

Unfortunately, the bad news is we seem to prefer a “quick fix” in all parts of our lives, not just health concerns. Wanting the maximum benefit with the minimum effort, particularly if it involves taking a look at what’s happening in our lives and making the necessary changes to address it. And that’s an objective observation of human behaviour, rather than a criticism. Yes, really! 

 

This makes it easy to see why taking “a little pill” – or two (!) – is such an attractive option. The “problem” is solved – for the short term at least – and we can continue doing all the things we’ve always done. Turn a blind eye to the unpalatable truth that our daily habits have played a part – if not directly caused – the “problem” in the first place. And, in all likelihood, will probably lead to many more “problems” in the future. 

 

If you want to see this in action, look no further than the sky rocketing rates of Lifestyle Diseases. And the clue is in the name, “lifestyle.” The choices we make every day, usually without ever thinking about them. Diabetes. Obesity. Heart Disease. High Blood Pressure. Cholesterol. 

 

Then there are all the other effects of other poor lifestyle choices which directly – or indirectly – contribute to a myriad of health “problems.” Smoking – and that includes “safer” e cigarettes – alcohol, drugs – legal and otherwise (!), a lack of exercise, poor sleep and the like. 

 

Which brings us back to the start of the last blog post and the end of every post. 

 

The choice is yours. 

 

However much we may not like to admit it, we’re the only ones in charge of our lives. The choices we make are ours and ours alone. As are the effects, short term and long term. For good and ill. And, yes, we chose that word deliberately! 

 

Giving our bodies what they need to function at their best – and this will vary hugely from person to person – is down to each of us and the choices we make every day. We just have to be willing to take a look at our lives and be open to the possibility that all those little things we do every day – usually without ever thinking about them – have all played a part. 

 

It’s all the things we talk about regularly in this blog, with the emphasis on making small incremental changes which quickly build up into something much bigger. Even better, they don’t just help with one particular health concern, they’ll help improve our overall health too. 

 

As always, the choice is yours.