By Adrienne McLaughlin, NTP
Hello everyone!
I’m writing today about health…what it is and what it is not. I think it is hard to know in this day and age whether or not we are truly healthy. We are led to believe through drug advertisements (both over the counter and prescription drug ads), that if something ails us…there is a pill we can take to make it better. We come to believe that certain discomforts (both physical and mental), are normal and part of growing older. We learn to live with aches and pains and accept them as part of being human. I think we actually forget that we are meant to feel full of vitality and in emotional and physical balance. So what exactly is true health? True health might look like this…You wake up in the morning and you feel mentally calm and happy. You’ve slept well and feel refreshed. You get out of bed and your nose isn’t stuffy and your back doesn’t ache. You feel genuinely excited for the day ahead, even if you know it will be full of challenges. As you move through your day you feel a steady stream of energy. You feel focused. You eat your meals and digest them well and you don’t notice any fatigue, bloating or gas afterwards. You eliminate easily and completely. Your mood is steady and you feel a sense of purpose. Your partner and loved ones would seem interesting to you. At the end of the day you would grow tired and when you went to bed you would drift into a deep sleep easily and effortlessly.
This may seem like a dream world to most of us and totally unrealistic but it could be something to strive for and is attainable.
Take some time to think about what healthy would feel like to you. Ask yourself if you are as healthy as you’d like to be.
If not, maybe you can make some small changes in your life that will move you in this direction.
Some ideas….skip coffee after 1:00 p.m. for better sleep. Try and eat your last meal two hours before you go to bed. Go to sleep in a dark room, free of any light even if you need to wear a sleep mask (I’m personally addicted to mine). Try and go to bed around the same time every night. Give yourself the right amount of hours to sleep….for some it’s only six while others need nine. Eat foods that agree with your body and that are wholesome and properly prepared. Take time to sit and eat and chew. Take time for a little exercise every day….a walk, a run, a class, whatever. Love the people in your life and give them your full attention…be in the moment. Take supplements that fill in the gaps and make sure they are of high quality. I firmly believe that we can no longer get all of the nutrients we need from our food and that good supplementation is a necessity. Get help for any issue emotional or physical that feels out of your control.
Check in with yourself periodically and decide what is working in your life and what isn’t and take steps toward creating the life you dream for.
One of my favorite quotes that I have saved and looked at for many years is from Norman Vincent Peale and it goes like this, “Hold an image of the life you want, and that image will become fact”.
I believe this to be true in both our health and our happiness.
Adrienne McLaughlin, NTP
Classic Health Inc.
To learn more about Registerd Dietitian Consultations at Seattle’s Tummy Temple or to schedule an appointment please call (206)729-6211.
