A Balancing Act
Many years ago I sent someone to a well-known doctor who had left his role as a family practitioner in a respected medical establishment. He then opened a private practice that espoused the value of healthy living.
This doctor educated his patients on the dangers of white sugar, the perils of plastic, and the health hazards intrinsic to a traditional, American diet. He warned against painkillers and antibiotics. He was full of good information that was backed up with a MD after his name and many years of practice.
My friend came back in tears. She was petrified. The doctor had terrified her and she now felt guilty for all of the missteps she had taken out of ignorance. She was full of fears about the damage she had done and how it would effect her future health.
When she called me in a panic, I felt horrible. I was just trying to help her get some guidance to move in a more informed direction with her health. Oops.
We got together and reassessed the information that she had been given. Yes, it was all true and relevant. Yes, it was fairly easy to implement, but there was one huge component of his information that was going to hijack her health.
Stress. Healthy food, exercise, mindfulness, and fulfilling relationships won't be nearly as beneficial or enjoyable if we stress about them or feel guilty about past decisions. So before we do a complete health overhaul, clean out the pantry, and chuck the junk food, lets remember that wherever we are in our health is a great place to start moving forward from. Let's move ahead calmly and completely without panic and obsession. If we have setbacks , confine them to that moment, and move forward knowing that one decision does not define us.
What does your personal balance look like?
Let me give you a glimpse at my health priorities. Flashback to last summer. "HaChofesh HaGadol" (aka summer vacation in Israel), was in full swing and my attention was on having a fun summer with my kiddies. I hadn't had as much time to get to the shuk too regularly but I managed to keep my kitchen pretty well stocked with deliveries from my fruit/veggie supplier and my meat guy.
That is until week three. Then I abandoned all sense of order and healthy eating and started serving nachos and smoothies for breakfast and ordering pizza for dinner. I bought a giant, unending box of igloos and liberally dispersed them to my children. If I put enough butter on the pasta does the butter count as a fat and a protein?
What was this? Was I going off the deep end? Nope. It's summer schedule. My kids are home and I am realistic. I am for WHOLE health. That means physical, mental, and spiritual. I know that sometimes there are breaks in routine and that with a strong base to return to, these breaks are temporary, and even enjoyable.
After a week of chilling out about food (Wacky Mac anyone?), my kids were begging me for their regular fare. I restocked at the Natural Choice and ordered a giant box of fruits and veggies.
There is a ton of health information out there. I could spend the next year just expounding on the dangers of corn or wheat or fake olive oil or salmon contaminated from the Japanese nuclear plant explosion. I could make your head spin with facts and statistics. Would that make you a healthier person? No. I'd probably just overwhelm you and make good health seem like an insurmountable challenge. I'd probably start eating Wacky Mac for breakfast out of pure confusion.
This is about a health journey. It's a marathon, not a sprint. Pace yourself and ask me questions. I'm here to filter out what's relevant, cross-reference it with all that random stuff that's stored in my head, and then disperse it in a way that makes it feel manageable. This might be stuff you know. I am not saying anything new. Just think of me as a little post-it note reminding you of how you've been wanting to live. I'll give you the best, most balanced info I've got. Follow me on Instagram @nomiknowshealth for daily health inspiration.
#heatlh #alternativemedicine #organic #doctor #painkillers #whitesugar #whiteflour #healthpriorities #wholehealth #mentalhealth #spiritualhealth #Emunah #Rambam