Improving ones health is obviously one of the most important things one can do.
As positive as this can be, there is also a very dark and negative side as well.
This journey can become dark and gloomy rather quickly when we begin to dig deeper and deeper. Rather than digging and finding the "health gold" we are seeking, we find obsession, disappointment and often times classic cases of addiction.
By addiction, I am speaking of the person that is constantly seeking more (or what I call unreasonable cause).
They can not accept weight gain as the result of bad or late night eating- it must be a metabolic disorder. Perhaps the individual that has fatigue from working 15hrs per day claiming they have an adrenal issue. Or, the person that is on their phone most of the day claiming they have anxiety issues as a result of hormonal change.
It is hard to think of improving ones "health" leading to addiction.
This journey to addiction often starts as a general inquiry, "How can I improve my health? I am looking to lose weight, improve my digestion, reduce bloating, improve energy, reduce anxiety, find the optimal diet and holistic doctor since I no longer trust modern medicine or my current plan."
For all of those who have achieved better health going on a deep dive, kudos to you.
But, more and more I have been seeing clients that have been sharing stories of utter disappointment and confusion after being pulled into the vortex of "holistic/ alternative" solutions and practices that lead to more and more supplements, "reasons why", visits and enabled behavior.
The client when all is said and done has gone so far away from baseline that they no longer know what to eat, the best mode of exercise for them and how they are going to fit their "day job" into all of their routines, cleanses, detoxes and practices.
I am a believer in many types of treatment, both Eastern and Western since there is value in a balance between both. I am also a deep believer that your psychology can be the greatest detriment to your overall health- and this often times goes overlooked by both sides.
The above is definitely a white collar problem but it needs to be addressed nonetheless.
We need to give permission to people to hit the brakes on their constant "search" and begin to trust their own intuition on their health as well.
The business of "holistic" healthcare has some tremendous benefits when one can find practitioners that have the experience, passion and genuineness- as well as the ability to control the wondering mind of the patient.
What I have seen in my journey is that many practitioners condemn the practice of others in order to drive their own personal business and credibility. Ofter time speaking highly of the practices they prefer personally and speaking negatively of those they either dislike or do not have much experience with.
When it comes to health, it is actually more simple than most claim. We have been studying the body since the times of Hippocrates and if we followed his path, we would be in a different place medically today.
Some of his famous sayings include:
-Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food.
-Make a habit of two things: to help; or at least to do no harm.
-Walking is man's best medicine.
-Wherever the art of medicine is loved, there is also a love of humanity.
-It is more important to know what sort of person has a disease than to know what sort of disease a person has.
-Healing is a matter of time, but it is sometimes also a matter of opportunity.
-Natural forces within us are the true healers of disease.
In my field of physical medicine, I am amazed at how many physical conditions are treated with drugs and unnecessary surgeries to remedy pain. Often times the pain is traced back to tight tissue and postural distortion.
In summary to today's writing, the message comes down to this: KEEP IT SIMPLE & DON'T OVER-STRESS TRYING TO FIND SOLUTIONS.
Like many other times in life, the more you stress, the more you seek and the less you may find. Think logically, realizing that it all comes back to physical activity, healthy/nutritious/ balanced eating and stress-free relaxation.
Let's follow the words of Hippocrates, "Everything in excess is opposed to nature."
