“The keenest sorrow is to recognize ourselves as the sole cause of all our adversities.”
Sophocles
We are responsible for our health. Consciously or unconsciously, we make choices every day that determine how we feel, how we think, how much energy we have, and how long are we will live and how healthy a life we will have.
An unhealthy diet and physical inactivity are major causes of chronic diseases. Smoking, drinking, drug use, working too much, overeating, and creating chaos in our lives are all ways of avoiding being present and experiencing the wisdom of our bodies.
Our bodies are the most sophisticated piece of equipment on the planet. Yet, most of us work very hard to ignore the monitoring and warning systems so elegantly designed through millions of years of evolution.
The evidence of our neglect is overwhelming. In the United States:
· Obesity is up 166% since 1990
· Diabetes is up 148%
· Ranks 34th in life expectancy
America’s overall health statistics are embarrassing and more like that of a third world nation, although we spend much more than any other country on healthcare. See the following link for details: US HealthRankings Japan has the longest life expectancy and much better overall health even though we spend twice as much per person for healthcare
Who teaches you what healthy is? How do you determine what are the right foods to eat, exercise routines, spiritual practices? Where do you go to find out what the best science is saying about healthy living, longevity, and optimizing your current health? Who teaches you how to be your healthiest best self?
When was that last time you looked at your core beliefs about life? Why do you believe what you believe? Are they your beliefs, or have you inherited them from your family, spiritual tradition, culture? Is it all working together for your optimum health?