A client of mine asked an interesting question one day.
She had been feeling ill and dealing with the question of what was wrong. She asked me, “What is the point of trying to eat healthy food, exercising regularly, and generally living a good life if I get ill anyway?”
My answer to her was, “There are no guarantees in life.” We can live as well as we can, and at any given moment we may still get some horrible illness. I have known people who appeared to be models for healthy lifestyles and they still died of cancer.
There is no real way to know who will get ill and who won’t. As much as we are told that certain things are guaranteed to cause us illness or good health, there are always exceptions. I have clients in their 80s who are still heavy smokers and yet they haven’t gotten lung problems or cancer from it.
What determines who gets sick?
Our susceptibility to germs is related to our genetics, our energy levels, our stresses, our lifestyle, and our emotions. Some illness factors you have control over, and others you don’t. The important thing is to do what you can to work towards having the odds in your favor.
Wouldn’t you want to give yourself the best possible chance for a good life? Why bother with your health if there is no guarantee? Here are 3 important reasons:
- Preventive medicine does work at reducing your health risks. Countless studies show the benefits of eating well, exercising, managing stress, and taking screening exams.
- Taking care of your body will help you feel better. When you are sick, don’t you feel less positive and crankier? Working towards maintaining your optimum health will help you love yourself and your life more.
- Perhaps most importantly, our bodies are the house of our spirit. Through learning to listen to our bodies, we achieve not only health, but a more peaceful connection to life itself.
Read more posts by Shiroko Sokitch, MD, JenningsWire blogger.
