Health information is everywhere.
We want to remain youthful and strong and if this means reading the latest studies, we’ll do it—we want to know. We read magazines, watch the news, talk to our doctor and even memorize a few statistics so we can share them with our friends.
We’re information junkies and we came by it honestly. Information streams to us now from more sources than ever before in history. We’re bombarded. We store data about vitamins from magazines, tips on cooking light from the food network, yoga postures we learned at the gym, perfect running form from the latest book and numerous how-to videos from YouTube, in various parts of the cortex in the brain. It is then “ours” to process, consider and use…or not use.
Learning new facts and details might improve memory, but not the body. Understanding our own body, discovering what is beneficial to our own DNA and the gene pool we stepped out of is our personally unique and subjective responsibility. Healing and renewal lie beyond learning. It lies in practice.
When we listen to the language of our own body, feel on a deep level, and turn our habits towards practices that bring energy and promote peace of mind, we begin to take charge.
Our bodies speak to us every minute of every day—whether it’s indigestion, a slight headache, feeling clear and creative in the mind, joyful for no reason, joint pain or allergies—it’s all information that is personally our own.
Pain and discomfort are messages from the body. Think of them as text message warning sounds. A little “ba-ding” and you know there is a message–only there is nothing to read, but certainly a message to understand.
Trying to find the cause might be simple or it may require some investigation. Get a notepad, call it your body journal, keep it handy and don’t use it for anything else. Write down the type of discomfort, the dates and time it came about. Record your activities and what you ate/drank 48 hours previously. You might be reacting to a substance you routinely take in to the body. Uncovering the culprit could save you years of discomfort and illness. Discovering what has brought on unwanted conditions in the body puts you in the drivers seat–you become the manager of your long-term health. But it takes intention and paying attention, connecting the dots.
For example, if acid reflux is becoming a routine occurrence, it’s time to look at what you are eating and in what combinations. Acid reflux is food related (as most suffering and disease is) and usually can be resolved with food combining and diet choice. As you write it down, you may begin to see a pattern. As you change your habits, record that too. Over time, you may have critical life-saving information, very personally your own.
When we adjust our choices according to this personal information—the body responds with exponential perks. But it means we need to get out of our heads, resist “collecting” information and move beyond using the brain for a storage locker. It takes courage to listen, consider, ponder and feel. That’s where the real answers are–and the benefits are oh, so worth it. Living day to day in the intuitive flow of self-mastery is more than living well, it is the holy practice of thriving.
Read more posts by Loa Blasucci , sports nutritionist.
