The worth of your health

powerful + quick thoughts on diet and exercise

I find it interesting that as humans, we are really are quite confused on how best to take care of ourselves. In order to understand how true that is, just look outside the window. Is that bird on the branch googling what workout is best for removing menopausal belly fat? Is a an ant hemming and hawing between Paleo, Vegan and Keto diets?

Part of the problem, some say, is that as a species, at one point, our brains developed too quickly for our own good. We came to dominate the earth without rightly or innately understanding ourselves. And that makes for a confused leader. A lioness is stoic in her power because she developed herself over the timespan of approximately 2 million years. She’s chill with who she is. Modern humans developed in just 300,000 years. We are not chill. We are freaked out.

Just take the world of weight-loss. How many different ways can you think of to lose weight. Here’s just a few: weight loss drugs, weight loss surgery, Weight Watchers or the gym. Which would you choose? Other species have exercise wired. They do what’s sensible, minus the guesswork and drama. A lion never has to decide what weight loss plan to do because a lion lives in a natural eco-friendly balance that was learned over millennia. We as a species are far too under-developed to do that. Good news is: we don’t have to be. (Not totally anyway.)

As far as health goes, the world makes it FAR too complex. Instead, make it simple. Eat nutritious and clean. Get adequate sleep, water and exercise. Done.

If there are mental/emotional blocks in the way, get a therapist. If you don’t know how to exercise correctly, get a Personal Trainer. If you don’t know how to eat healthily, get a nutritionist. Done. If you can’t afford those things, get yo’ ass to the local library and start some dedicated research.

Sleep is non negotiable and so is hydration and a healthy diet. But exercise, to me, is empowering! Not only does exercise burn calories, it streamlines the body and wakes it up- by moving our blood and speeding up the detoxing of “trash” in our tissues. Exercise increases “happy” chemicals in the brain, helps us flush out emotional stagnancy and builds muscle and bone density. All of these things contribute to organ health. That’s why people who exercise regularly look healthy - they are healthy!

How about this: when at a loss for how to care for yourself, go for a brisk walk or run. Plant some food in your garden, tend to it, watch it grow. Drink some water. Eat a salad with some protein mixed in. Join the local gym. Get your heart rate up enough to break a sweat. Go to bed early.

The rest of nature keeps things pretty simple. Learn from a flower. Learn from a bird. Learn from your dog. Learn from lettuce seeds. Dive in and learn from yourself. One of my favorite phrases is: the truth is out there. It’s out there (and in there.)

You have to choose to evolve.

When working on your own health, here’s something: get interested in the difference between simple and easy. (Hint, preparing a nutritious meal is simple- that doesn’t mean it’s always easy.)

To me, evolving is like going backwards. Back to our roots. Nature, air, food, water, walk, rest. Is it easy? It’s an interesting question. Another question would be: is it worth it.