The Physical Movement, Your Best Self: Time For A Refresh On Building Our Immune System
The Pause Around COVID-19 Should Force Us All to Re-think our Own Health Care.
Well that escalated quickly!
Or maybe it did not.
Maybe we had a few months or years to get our act together and maybe we did not take this seriously enough?
I know it took me a while.
Hopefully, we all find the strength to take the precautions necessary and stay healthy during this difficult time.
One thing is for sure. Once we get a second to calmly think about this, it certainly puts in perspective the importance on our immune system
“It was the best of the times, it was the worst of times” - Charles Dickens
There is a duality here with the corona virus is there not?
Like the conflict of resurrection vs. revolution in Tale of Two Cities, there is the fear of a pandemic, but also a sense of perspective on our health.
Our bodies’ ability to hold off illness.
Our immune system.
It gets beaten down.
· Our food supply quality is not the same quality it was once was. Big business has interfered with our food supply so it is extremely difficult to get all our essential nutrients from food. Pesticides in our food supply is at an all time high, and there is a growth of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease in our western culture.
· Our air quality is not the same as it once was. More than 95 percent of world's population breathe polluted, dangerous air. https://www.dosomething.org/us/facts/11-facts-about-pollutionhttps://www.conserve-energy-future.com/various-pollution-facts.php
· There is an unprecedented level of stress in our culture. 60-80% of primary care doctors visits are related to stress. https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamainternalmedicine/fullarticle/1392494
· Many of us are sleep deprived. 35% of Americans do not get 7 hours of sleep per night. Since 1985, the percentage of adults who get less than 6 hours of sleep has increased by 31%. Sleep deprivation costs the us $411 billion annually. https://www.thegoodbody.com/sleep-statistics/
Half of Japanese in the prime of their life are getting less than 6 hours of sleep per night.
· Exposure to Wifi and Bluetooth
· Grief
I can go on.
It all takes its toll on our immune system.
Weakens it.
Sometimes slowly, sometimes quickly.
A weakened immune system exposes us to illness. Our bodies can not fight off viruses.
Virus. The word of the year so far in 2020!
A virus develops in the air, in food, through stress or other factors.
It battles our immune system.
The weaker our immune system, the higher risk of illness.
The battle to keep our immune system strong takes on a new level of importance.
Does this now become the most important thing for us and our loved ones?
A strong immune system?
Gone are the days when we assume, we have a strong immune system, until the doctor tells us we don’t.
It is now time to look at this the other way around.
We are exposed to so many toxins, it becomes a matter of time before we get sick.
UNLESS.
UNLESS we shift the mindset to one of building our immune system. Proactively.
Drinking filtered water, eating vegetables, minimizing sugar and alcohol, getting our sleep, meditating, and daily exercise become critical in building ourselves up.
Similar to investing for retirement. Building up our body requires us to pay ourselves first, and build up the stores that allow our bodies to fight off the toxins. To increase our chances for good health for as long as possible.
The corona virus has caused so much grief, and panic and fear. It is a legitimate threat to our collective health. It strikes our society at a time when our immune systems are at a very low point. Almost a surprise attack.
But is it?
Is it surprising we are not as healthy as we should be?
Look at the reaction this virus has caused. In North America, in the space of a few weeks, so much has been paralyzed.
I did not even know what social distancing meant a few weeks ago, now it is the word of the day.
The feeling of fear and concern is real.
But have we not been warned of this for years?
The level of obesity rising ?
The level of inactivity?
The level of sleep deprivation and its impact?
Climate change and the toxins released into the atmosphere?
Not much reaction so far.
Maybe this is the event that will cause the movement towards resurrecting a commitment to our collective health.
To refreshing our immune system, and realizing that without our health, we have nothing.
In the 1950’s and 60’s the exercise promoters like Jack Lalanne were considered freaks.
The push for organic food was seen as extreme in the 1990’s.
We rolled our eyes when our mom told us to eat our vegetables.
Sleeping 8-9 hours a night was a sign of being lazy or unmotivated said the productivity people at one point.
Perhaps now, we will be scared into not taking our health for granted. To realizing that we do have some control.
It’s not fancy or sexy, but getting our sleep, our daily physical activity, our vegetables and sources of protein and seeing a professional to make sure your liver is working are not luxuries.
In 2020, they are essentials.
Time for a RE-FRESH on our perspective.