Over the years, I’ve been rebuilding myself. As I make improvements, I can’t help but think of the old TV show, The Bionic Woman. The major difference between my transformation and Jamie Sommers (Lindsay Wagner’s Bionic Woman character) is I’m rebuilding myself using nutrition while she used high-end metals and technology. Although she was superhuman and infinitely stronger than I am, I bet my healing time is a lot quicker than hers.
Just think about it. The common belief (although it’s not true) is that the body renews itself every 7 years. If it were true, that would mean what you put in your mouth today will benefit you 7 years from now. Actually, it’s more like, what you put in your mouth today will benefit you later on in the day or tomorrow and for however long you continue to eat in a nourishing way.
A Long Health Journey
I started my health transformation many years ago. Back in 2012, I really got serious. I have to say that I feel better today than I felt 10 years ago. My energy level is up, my aches and pains are minimal, my allergies are past tense, my hands have softened, my skin feels great, my hair (although greying) is healthy, my vision…well my vision…I can read with the assistance of glasses but otherwise have good vision.
I can hear, smell and taste. This may sound silly to you especially if you’re young, but some more mature folks begin to lose the sense of smell, taste, hearing and vision (not to mention sense of humor).
No high blood pressure, no diabetes, no arthritis that I know of. I feel fortunate. I was blessed with good genes, but I was blessed even more with discernment (discernment is a learned skill, not a natural-born skill).
Don’t get me wrong, I still have occasional aches and pains, but thanks to the Internet and discernment, I’ve been able to separate the chaff (advertisers) from the wheat (science-based healing) to discern what truly heals and what is a gimmick. Doing the research instead of listening to what “they say” leads to a better outcome.
The Slippery Slope of Advertising
Discerning the truth isn’t so easy when advertisers do such a good job of creating the illusion that your life needs their products. That coupled with the fact that sickness is a lucrative business (just ask any pharmaceutical company) makes it difficult for the average person to discern what is true.
If you’re one of the lucky ones and realize you’re being bamboozled, you then face an uphill battle. The battle is not only finding your own truth but also wading through the sea of negative naysayers who have yet to see the light (they’ll think you’re nuts or weird).
As if that weren’t difficult enough, I’ve found that discerning the truth on one item leads to further questions and discernment on other items. Over time you’ll realize that most of what is advertised at us isn’t true at all.
BTW, when you start down the path of truth-seeking, be forewarned that your very foundation will be rocked to the core. Until you become secure in your truths, you’ll have a hard road to travel (trust me, I know from experience).
Purpose of this Post?
It’s never too late. I don’t care what age you are, you can start building a better body today. If you already had M&Ms washed down with a Pepsi for breakfast, that’s ok. Make better choices for lunch. Instead of M&Ms and Pepsi, why not try a high-quality chocolate (not milk chocolate) with raw almonds or cashews and wash it down with a glass of water instead? Still not ideal, but an improvement.
Or, if you insist on M&Ms and Pepsi for breakfast, why not try eating a healthy lunch. You can have a crappy dinner if you choose, but eating one good meal a day is better than none. As you get used to one good meal a day, try having a half crappy and half healthy dinner. You get my drift, don’t you? Take small steps. The road to health isn’t a sprint, it’s a marathon. Take your time, experiment, and go with what works for you.
Make Changes When Necessary
As you travel down the health journey, you’ll find that what worked for you at the beginning of the journey is not as effective a year or so down the line. Realize that and make changes. Don’t hold onto dogma.
There are many ways to achieve good health. What works for me may not work for you (bio-individuality). Just don’t be afraid to experiment.
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Hello Felicia,
I enjoyed reading this post, and let me add that I agreed with every word you wrote. Like you, I, too, have been on a health journey for years.
Your reference to those who enjoy indulging in a breakfast of “M&Ms washed down with a Pepsi” turned my stomach. Yuck! This 73-years-young is more of a cup of coffee and banana nut muffin kind of young senior. Sometimes I’ll switch up and have in addition to my daily coffee, oatmeal, and a few slices of bacon or sausage (I have significantly cut back on my meat consumption for breakfast and dinner).
Regular exercise is important to me. It is as essential in my life as brushing my teeth (and unlike some people in my age group, my teeth are my own). I learned long ago from my mother the importance of taking care of our teeth. When mom died at age 87, she had a mouthful of (her own) beautiful white teeth.
Like you, I have no high blood pressure and no diabetes. Arthur (arthritis) occasionally visits me, but I treat it like an uninvited houseguest and give it the cold shoulder or, in my case, the cold (pack on the) knee.
As you said, “it’s never too late” for us to focus on cultivating good health. Thanks for another excellent post.
It’s so good to hear from other “mature” folks who take health seriously. It saddens me to see folks in our age group suffer the consequences of poor choices. I think that’s why I enjoy hanging with my young grandkids so much. Their energy is contagious.
I agree with you that exercise is important. It becomes more important as we age. Although I don’t go to the gym, I do scrub floors on my hands and knees, lift heavy bundles of wood, shovel in the winter (I’m poetry in motion) and garden in the summer. Such activity allows me to run, play and sit on the floor with my little guys.
Your routine and dedication to health is music to my ears. I wish more folks thought like you.