“Listen to your body when it whispers, so you don’t have to hear it scream.”
Many people sail through their lives without paying much attention to the most miraculous gift they’ve ever been given – their body. Each of us gets one, but what do we do with it, and how can we learn to be more aware and support it so it can work for us longer and better?
Your body gives you clues that can guide your focus to important aspects of how it’s functioning – your weight, your ease in breathing, your ability to digest your food, how well you sleep and how refreshed you feel when you wake up, and many other simple observations can give you valuable feedback about your health and the condition of your body parts.
For example, if you (or someone you care about) are tired, parched when you wake up, prone to minor headaches, or if you find that you are not as regular as you could be in the bathroom, it may be as simple as increasing your water intake – these are signs of dehydration. Could they relate to more serious conditions? They could, but try some water first, about eight glasses a day or more, and see if that helps.
If you (or those you care about) find that you are putting on weight, you may need to watch the quality and quantity of your food intake or exercise more If are eating well and exercising but still gaining weight, you may need to consult some wellness professionals to find out how you could reset your habits so they work better for you. You may need to combine your foods differently or change your exercise routine. Stress hormones can also contribute to insidious weight gain, so finding better ways to manage that can be necessary.
Body Awareness
If you (or someone you care about) experiences stiffness, pain, muscle spasms, or trouble moving from one position to another, it often means that muscles, joints, and nerves are not working together as they should. This can cause increased pain, inflammation, and general stress in your body and brain. Chiropractic care can help you improve your joint motion and mobility, which then allows those joints and muscles to strengthen and heal.
In a more extreme situation, where the signals that come from the body are ignored or masked with medications, the body has to “turn up the volume” on such notifications. Eventually, this can lead to more severe symptoms, and even acute and chronic injuries and damage. At this point, more radical intervention and treatment is often required, at greater effort and greater expense.
Being aware of what’s going on with your body takes a little practice to know what to look for, but it can save you tremendous unnecessary suffering and considerable expense by paying attention to what your body is trying to tell you and taking action early. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure — that’s why smart healthcare consumers make sure that they and their families get periodic checkups to address any deviations from normal health before they get too unpleasant or destructive.
If you wear out your body, where will you live? Take care of yourself, it’s worth it.