I’m back. I just got over a nasty stomach virus that put me on my back for almost three days. I was only able to get down two pieces of toast with honey in those three days, spending all of my time in bed. Lying there, with plenty of time to think, I was reassured by the fact that I would eventually get better-very comforting. But, what if I had an illness that I came down with in which I didn’t get better? And this illness was the result of lifestyle choices; not exercising, not eating right, not dealing with stress properly? And,more importantly, I had held the remedy/preventative strategy that would have helped me in the first place? How do you think I would feel? Probably that I would like a do-over. Sometimes you don’t get that chance. When I get sick (not very often), I am so overjoyed when I recover that I vow to do everything in my power to stay healthy. That usually lasts for a few days, until I take things for granted. Folks, you can’t take things for granted, especially your own health. Life, as George Carlin said, is a one-way ticket. A good friend of mine sent me some approaches to life attributed to George-the one that really resonated with me was “if you have good health, protect it, if it’s not so good, work on it, and if it is poor, find help to deal with it”. AMEN
Speaking of stress, new research shows the positive stress of exercise prepares cells and structures and pathways within the brain so that they’re more prepared and equipped to handle stress in other forms. What’s amazing to me is that a form of physical stress (exercise) prepares you to handle the stress in the realm of psychological stress. Researchers aren’t quite sure why, but they are on the trail, and so am I.
Stay well, John R. Blilie, M.S.