People often say "Im in good shape" or "I feel great" but they don't notice there superficial symptoms of poor health until its to late. They get so use to 80% health/function that it becomes the new normal. They don't even realize that there is another 20% better then they can feel. As I like to say "They accept 60% as their new 100%". Then once they get to 50% health and something bad happens they are shocked that something so big could have happened so quickly even though the problem was right in front of their face for years they just didn't know how to listen to there body.
So many people choose to look at any disease through a one sided view point, and this really doesn't help there case. Because the view is limited, most often in western medicine things are looked at through diet, exercise and medication. In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) things are looked at through Qi (chi), Wei qi, meridian flow, 5 element theory and some other perspectives I will save for another blog post. This TCM perspective is a little more well rounded but typically isn't fast enough for most westerners, who are not willing to drink teas for months and receive acupuncture. Westerners would prefer to take their medication and continue ignoring there symptoms so they can live there life as normal as possible. They cannot be in inconvenienced by going to see an acupuncturist or a herbalist.
In the last 10 years the study of Epigenetics has grown significantly along with better understanding the gut brain and the microbiome. Epigenetics is how your DNA interacts with your environment. For example if you live in a high stress environment some "markers" (I picture them as light brights from the popular 1990's game) on your DNA either light up or turn off. instead of staying in their natural position. After enough of these markers have been light due to stress your body would start to show superficial signs of poor health ie: balding, weight gain, poor diet choices.. After these set in effect and you continue to ignore your symptoms then bigger problems start to arise ie: Cancer, autoimmune disorders..
Many people having been using epigenetics to change their lives for the better over the years with out knowing. They start a new lifestyle diet or exercise program, end a toxic relationship, change jobs or move. After these changes take place and the interaction of there DNA and their environment changes these markers that were previously lit can turn back off and their health returns to normal or they start to regain health they forgotten that they had to begin with.
Diet can be another big factor contributing to people accepting 60% as their new 100%, For example picture a young farmer who worked long, hard hours his entire life and was raised moistly on meat, eggs and processed grains. He may have been strong as an OX when he was younger but as he's gotten older his health really deteriorates. If ANYBODY tries to tell him that his diet could be a contributing factor he will say "Ive eaten this way my whole life, and I was strong as an OX when I was younger". What he fails to see is that he may have been strong as an OX, but he could have been stronger! He accepeted 60% as his new 100% and kept working his but off, ignoring symptoms until they became to serious. The farmer is far to old and close minded to change his diet now, so he will take his pills and continue to live is life ignoring the true cause of his problems.
Take a moment as ask your self "Am I really healthy"
Are your nails brittle?
Have you lost some hair?
Dark bags under your eyes that don't go away, no matter how much rest you get?
Are you could all the time?
These are signs of your Body trying to speak to you, you just need to listen.
Until next time,