Instrument or Ornament?
We all are "special instruments, for special purposes, to be refined and useful to God, to be prepared to do any good work."
Healthy Is Not how we Feel;
Healthy is the body's ability to Heal.
"I Have To"
Physical health is one of the most difficult for me to manage. I often feel defeated by my bad habits. My goal is to be at a certain weight, with certain strength, and to condition my habits to meet those goals so I can be useful. I ultimately want the energy to role around the floor with my kids and ultimately my grandkids for the rest of my life. I want to save money and not give any more than necessary funds to health insurance companies or inflated healthcare costs. I want to have a healthy gut, spine, mind, joints, bones, teeth, heart, and organs so I can live as long as I can in my home.
I am working more diligently lately. On November 28, 2020, I visited my friend Ron who would later pass away within a month. He was and still is an inspiration to me in my work. As I was within him, I wrote on the top of my notebook "I Have To". Ron and I could talk about anything. He squeezed my arm and said, "Oh, you are beefing up a little bit." (He couldn't see). When I described to him my self-perception, he said, "Ouch, harsh words, you'll solve it, be kind to yourself." The words "I Have To", I feel like was a declaration from God, a conviction, a flag in the ground, that I will live out the energy-focused intentions verbalized above. I pray I do. Below are 5 pillars of physical health, both my intentions and shortcomings.
Nutrition
This is what I do. Keto. Mostly eat from the outside edge of the grocery store. No sugars beyond fruit. Little Alcohol. Lots of healthy nutritious fats; coconut oil, coconut milk, nuts, avocado, eggs, beef. Farmer's market whenever I can. Beef and eggs come from farms. Raise vegetables to connect to soil's micro-nutrients. Try not to over eat, especially at night. Grass-fed butter in the morning with coffee. Teas, supplements, and anti-inflammatory spices as additives and flavors. Loosen up on weekends.
Movement
So much body of research. This is what I do. I never found a good rhythm of working my body until I dedicated to doing 10 push-ups a day for a whole year. As soon as I did that, something clicked in my head, heart, and habits. I bought a Power Tower and an old tractor tire off of facebook marketplace and I finally hit my stride. I work out my muscles that build strength and posture, I continue to burn throughout the day, and I run sprints and HIIT workouts to workout my heart. It's hard for me to keep going.
Spine
The central nervous system is the communication highway of the body. When communication breaks down and electricity isn't flowing the ability to heal slows. Resources to heal aren't sent to repair, restore, maintain, or quicken healing. A healthy spine is both preventative of cancer and other ailments, and proactive in providing longevity of healing power throughout a lifetime. I get assessed and adjusted 1-2 times a month to open up any traffic jams.
Sleep/Rest
Good sleep restores and elongates our life, both in the daily quality and the life-time longevity. We have a turn-down rhythm before bed, sleep in the dark and cold, use warm lighting to see at night, and purify the air. Still learning and applying more.
