Proactive Health

Most doctors will ask when you first noticed the symptoms of whatever ailment you're trying to heal, but very few of them ask what was going on before you noticed symptoms. There is always an element of unpredictability in illness, almost always for injuries/accidents, but nevertheless these situations did not come out of the nowhere into our reality. They developed because of some imbalance or disharmony ongoing prior to the symptoms or from an environment in which you were inadvertently exposed to the infecting bug.

Unlike many doctors, I have lots of clients who do look backwards, try to trace the sequence that lead to the malady. They'll say, "I stayed with friends in NYC who have small children. Both kids were sick. No wonder I have this cold!" Or they'll say, "This swollen knee makes sense, actually. I shouldn't have tried to play volleyball straightaway after getting off a 6 hour plane ride. Should have stretched first."

Sometimes there's no way to determine from where an ailment or injury came, but it's well worth looking for a initiating cause anyway, whenever you can.

In addition to the reality of living in a body made of flesh and blood, hence perishable and rather fragile in certain ways, there are also psychic and spiritual patterns that precede illness, even injury. Feelings of sadness, depression, a lack of inspiration, insomnia or stress arising from conflicts at work or home, often lay the foundation for illness. The way people newly in love are giddy can make them so dizzy they behave erratically, I mean jaywalk and such.

These conditions reduce immune response, hence any wandering virus has a better chance of taking hold. Sleep deprivation and stress damages the ability to make sane decisions and judgments. On your bike, you may run that red light because you're too tired to stop, then get going again. Or you might run it because you're blissed out, or worrying about a problem, distracted.

I could go on, but you get the idea, I'm sure.

How about today? How are you feeling? How did you sleep last night? Do you plan to eat delicious and nutritious meals today, drink plenty of water? Are you breathing? C'mon.

What will you do to inspire your mind/heart? If you live in Washington DC, today is a great day to take a walk. Blow off work early and wander, look at the sky and the trees that are vibrating with life force. You didn't get any snow days over the winter, might as well take a sun day today. Let the rays of the sun bathe your face and arms for a few minutes, get some Vitamin D. Smile, sing out loud. In springtime, no one cares.

Set in motion patterns that will create the foundation for good health and well being, yes? I say yes.

Shalom.