Well Again Clinic

Inadequate response to demands.

Shane Haingaertner, D.Sc

For most of us this would not be referring to the handle breaking on the garden tool or the worn, flat tire on the car. No, this is directed toward the body. We all experience it. How the body deals with it is of paramount importance.

Over 80% of disease is related to stress. How these detrimental conditions gain a foothold is due to several inadequacies.

Sleep is the time when the body repairs itself from the day’s events. This is physical, with cellular repair and waste elimination, but also mental. The brain requires a mini-vacation every night, both for rest from normal “extra” activities involving conscience thought and for waste elimination, or moving the temporary files into the trash, (the sticky notes of the mind).

It has been said that if we need an alarm clock to get up in the morning, that we are sleep deprived. I cannot argue with that.

Water comprises 80% of the brain. The brain controls all functions. Can it function at the level of demand that is placed upon it without adequate water? No.

Quantity guidelines suggest one half ounce per pound of body weight. One hundred pounds would therefore be fifty ounces.

Quality requires an actual mineral content (pH, alkalinity). Minerals are our spark plugs. If your water does not have spark, you will not either.

Nutrition is what we are rebuilt with. We have all seen a house at varying stages of being built. Concrete, wood, plumbing pipe, electrical wire, etc, all are needed. No one would build or live in a house built with airplane parts or books, yet we continue to put non-nutrient dense food into our bodies and expect that they will run at the performance of a race car for life. Why then are we surprised when they stop working, when the disease comes?

Quality. In first place, vegetables, then proteins (enough to rebuild only, unless you are bodybuilding), fruits, beans/ wild or brown rice, dairy (goat over cow), breads/ grains, nuts (no peanut or cashew), any junk (yes, you do to know what I mean!). As much as can be of the vegetables and fruits should be raw.

Quantity. Maintenance the human machine through small portioned feeding every two to three hours. Three primary meals and two snacks. The brain uses 60% of the body’s blood sugar, keep the level steady. Eat more frequently. Remember, the brain manages our topic, stress, so let’s keep it a bit happier!

Movement. If I said exercise you might quit reading. All Rheumatologists tell their arthritic patients to do one thing above all others, Move!

Progressive exercise is simply, any movement today that is more or different than you did yesterday.

This translates into our topic via an increased production in brain neurotransmitters and natural pain relievers. These enhance our ability to mount a better response to stress when it comes. And it Will come!

Aerobic or cardio, as well as anaerobic or weight bearing, should both be utilized several times each week. Each day would be even better, but do not stress about finding the time. If you miss a day now and again, So What! Just get back on the wagon the next day. I promise that your body will forgive you.

Do not forget, play is movement also. Do you remember how?

Space and Time. Everyone enjoys a bit of alone time occasionally. You know the scene, you, by yourself, doing something you enjoy, for more than five minutes.

This is not to say that getting together with friends is not helpful, however, giving our minds the opportunity to breathe a sigh of relief because no one else is around, does not happen near enough.

Spiritual faith in the Creator. Believing in something bigger than yourself, puts problems into their proper perspective and sets the direction for a course of action which ends unselfishly.

Time for the brain to take a break from the overt demands placed upon it, of the activities which we force it to do, must happen. It already deals with regulation of involuntary systems such as breathing, pumping blood etc.. to gift it with 15 minutes of no voluntary thought each day would be a welcomed Christmas present that will keep giving back in the form of less stress.

Next issue, the medicinal side of this health wrecker.

 Well Again Clinic.com

From the Bugle Newsletter, December 2011

Copyright 2011