In the modern day world of 24 hour news, reporters are quick to jump on a story and often seem to exploit our fears about the future by sensationalizing and exaggerating everything. I’m acutely aware of this when it comes to topics of health.
Our health is our most precious commodity and needs to be taken seriously, so I’m not trying to downplay its importance. I just don’t want people to overreact when it is unnecessary. The reality is that society seems blasé when it comes to the fact that we are getting fatter and sicker from chronic disease every year, but goes into a full blown panic when a cold is going around.
I think we all need to take on a “spotter” approach when it comes to health challenges. If you have ever been weight lifting you know that if you are going to move some heavy weights it is important to have a spotter to help you in case you get to a point that you are unable to handle the weight safely by yourself. Often the spotter only needs to offer a slight amount of help to get the weight safely back in the rack, but sometimes a person becomes overwhelmed by the weight and the spotter is needed to lighten the load. We should take the same approach when we are monitoring our health and that of our families.
Take the time to understand adaptive physiology. What I mean is how the body should react to certain stresses. It is normal and helpful to develop a fever when there is an infection in the body and it usually doesn’t need to be suppressed. Vomiting and diarrhea are often used by the body to eliminate toxins and shouldn’t be suppressed under most conditions. It is only in prolonged cases or when dehydration becomes a concern that we may need to provide some type of intervention.
These are only a couple examples of many that could be used. So again, understand the body and how it reacts to certain stresses and act as a spotter who only intervenes when necessary. In that way, just like someone lifting weights, your body will adapt and get stronger.
If you are unsure of when intervention is necessary, talk to your chiropractor. Chiropractors have a great understanding of adaptive physiology.
