What’s Your Reserve?

A QUICK THOUGHT I am sharing (please discuss with your kids or a kid you care about as appropriate).

When was the last time you took something for granted, and it worked out well?

In the words of Cynthia Ozick – “We often take for granted the very things that most deserve our gratitude.”

I often ask my patients – “do you want to be healthy?”. Fortunately, all have responded positively, so intervention is not needed.

Not only should most of us have gratitude for being created so wonderfully, but we should also have intention and limit taking our health for granted.

Moreover, health feels so good. We can burn out our cells with poor nutrition, little hydration, and sleep or build them up with highly nutritious food, exercise, adequate hydration, and restorative sleep. So join many of my patients and me in taking steps away from disease and towards health. Consider your health as a gauge: full indicates health and empty signaling disease.

Move that needle by making small, intentional changes, and build on those. Instead of regular pasta, make zucchini squash pasta. Instead of bland, almost tasteless microwaved veggies, add some spices, roast them in the oven and enjoy. Instead of minute rice, explore an ancient whole grain. Slowly (or rapidly if you think you can maintain the change), move away from processed foods and refined sugar – add whole foods and fruits instead.

Don’t take your health for granted, as that window of feeling good will rapidly disappear. As Robert Brault commented: “Time is all we have and don’t.”

Don’t take your health for granted, as there is only so much to go around. “We never know the worth of water till the well is dry” – Thomas Fuller.

Thanks for listening, and take care of your human.