So many of us (even in the natural health world) have a negative view of our bodies.
We aren't happy with their shape, size, or weight. Or even if we are, we complain about aches and pains, treating injuries as if they were a betrayal by our bodies, rather than a response to mistreatment. Or we bemoan the signs of aging we see, like wrinkles, or thinning hair, or loss of muscle tone.
It is as if we view our bodies as an enemy - or at best, a reluctant ally that we just have to put up with throughout our lives.
But your body (yes, even YOUR body) is amazing!
If we were to actually take the time to learn how our amazing bodies work, we might understand them better, and be more forgiving. We might also take a lot better care of them, meaning they might stay healthier - and help us stick around on this planet for a little while longer.
Below are 5 amazing facts about your body. When you read this, take the time to really think about how awesome each of these facts is, and give your body some love and appreciation for all of the wonderful things it can do!
We aren't happy with their shape, size, or weight. Or even if we are, we complain about aches and pains, treating injuries as if they were a betrayal by our bodies, rather than a response to mistreatment. Or we bemoan the signs of aging we see, like wrinkles, or thinning hair, or loss of muscle tone.
It is as if we view our bodies as an enemy - or at best, a reluctant ally that we just have to put up with throughout our lives.
But your body (yes, even YOUR body) is amazing!
If we were to actually take the time to learn how our amazing bodies work, we might understand them better, and be more forgiving. We might also take a lot better care of them, meaning they might stay healthier - and help us stick around on this planet for a little while longer.
Below are 5 amazing facts about your body. When you read this, take the time to really think about how awesome each of these facts is, and give your body some love and appreciation for all of the wonderful things it can do!
1.) Your Body Is Alive
And I'm not talking about just in the sense that you are awake and walking around. I mean inside your body are literally trillions of living microorganisms that help you stay alive and functioning. Without these tiny hitchhikers, your body would cease to function, and you would die. In recent decades, there have been more and more discoveries about the important functions that the bacteria living inside our bodies perform. In fact, a lack of healthy bacteria in the gut has been linked to everything from the common cold to cancer!
Yet so many of us pay little-to-no attention to these microscopic organisms. When is the last time you ate (or didn't eat) something based on how it would impact your gut microflora? If you can even remember, then you are in the minority.
The good news is, you can take better care of your gut bacteria by eating certain foods, and avoiding others.
Feed your gut with fermented foods, such as:
- Sauerkraut
- Kimchi
- Kombucha
- Kefir
- Kvass
- Yogurt (plain, with live, active cultures)
- Miso
- Lassi
Avoid things such as:
- Sugar
- Processed Foods
- White Flour
- Alcohol
- Antibiotics
- Hydrogenated Oils
By taking good care of your lively internal "zoo," you'll help your body stay healthy and alive for longer.
2.) Your Body Has Natural Pain Relievers
While there are times when you may need pain medication for acute injuries, often there is no need to resort to drugs for minor aches and pains. Why not give your body a chance to deal with the discomfort naturally first?
Did you know that your body can produce its own salicylic acid (the pain-reducing ingredient in aspirin)? Your body also produces endorphins, which can act almost as a natural form of morphine. Your body releases these chemicals in response to certain stimuli, including pain. You can increase this response artificially by eating spicy foods, exercising, or getting a massage, among other things.
Maintaining a healthy weight, building muscle tone, and regular stretching coupled with good posture are also good ways to avoid and ease minor aches and pains and prevent injuries from occurring in the first place. You can also use natural essential oils such as peppermint and arnica to reduce pain topically, or soak in magnesium-rich Epsom salts. You should also make sure to get plenty of sleep and drink plenty of water, both of which help your body to heal.
3.) Your Body Is Naturally Self-Cleansing
Now, don't use this as an excuse to never take a bath, but your body has amazing self-cleansing properties! Your body is continually bombarded by toxins and pathogens, many of which would cause inflammation, illness, and even death if your body didn't have systems in place to deal with these issues before they can result in serious problems. Many of your organs - including your liver, gallbladder, eyes, respiratory system, and skin - are designed to help remove toxins and waste from your body in an efficient and effective manner - usually without you even being aware of them at all!
However, this doesn't mean that your body couldn't use some help sometimes. Making sure you eat plenty of inflammation-fighting foods such as green vegetables, garlic, fermented foods, and healthy fats can help your body perform these important functions better. Avoid using toxic products in and around your home and garden, use only all-natural skin and personal care products, and minimize your intake of chemical pesticides by choosing organic foods whenever possible. Also, drink lots of water, avoid junk foods (which only put stress on your body and add to the load of stuff it has to clean out), and get plenty of sleep.
4.) Your Body Can Think For Itself
This is a big one, and it is a factor that is often overlooked or misunderstood in the Western world. We tend to think of our body and our brain as two separate things, but in fact, they are not! Recent scientific research has found that your brain function is intimately connected to your gut health. Depression, addiction, and other so-called "mental" issues have been linked to a prevalence of unhealthy gut bacteria - proving the old adage, you really are what you eat! (Or at least, you are what's in your gut...)
The health of your body impacts your memory, your mood, your stress levels, and your overall mental health. And vice versa - your mood and your stress levels also impact your physical health!
Thus, keeping your body healthy is key to a healthy brain and mental state - and it's a two-way street. Taking steps to eat foods that support brain health (healthy fats like nuts, olives, avocados, coconut oil, and Omega-3 fatty acids, and foods containing polyphenols such as green tea and colorful veggies), relieving stress through exercise, deep breathing, meditation and prayer, or massage, and supplementing when needed with essential B vitamins and magnesium can all lead to a healthier mind and body.
5.) Your Body Comes Equipped With All the Tools It Needs to Heal Itself - If You Let It
All of the amazing facts above lead us to one final conclusion: the most amazing thing about your body is that it has the power to heal itself from, well, just about anything!
Your body can heal cuts, tears, and puncture wounds, it can heal broken bones, blood vessels, and other internal injuries. It can calm inflammation, kill and remove pathogens, and flush out toxins. It can push out splinters, grow new toenails, fingernails, and skin, and build billions of new cells every day to replace worn out or damaged bone cells, skin cells, blood, and more. Your brain is capable of creating new neural pathways and learning new things and making new memories every day.
Your body truly is a wondrous and amazing organism! But in order to do all of the amazing things that it does, your body needs a few things from you:
1. Healthy Fuel
2. Movement
3. Sleep
Providing these things is the least you can do for your amazing body!
This blog and website are devoted to helping you to support your body and give it everything it needs for good health. Please visit the links above, and also take a look around our site and archives to find resources and information to help you make the most of your marvelous temple.
Every choice you make either helps or harms your body, so keep that in mind throughout your day, and treat your body with the respect it deserves for all the amazing things it does for you!
To your health,
Rose.
And I'm not talking about just in the sense that you are awake and walking around. I mean inside your body are literally trillions of living microorganisms that help you stay alive and functioning. Without these tiny hitchhikers, your body would cease to function, and you would die. In recent decades, there have been more and more discoveries about the important functions that the bacteria living inside our bodies perform. In fact, a lack of healthy bacteria in the gut has been linked to everything from the common cold to cancer!
Yet so many of us pay little-to-no attention to these microscopic organisms. When is the last time you ate (or didn't eat) something based on how it would impact your gut microflora? If you can even remember, then you are in the minority.
The good news is, you can take better care of your gut bacteria by eating certain foods, and avoiding others.
Feed your gut with fermented foods, such as:
- Sauerkraut
- Kimchi
- Kombucha
- Kefir
- Kvass
- Yogurt (plain, with live, active cultures)
- Miso
- Lassi
Avoid things such as:
- Sugar
- Processed Foods
- White Flour
- Alcohol
- Antibiotics
- Hydrogenated Oils
By taking good care of your lively internal "zoo," you'll help your body stay healthy and alive for longer.
2.) Your Body Has Natural Pain Relievers
While there are times when you may need pain medication for acute injuries, often there is no need to resort to drugs for minor aches and pains. Why not give your body a chance to deal with the discomfort naturally first?
Did you know that your body can produce its own salicylic acid (the pain-reducing ingredient in aspirin)? Your body also produces endorphins, which can act almost as a natural form of morphine. Your body releases these chemicals in response to certain stimuli, including pain. You can increase this response artificially by eating spicy foods, exercising, or getting a massage, among other things.
Maintaining a healthy weight, building muscle tone, and regular stretching coupled with good posture are also good ways to avoid and ease minor aches and pains and prevent injuries from occurring in the first place. You can also use natural essential oils such as peppermint and arnica to reduce pain topically, or soak in magnesium-rich Epsom salts. You should also make sure to get plenty of sleep and drink plenty of water, both of which help your body to heal.
3.) Your Body Is Naturally Self-Cleansing
Now, don't use this as an excuse to never take a bath, but your body has amazing self-cleansing properties! Your body is continually bombarded by toxins and pathogens, many of which would cause inflammation, illness, and even death if your body didn't have systems in place to deal with these issues before they can result in serious problems. Many of your organs - including your liver, gallbladder, eyes, respiratory system, and skin - are designed to help remove toxins and waste from your body in an efficient and effective manner - usually without you even being aware of them at all!
However, this doesn't mean that your body couldn't use some help sometimes. Making sure you eat plenty of inflammation-fighting foods such as green vegetables, garlic, fermented foods, and healthy fats can help your body perform these important functions better. Avoid using toxic products in and around your home and garden, use only all-natural skin and personal care products, and minimize your intake of chemical pesticides by choosing organic foods whenever possible. Also, drink lots of water, avoid junk foods (which only put stress on your body and add to the load of stuff it has to clean out), and get plenty of sleep.
4.) Your Body Can Think For Itself
This is a big one, and it is a factor that is often overlooked or misunderstood in the Western world. We tend to think of our body and our brain as two separate things, but in fact, they are not! Recent scientific research has found that your brain function is intimately connected to your gut health. Depression, addiction, and other so-called "mental" issues have been linked to a prevalence of unhealthy gut bacteria - proving the old adage, you really are what you eat! (Or at least, you are what's in your gut...)
The health of your body impacts your memory, your mood, your stress levels, and your overall mental health. And vice versa - your mood and your stress levels also impact your physical health!
Thus, keeping your body healthy is key to a healthy brain and mental state - and it's a two-way street. Taking steps to eat foods that support brain health (healthy fats like nuts, olives, avocados, coconut oil, and Omega-3 fatty acids, and foods containing polyphenols such as green tea and colorful veggies), relieving stress through exercise, deep breathing, meditation and prayer, or massage, and supplementing when needed with essential B vitamins and magnesium can all lead to a healthier mind and body.
5.) Your Body Comes Equipped With All the Tools It Needs to Heal Itself - If You Let It
All of the amazing facts above lead us to one final conclusion: the most amazing thing about your body is that it has the power to heal itself from, well, just about anything!
Your body can heal cuts, tears, and puncture wounds, it can heal broken bones, blood vessels, and other internal injuries. It can calm inflammation, kill and remove pathogens, and flush out toxins. It can push out splinters, grow new toenails, fingernails, and skin, and build billions of new cells every day to replace worn out or damaged bone cells, skin cells, blood, and more. Your brain is capable of creating new neural pathways and learning new things and making new memories every day.
Your body truly is a wondrous and amazing organism! But in order to do all of the amazing things that it does, your body needs a few things from you:
1. Healthy Fuel
2. Movement
3. Sleep
Providing these things is the least you can do for your amazing body!
This blog and website are devoted to helping you to support your body and give it everything it needs for good health. Please visit the links above, and also take a look around our site and archives to find resources and information to help you make the most of your marvelous temple.
Every choice you make either helps or harms your body, so keep that in mind throughout your day, and treat your body with the respect it deserves for all the amazing things it does for you!
To your health,
Rose.
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