How often do we complain about the way our bodies function?
I'm always tired. I never have energy.
This acid reflux is terrible.
My stomach is always bothering me.
My skin is so sensitive.
How often do we ridicule the way we (and others) look?
I am not skinny enough.
I have too many wrinkles.
My eczema is so embarrassing.
How often are we prescribed medication or encouraged to take over-the-counter medication to work against our bodies?
"You have high blood pressure. That's dangerous. Take this to lower it."
"You have a lot of fat. Work out and take these diet pills to get rid of it."
"You have an autoimmune disease. It's chronic, but these pills will manage your symptoms."
Modern western medicine is called "allopathatic" medicine. Allo means opposite. We are taught if there is a "problem" with our bodies, if something is outside of what is considered normal (as defined by a healthy, white, 20-something-year-old, middle class male), that we need to do the opposite of that bodily function to "fix" it. But what are we actually doing to our bodies? We have been taught to prevent our bodies from protecting us, from surviving, in order to get back to this superficial definition we have defined as "normal." The problem?
We are managing symptoms. We are suppressing the real problem by trading one problem for another that we consider to be the lesser of two evils (or we fail to even identify the "solution" as another problem). We aren't even scratching the surface of the actual problem. Things may appear to be okay on the surface, when we are actually battling some serious health problems.
What do I mean? Let's go back to our examples:
I am always tired. I never have energy.
You may drink coffee or another caffeinated beverage.
+Your energy levels will spike. You will be super productive...
-and then you will crash...hard!
*Cycle: messing up Circadian rhythms => poor sleep => more caffeine! Repeat. Repeat. Repeat.
*Let's dig deeper: messing up Circadian rhythms => poor sleep => body can't repair DNA and clean up cancer cells because this happens during sleep => disease (dis-ease, opposite of ease)
Bandaid. Prolonging Problems. Trading a symptom for a larger problem.
This acid reflux is terrible.
You may take an antacid after every meal to reduce the acidity in your stomach.
+Your chest will stop burning...
-and you will end up with less acid in your stomach, which is needed to digest food and absorb nutrients.
*Cycle: less stomach acid => acid reflux =>more pills! Repeat. Repeat. Repeat
*Let's dig deeper: less stomach acid => poor nutrient absorption =>malnourished => unhealthy => disease
Bandaid. Prolonging Problems. Trading a symptom for a larger problem.
My stomach is always bothering me.
More medicine.
+Your stomach stops hurting
-and you experience all those lovely side effects of regular use of medication.
*Cycle: take medicine => think problem is fixed so keep eating the same foods because you can => take more medicine
*Let's dig deeper: body says this is hurting me, STOP => take medicine to quiet your body => body silently suffers but damage is still being done => but this food is yummy and this medicine "works," give me more.
Bandaid. Prolonging Problems. Trading a symptom for a larger problem.
My skin is so sensitive.
You may use steroids and creams to mask symptoms.
+Rashes and itchiness go away.
-and toxins stay trapped inside your body.
*Cycle: Uncomfortable, embarrassing rash => medicine to minimize/eliminate rash => stop medicine because it "worked" ... temporarily. Repeat. Repeat. Repeat.
*Let's dig deeper: You have a rash/eczema because
Your liver is overwhelmed so the toxins start seeping out of your pores.
You are having a reaction to toxins you are putting on your body or using in your environment.
It's winter aka detox season. It's time for your body to slow down, shed toxins, and prepare to be refreshed for spring (unless you just dump more toxins in).
Bandaid. Prolonging Problems. Trading a symptom for a larger problem.
Are you starting to notice the pattern of masking symptoms, and then ending up with a tip-of-the-iceberg type of situation with your health?
Let's move on to allopathic medicine.
High Blood Pressure is dangerous.
So is lowering it with medication.
Picture this:
-Your arteries are clogged.
-If you continue to operate at "normal"blood pressure, the oxygenated blood will slow down as it travels through these clogged arteries. (Imagine breathing through a paper towel roll vs a straw. What do you have to do to get enough oxygen when breathing through a straw? BREATHE HARDER!)
-Your heart pumps harder to get that oxygenated blood to every organ, muscle and tissue in your body so that every part of your body can properly function.
-Elevated blood pressure increases the risk of heart attack and stroke. Your arteries may not be able to handle the extra pressure and can literally rupture.
What to do?!:
No Intervention (leave the blood pressure alone):
Risk of heart attack or stroke
Allopathic Medicine (decrease the blood pressure): Reduced oxygen to your body
Poorly functioning muscles and organs
Impaired ability to heal from injury, which could lead to infections that could spread throughout your entire body and amputations
Surgically Remove Plaque in the Arteries: This is typically done in extreme, life-threatening situations.
Temporary Fix.
Hmm, what are we missing??
Why are my arteries clogged in the first place?!
"It's genetic. I have bad genes." = I am not in control of my body or my life. I am doomed.
This does not have to be your reality!
Fat isn't good for my heart.
Neither is shedding fat with excessive exercise and pills.
Picture this:
-You have toxins floating around in your body with an agenda to attack your vital organs (vital meaning you could die if they don't work properly).
-Your body creates fat to encapsulate these toxins, keeping them away from your organs - think toxin jail cell.
-Your body takes in more toxins; your body creates more fat.
What to do?!:
No Intervention (leave the fat alone)
Risk heart attack from plaque deposits (as mentioned above)
Exercise!
Short-Term: Shed fat quickly; lose weight.
Long-Term: Toxins are exposed; your body makes more fat. You plateau or actually start to gain weight back.
Diet Pills
I'm not going there. Many have horrific side effects and do so much damage to the body.
Hmm, what are we missing??
Why do I have all these toxins incapsulated in fat in the first place?!
"But I cut back on the sugar. It's genetic. I have bad genes." = I am not in control of my body or my life. I am doomed.
This does not have to be your reality!
Autoimmune Diseases are debilitating.
So is suppressing your immune system.
Picture this:
-Foreign particles are floating around in your body, and your body is ready to attack.
-Your body attacks, defeats the bad guys, and then settles down.
-Oh wait, here are more foreign particles! We must attack again!
-And more!
-And more!
-And more, and more, and more!
-We are always in danger! We must always be on the defense. Attack everything!
What to do?!:
No Intervention (leave the autoimmune disease alone)
Autoimmune Diseases present in a number of ways, from rashes to debilitating pain and weakness. So you could be dealing with a whole plethora of symptoms.
Allopathic Medicine (manage the individual symptoms)
Take steroids and pain medication, use creams to minimize observable symptoms
Allopathic Medicine (the immune system is hyperactive; suppress it!)
You can't just suppress one piece of it. The entire immune system is suppressed.
Hmm, what are we missing??
Why is my immune system hyperactive in the first place?!
"It's genetic. It's chronic. There's nothing I can. do." = I am not in control of my body or my life. I am doomed.
This does not have to be your reality!
What if being sick is not "inevitable?" If you don't like your body or you life, you have the power to change it!
But How???
Reduce the toxic load on your body.
Ditch harmful products for non-toxic ones (and I don't mean those ones labeled "plant-based" that have one ingredient derived from plants and the rest are toxic...this is called green-washing, and it is basically a scam companies use to get you to pay more for something that isn't actually worth paying more for).
Reduce consumption of man-created food (processed food, refined sugar, man-made table salt)
Manage your stress (Get out of fight-flght-freeze-fawn, where your body literally shuts down half of its systems to focus on survival!)
Support your body's natural, innate ability to restore itself and heal.
Sleep: Quality & Quantity
Hydration: Filtered, mineralized water
Whole Food: preferably pesticide-free
Movement & Exercise without overdoing it (effort vs outcome)
Release trapped trauma, energy, and emotions; and heal your nervous system.
