We live in a microwave society. Whatever is “quick and convenient” usually wins. When it comes to our bodies, we use the same thinking. What is the quickest and most convenient way to lose weight? What is the quickest and most convenient way to get rid of this pain? The list can go on. The problem with this is that we begin to ignore the body completely and just treat symptoms and not get to the root of the issue.
Within the last few years I have grown to know my body more and more, and to really be in awe of my body. This this the vessel that keeps me alive. By getting to know my body, I realized that I was not taking such good care of her. I ate and drank semi-healthy foods, and moved around a bit, but that’s about it. When I would have pains or tiredness I would just take medicine and keep it moving. What I learned is that my body communicates with me very well, it is my responsibility to listen.
Those headaches mean something. Those stomachaches mean something. That racing heartbeat means something. The shallow breathing means something.
For years I would eat breakfast/brunch on the weekends and literally be passed out afterwards. I had to sleep for a good 2-4 hours before I could attempt to do anything else. At first I was confused and I just attributed this to working hard during the week. After doing Whole30 though, I realized it was not the same. After having some allergy tests done, I realized that I am allergic to wheat and so any time I eat bread, my body is overloaded, and the response is to just sleep it off. The tiredness was not random. It was my body communicating with me.
Another example, I love chocolate! Chocolate is a comfort food for me. On my period I loved to eat chocolate, but I realized that after eating it I would not feel good. My cramps would intensify and it felt terrible. After reading up on what to eat during your period I realized that caffeine intake is suggested to be limited on your period. Chocolate has caffeine. Listening to my body and not just throwing pain medication to the issue has allowed me to remedy the concern in a natural way.
In order for you to listen to your body, you have to know your body. For me this looks like keeping track of changes. It means having a primary care doctor and getting a check-up at least once a year. It means taking vitamins to make sure that I am keeping myself healthy. It means usually not taking pain medication, but trying to understand where the pain began and figuring out how to keep it from returning. It means noticing how foods affect me and choosing to eat food that my body likes. Lastly, it looks like sitting quietly, practicing mindfulness, and breathing. So much of our health issues stem from the amount of stress we put on ourselves. When we start to get in touch with ourselves, we are able to heal ourselves.
Our bodies are literally amazing! God did his thing when creating them! What is one thing you appreciate about your body? Let me know in the comments!
Love y’all!
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