BLUF: Treat your Body Like A Temple – you only get one!
Treat your body well. From head to toe, from the inside to the outside, your body deserves the very best. Our bodies were created to do so much. The potential is endless and the older I get, the more I realize this. But it doesn’t just happen. It’s a direct result from how well we care for ourselves. The more we care and better we provide, our bodies thank us by giving us everything we need. It’s a give and take with ourselves. Direct input equals direct output. And where else in life is this ever the case? If we nurture the body from the inside out, the parts we present to the world will reflect it. And I don’t know about you, but I always want to present my best self and am always opened to learning new habits to ensure I do.
We all know the benefits of getting a restful nights’ sleep, drinking the recommended daily amount of water, wearing sunblock and sunglasses, being physically active, and maintaining a healthy diet. But knowing what we should be doing and what we are doing don’t always align. It’s easy to “fall off the wagon.” And you can’t just do some of these things some of the time. You can’t say I am going to sleep eight hours each night and be physically active for thirty minutes each day for the next week but eat cake for breakfast. It doesn’t work that way. Although I wish it did! You need to adopt all the habits of a healthy, balanced lifestyle to treat your body well. And consistency is key; the key to looking and feeling your best so your body can be its best. Everyone’s body has this capability.
Our bodies are our most valuable asset yet so many treat them like they’re dispensable. The big picture is not always clear. In your 30s you’re likely not thinking about how you want your body to respond and perform in your 70s, but you should be. You are only as good as your body is. And that is true today just as it will be forty years from now. How do you want to look and feel in your golden years? Still standing tall, active enjoying travel across the country or experiencing limited mobility, pain and unable to even travel across town? What you do now to care for your whole body will carry you well into those years and make the difference in the quality of the life you get to enjoy.
And often, many feel it’s only the outside that matters. I’m not aging if I don’t have wrinkles…not true. Or I’m thin already so I don’t need to eat a healthy diet. Sorry, but being thin has nothing to do with being healthy (we’ll save that for another post). We are aging each day regardless, but we can age well by caring for ourselves properly. It doesn’t matter how much you spend on your anti-aging skin care routine. Because if you don’t care for your skin cells from the inside through a healthy diet (keeps acne away) and or getting the recommended hours of nightly rest (keeps wrinkles at a distance), there is no magic potion that will save your skin regardless of the price tag. And there is no diet pill out there that will erase unhealthy eating habits or put you at your goal weight just in time for that beach vacation, regardless of which celebrity endorses it.
To achieve and maintain optimal health you must treat your body well and meet its needs consistently. And how do you know what it’s needs are? You listen. Listen to your body and you’ll learn. Your body will always tell you what it needs, but if you’re not in tune with it you may not be able to translate the message and give it the care it needs. Get to know your body. Challenge it, but also let it rest. Keep it active, while protecting it. Pamper yourself, reduce the stress. Adopt a balanced, healthy lifestyle to treat your body well.
Need another reason to treat your body well? Your body is the support system for the mind. Care for it well and your potential is limitless. With the power of a healthy mind and body working in sync, you have the stamina and strength to go anywhere and do anything.
Each day is a new start to make the commitment to yourself and supporting your whole body’s well-being. Your brain, muscles, cells, blood, and bones all need the proper attention and care to keep your body looking, feeling, and operating at peak performance. Adopt healthy habits, find ways to add more activity to your days, get a check-up, cook more, establish a bedtime, meditate. Treat your body like the temple it is, and you’ll be rewarded with good health. There is no better reward in my opinion!
Real Life Talk 