"Gold that buys health can never be ill spent. 

~Thomas Dekker, Westward Ho, 1604"

What would you give for health? 

This is a question I have had to ask myself recently.  What would I pay to be well?  How much time would I give?  How much energy would I put forth?

It's not an outlandish statement to say that maintaining a healthy lifestyle can cost you more in terms of time/energy/money at the onset.  Fortunately it will be an investment in your long term wellness and can save you money later on. 

It's like spending the big bucks on the energy efficient appliances.  The out of pocket is pretty stiff but the cost of energy savings makes them worth that initial investment.

Being healthy costs you.  Eating healthy costs money.  Exercise costs time.  Maintaining health costs energy. 

Are you willing to spend? 

A Healthy Terrain

The healthiest crops grow out of healthy soil.  Regardless of whether you grew up in Kansas, Brooklyn or the Moon you KNOW this essential truth about good soil. 

Many believe that our bodies work the same way.

How?

Meet Antoine Béchamp who believed that living entities called "microzymes" created bacteria in response to host and environmental factors; he did not believe that bacteria could invade a healthy host and create disease on their own. (credit: Wikipedia)

Wait, what?

Haven't we been taught in elementary school health class about how germs work?  The germ theory of disease refers to the discovery in the late 19th century that some infectious diseases are caused by microorganisms, small organisms too small to see without magnification, that invade the host. (credit: Wikipedia)

Germs invade the host and we get sick.  Soooo the logical conclusion is to create antibiotics and vaccines that KILL THOSE GERMS!  Right?

Well, not exactly.

Bechamp (among others) believed that the "germs" couldn't create disease on their own but that a healthy 'terrain' could prevent the invasion. 

I, personally do not want to be invaded.  At least not by germs.  I also don't enjoy the idea that I am helpless against the microorganisms that float around our lives just waiting gather enough forces to attack.  Really? 

What would happen if a country didn't work at defending it's borders but instead just tried to fight the enemy once they had begun occupation? 

I will tell you what...the country would lose more troops AND civilians fighting an adversary that had already started buying real estate and joining the PTA. 

Doesn't it make more sense to fortify your defenses before the enemy strikes?

Doesn't it?

If I Can, So Can You!

I'm going to confess my deep dark secret once and for all....I'm kind of lazy.
(Although this probably is not a big revelation to the people that know me.)

I have a job that I work hard at and I have five kids, three dogs and three cats.  Caring for all of these things and keeping a house will drain anyone and the idea of working out was kind of like the idea of visiting Egypt: I really want to do it someday...but this is not that day.

Also, to be perfectly honest, I would hurt like hell after exerting myself.  My back and hip pain had been getting progressively worse over the years--likely due to the pregnancies and carrying around children all day.  As I have gotten older the pain has been more frequent.  Like daily.  Getting out of bed in the morning I felt like I was in worse shape than my 83 year old mother!  I took ibuprofen daily. 

So, like most women, I had a nice list of excuses (or if you rather, reasons) for not being active.  For spending far too much time on the sofa instead of on my feet.  I was freaking exhausted and in pain.  What are you going to do? 

I will tell you what I did...

I signed up for a 5k!

Good grief!  What was I thinking?  I hadn't run since middle school.  I got winded walking up a flight of stairs!  I weighed the most I have ever weighed (not pregnant) and it was settling around my midsection.  I was beginning to add knee pain, joint pain and high cholesterol to my list of ailments.  I knew I had to do something or I was heading down the fast track to a heart attack. 

But a 5k???

Motivation, baby!  I know my limitations mentally and lack of motivation was a huge barrier on my road to health and fitness.