Life… it has its ebbs and flows. As does our health. Times when things are easier are interspersed with the challenging times. We have so much more control than we know or appreciate. We have the power to choose the level of difficulty for our own health.
Sorta like when you are in the toy department, and looking at the games– they will all list the level of difficulty. For ages 3 and under, ages 3-6, ages 6-13, etc. Life is a lot like this. You can ride the waves, or you can work for what you want.
I’ve had people tell me that they don’t want to try a plant-based lifestyle because it seems too hard, or too complicated. But is it? It depends on your priorities, what are yours? Looking at the big picture, is chopping up some veggies and doing a couple of hours of meal prep hard or complicated?
Having a chronic illness due to lifestyle choices is tough. Making big lifestyle changes to improve your health can be just as difficult. You will choose your level of tough through your actions, with the level of resolve you are able to summon. Being overweight is burdensome. So is learning about nutrition and making sure to move your body on a daily basis. Only you can choose your level of burden.
Dealing with diabetes mellitus is hard. Eating to reverse diabetes mellitus and exercising regularly is hard . However, it is only hard because it is simply different from what many of us are typically accustomed to. A healthy diet and regular exercise becomes a habit over time. When you decide to make your health priority, and your actions support that, it’s like magic. The magic of tasty food and some sweat.
Your genes are what they are– there is no changing them. However, those genes can have much less sway on your health with lifestyle habits that can significantly impact WHICH of the genes you inherited are supported and which will be given less room to thrive. You may have heart disease in your family. Eating a plant-powered diet that is low in fat and sugar, high in fiber, exercising regularly, getting 7-9 hours of sleep each night, implementing relaxing techniques, and having a strong social circle all contribute towards less risk of developing heart disease yourself. By no means will this make you “heart attack proof”, but a significant risk reduction and feeling well and healthy are positive “side effects” to a healthy lifestyle.
So, choose your level of difficulty in life consciously. As the “New Year Shine” rubs off, know that what is at the end of your fork and all the above habits have powerful effects on your overall wellness. The greatest wealth is health. Wishing you a healthy, wealthy 2021. Here’s to continuing the wellness journey all year long!
