There are so many ways used to measure different components of health. Tests, surveys, scores, abilities… the list goes on and on. I just returned from a quick trip back east. Traveling is one of the most common ways we get out of our normal routine and we often quickly feel its effects on our bodies – especially when flying is involved.
I don’t know about you, but if I do get under the weather it is often associated with travel and a change of routine. It has lead me to believe that one of the best measures of health is how well your body adapts to change. Whether it is a change in location, in routine, in diet, in activity or even in your emotional state the ability of the body to adapt and not fall apart is a great measure of your overall health. Granted, it isn’t easily quantified and I have not seen a good survey that will produce a score for you on a scale of one to one hundred that will summarize your “health adaptability”. Maybe if I did not have a six year old I could put that on the “to do” list, but until then, we are just going to have to go on feel.
Does a moderate weather change get you physically down? Does travel always seem to get you sick? Does a random weekend of gardening throw you back into a tizzy? Would hiking a mile or two unexpectedly have you sore for days? These could all be a good indication that maybe your everyday level of overall health needs to have its bar raised a bit (or a lot). Like anything new and worthwhile it takes time, repetition and effort to make and sustain improvement.
The simplest way is to identify one or two things to start with – not 20 things like so many people try on January 1st each year only to set themselves up for failure. An interesting thing happens around the last couple weeks of the year during the holiday season. There is often the attitude that come January I’m really going to get serious about (fill in the blank). So for now, I’m just going to “enjoy” myself. It is a very understandable approach but just serves to leave you behind the eight ball even more come the new year.
How about trying this – instead of, or to supplement your New Years resolution, try having a very short list 2013 Send Off resolution that gets the ball rolling into next year? The name is still a work in progress, but you get the idea. Pick one or two things and start them NOW. Thirty minutes of exercise a day, no dessert except on very special occasions, 10 minutes of daily meditation of some sort, eating something green – choose something good for you and GET GOING with it. You are going to be glad that you did.
