This weekend the United States celebrates independence from British rule. In July of 1776, the Continental Congress assembled in Philadelphia and voted to break ties from Great Britain permanently. They were intent on governing themselves and were willing to risk their lives for the cause.
They signed a document called the Declaration of Independence. This declaration states that all men were created by God and that they possess certain unalienable rights. Rights that belong to every single human being. Among these rights are “life, liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness.”
These words hold true as much today as they did then. These rights are still deserving to every human being.
Life and liberty by themselves don’t bring much happiness when we are always sick. Also simple pursuit does not mean that we will attain what we seek. There are basic laws of life, health and self governance that we must adhere to if we intend to achieve the fullest life with bountiful happiness. Let’s talk about a few key elements to make us more successful as we search.
Plan to live a strong and healthy life. A life of sickness and disease does not give the fullness of joy that we all seek. To live a healthy, strong life we have to start with our minds. The mind – body connection cannot be emphasized enough. A mind burdened down with sadness and worry will lead to a physical display of illness. Most of the diseases that we suffer with come from a diseased mind, riddled with frustration, resentment, regret over past experiences and anger towards loved ones. If we can release ourselves of this mental anguish we will improve our body’s ability to heal and thrive.
Declare independence from fast food restaurants. When we dine at fast food restaurants we are paving the road to sickness (1). The time we save by going to KFC or MacDonald’s will be instead spent in the doctors’ office trying to figure out those mysterious symptoms which plague us. It would be a wiser choice to spend some extra time in our kitchen preparing foods that are nourishing to the body and soul. Look at the extra time as family time and release your creativity in the kitchen. It beats spending unplanned time in the hospital.
Eat foods that heal. Healing foods are those provided by the Creator in their natural state – fruits, vegetables, grains, beans, nuts and seeds. These foods fight for us with natural food chemicals called Phytochemicals. We still have not discovered all the benefits of plant foods in their natural state but what we have already discovered is incredible. These foods have been designed with all the components needed to sustain excellent health. Use the power of food to heal. Be strong, energized and bountiful with whole foods from plants.
Resist processed and refined foods – chips, crackers, cookies, bagels, doughnuts, ice cream and the like. These foods are a sure way to cripple our health. Processed foods are filled with oil, salt, sugar and a myriad of chemicals which clog up our arteries and weaken our immune system. They are lacking in true vitamins and minerals needed to properly repair damaged tissues and cells. The fiber is lacking in these foods and as a result our colon is not properly cleaned and emptied. The cumulative damage of clogged arteries and a backed up colon is catastrophic. By catastrophic I mean heart attacks, strokes, cancer, depression and many more miserable conditions.
Fight the sedentary posture. By that I mean- move more. Moving more and leading an active life gets our blood flowing better which helps bring nutrients more efficiently to every part of the body. Better blood flow also helps remove waste from the body quicker. Increasing physical activity helps treat diseases like diabetes, obesity and heart disease. It even helps increase mood and overall mental performance (2). Make movement a natural part of your life. If the gym does not feel natural it probably isn’t. Instead go outside and walk, run, bike, hike, garden, stroll, play tag (anything).Just move more, every day. Your health will be better for it.
Today I challenge you to write our own declaration of independence. Denounce the tyrannical rule of foods and repeated circumstances that threaten your pursuit of happiness and full health. We all have these unalienable rights- Among these rights are “life, liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness.”
I wish for you true independence today and always
Dr Kathy
References
1.Nutr Res. Nutr Res. 2013 Aug; 33(8): 636–646.Frequency of consumption at fast-food restaurants is associated with dietary intake in overweight and obese women recruited from financially disadvantaged neighborhoods
2.Trials. 2019; 20: 367. The impact of lifestyle Physical Activity Counselling in IN-PATients with major depressive disorders on physical activity, cardiorespiratory fitness, depression, and cardiovascular health risk markers: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial