All medicine comes with a list of instructions on how to properly use them so that you get better. There are several warnings within the instructions conveying the severity of consequences if the instructions are not followed to the letter. We support this practice and believe that it needs to be applied in all areas of our lives but especially when it comes to our bodies which we know is one of the most complex biological systems on the planet.
Do our bodies come with instructions?
The answer, of course, is yes they do. The real question is; why don’t we follow them? We will get into behavior change in another article, for now let’s just stick with the question at hand.
Just like no two bodies are the same, no two prescriptions are the same. There are similarities sure, but the fine print will always be different. Our body is a machine with multiple systems all working together to keep you alive. You can categorize the proficiency of each system based on their ability to adapt to ever changing conditions. Their ability to adapt is directly related to how much we are adhering to its prescription; in other words the instruction label. What we eat, how we sleep, our activity level and our ability to manage stress are a few of the factors that effect these systems.
The best way to determine your personal biological prescription is to first begin listening to your body. Our bodies are constantly conversing with us. When you eat something and it causes gastrointestinal inflammation (bloating), that is your body telling you that there was something present within the food that isn’t compatible with your system, so please do not eat it again. Unfortunately instead of heading the request of our bodies most just pop an antacid and ask for seconds. In addition to heading our bodies counsel, we need to receive regular biological testing from a qualified medical professional. This testing should be done on a regular basis as our biology is in a constant state of change.
Whatever you do make sure that it is customized to support your instructional label and no one else’s. You are unique.
