Words Dr. Marita Schauch, ND, Tall Tree Integrated Health Centre
If you asked most people what their top priority is, many would say family. But if you looked at where most of our time and energy actually go, the honest answer is often work.
We have bills to pay and deadlines to meet. But where does taking care of your body fall on that priority list?
Because the truth is, your body is already working a full-time job: regulating hormones, digesting food, producing energy, repairing tissues, balancing blood sugar and supporting your immune system … all while you click-clack away on your laptop. And unlike most jobs, your body never clocks out.
So, imagine for a moment that you gave your body the same commitment as your full-time job. What would be on its daily to-do list?
Feed Me Real Food
Your body runs on nutrients the same way a car runs on fuel. Without the right fuel, your internal systems simply can’t operate efficiently.
Highly processed food and bottomless coffees often provide calories but very little of the raw materials your body actually needs. Your cells are constantly asking for things like:
• Protein for tissue repair and hormones;
• Magnesium for muscle and nervous system function;
• B vitamins for energy production;
• Healthy fats for brain and hormone health; and
• Fibre for digestion and blood sugar balance.
Let Me Sleep
Cutting sleep short is like skipping your car’s regular maintenance. Things will keep running … but not for long. During sleep your body:
• Strengthens the immune system;
• Balances hormones;
• Clears metabolic waste from the brain;
• Regulates appetite signals; and
• Repairs tissues.
Move Me Every Day
Your body isn’t designed to sit for eight to 10 hours a day and then suddenly attempt a heroic workout twice a week. It prefers consistent movement: walking, stretching, strength training and mobility work. We need to move for:
• Circulation
• Blood sugar regulation;
• Mood and brain health; and
• Joint health.
It’s time to reframe exercise less as punishment for eating too many potato chips and more as a need your body has to keep functioning properly.
Hydrate Me
Water is required for nearly every physiological process in the body. Even mild dehydration can affect energy, focus, digestion and circulation.
A simple strategy: start your morning with water before coffee and bring a reusable water bottle with you throughout the day.
Reduce My Toxin Burden
Your body is constantly detoxifying chemicals from food, air, water and personal care products. While we can’t eliminate all exposures, we can reduce the load. Simple steps include:
• Eating whole foods when possible;
• Choosing glass or stainless steel for food storage; and
• Using cleaner personal care products.
The goal isn’t perfection. It’s simply giving your body fewer obstacles.
When patients ask me what the “secret” to good health is, they often don’t like my answer, because it’s not a miracle supplement … and it requires work!
It may not be 40 hours a week of work, but impeccable health is built from small, consistent habits – the quiet daily tasks your body needs to perform its job well. And the return on that investment? A body that can keep showing up for the life you want to live.
