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Survival of the Fittest Ever feel like everybody is grabbing for a piece of you? Somehow we just keep giving of ourselves and fear we are drowning in obligations. We are parent, career person, friend, child/sibling, friend, we run a home....the list of demands seems to be endless. Yes, we often read we must prioritize, but our health - physical, emotional & spiritual - must get top seeded. If you want all of your assorted “selves” to be in harmony, you have to build what I call personal camaraderie. Unfortunately when the stresses upon us seem to be winning, alcohol, smoking & bingeing on junk food seem to dominate our reactions. We have to be wise & objective enough to see that this reactive behavior breeds more stress and less inner peace. Let’s talk about being devoted to appreciating ourselves - which will enable us to take control of our lives by being more proactive and less reactive. Always better to think before we do. Let’s have certain guidelines, habits & disciplines in place to steer us clear of stormy patches. The very best way to become your own BFF is to submerge yourself into a fitness program. But here is why so many fitness programs fail - the right one wasn’t chosen. There are an infinite number of ways to incorporate fitness into our busy lives, make sure you choose the one that will work for you. If the program is another cumbersome obligation in your life - find another. The right exercise for you, will get you to that endorphin blessed euphoric state. Just an fyi....when I say fitness program - I am encompassing healthy nutrition for your demands, exercise & most of all good, clean lifestyle habits to bring your life together, in peace. A quick note on healthy nutrition - many people say “Oh I know what I should be eating” when in fact most people do not. We all have our own unique set of nutritional demands based on our activity levels, medical challenges, age, metabolic issues - and most of these can be satisfied with a well balanced diet. The problem is, we live in a world where fad diets, instant fixes & food fanaticisms tend to shout out a well balanced diet. Most people are misinformed over what constitutes a balanced program. We all know how exercise is important for our physical health, weight management......However, exercise is equally important for our mind and emotional health. Very simply put - exercise is the single most powerful thing you can do for your brain! Exercise improves cognitive functioning, concentration, mental alertness & our ability to store information. Exercise grows new brain cells (especially interval training) and increases blood flow to the brain. Our mental sharpness is largely attributed to blood flow & oxygenation. BTW, true physical fitness is defined by how well our body uses oxygen. Brain power does not just come from crossword puzzles & chess. It is also a product of our exercise exertion. Cortisol - fondly aka “the stress hormone” can wreak havoc with our metabolism. Exercise tames this stress monster, and once again re establishes metabolic harmony. Our hippocampus in our brain, the center of emotions, memory & the autonomic nervous system - is shown to be larger in those who exercise regularly. Cortisol over prolonged time, shrinks the size of the hippocampus. I also believe - we do not live alone - we live within our families in a community. We all should be cognizant of how others look to us as a potential mentor. Not just our kids - but others at work & in our community - kind of like a pay it forward. I certainly have my mentors I look to for guidance. When others look at us as having our act together, being organized, fit, looking healthy, being successful... very contagious. When my own self care lacks and I let my crazy lifestyle get the better of me ...my mother oh so gently tells me...”you’re no good to anyone dead”. Our demands are overwhelming. We all know getting flustered & stressed sabotages our efforts by blocking our logical thought. We need to think LONG......term.....what can we do to get us through the inevitable ups and downs, kinks and challenges that get hurled upon us every day. Our fitness level is the core of every aspect of our health. Fitness dictates our health, self confidence, attitude & the persona we project to the world. When ploughing your way up the corporate ladder, please remember... The Best Wealth...is Health! May you get at least 60 minutes of exercise today! Shira Litwack is certified by the American Council on Exercise & Canadian School of Natural Nutrition. |
James Rohr is a Florida licensed Acupuncture Physician and Doctor of Oriental Medicine. He is nationally certified in both acupuncture and Chinese herbal therapy. James completed his undergraduate studies in anthropology at Stanford University and his graduate studies in Chinese medicine at the Pacific College of Oriental Medicine in San Diego. He also completed a certification program at Chengdu University in China. 
