HEAL: To make sound or whole.
“Your body’s ability to heal is greater than anyone has permitted you to believe” –Carolyn Harrington, The Art of Healing
‘Heal’ sounds like a positive thing, yet why do people dread making time to heal? Every day our body is in an incredible healing process that it was intricately designed to do. From cuts, bones, muscles, cells and organs, to hearts and minds, something is always in the process of repair and rebuild. Not only can a broken bone grow back together, a gushing cut can be shunted and grow new skin. An organ can be removed and another takes over. A brain is injured and it can find new neural pathways to keep messages being sent.
These are the big things, but on a daily basis our cells turn over and we flush out the old ones (autophagy). Our liver, kidneys and lymph systems work to detox our body from environmental and physical toxins. The glymph system in our brain drains toxins on a nightly basis, and even a simple slow breath cycle in and out through the nose produces nitric oxide to help boost our immune system and heal our nervous system. Don’t forget a soothing hug or some chicken soup has the power to heal our hearts.
When we don’t allow, or better yet support, this magnificent innate process we are doubling down on damage. There are things that are going to hurt, get diseased, wear down and even break. BUT, there are subtle shifts you can make, which when you pay attention, let go of attachments of what you “should do”, and most importantly view the function of your body a priority and privilege, it will enhance and prolong your body’s performance and prevent illness & injuries. It will also make acute healing from a virus, injury or surgery much better.
Ironically, we think healing has a start and end time, yet in actuality healing is a journey. It is a continual process that is fascinating if we embrace it and learn from it. It rarely happens at a convenient time, or perhaps we backed ourselves in a corner when we pushed off taking care of ourselves. Don’t worry, your body keeps the score and it always wins.
In my late 20’s, I had to heal from an incredibly bad ulcer, which made me collapse and miss my niece and goddaughter’s baptism (apparently popping 2-4 Motrin with a Diet Coke to kill the pain to allow me to keep running and multitask at competitive levels has a breaking point 🙂 ). So after the morphine they gave me for the pain, I started my journey of 90 days of prescription meds to heal. Boom! The quick fix worked! Good to go and back at it.
However, I didn’t take time to look inside and learn from the opportunity. The stress, toxins and level of activity led to one seemingly unrelated issue after another to pop up from age 28-38. I would “heal”, more like temporarily “fix” each thing. Nothing was life threatening, but it was definitely life altering! So I decided to listen to all of the info my intelligent body was sending me and give it what it needed.
I found it fascinating and rewarding to learn different ways my body responds. Information was power! (and had been sitting there all along) Taking accountability, not comparing or judging, was rewarding and powerful. Ironically, it wasn’t more work, I didn’t feel deprived, I had more energy, I slept easily, and no longer battled yo yo weight. I was no longer playing defensive whack-a-mole, which was common enough to seem normal. Playing offense is much more successful than playing defense when it comes to our wellness.
Learning from mistakes is a form of healing. We are making ourselves wiser. The sooner we embrace failing, learning, adjusting and taking a path that makes more sense and serves us better, the sooner we really heal and get stronger.
I’m currently in an acute healing mode from a knee surgery. It can feel isolating and inconvenient as well as make me feel weak and at fault. While at times I’m very frustrated, I’m also so grateful for all that I’ve been able to learn along the way. It’s not linear and there isn’t one modality that “fixes” everything. Finding the root cause and aligning properly physically and mentally offers a longer term solution.
Lifestyle is a great medicine to heal. It doesn’t have to be boring, deprivation or expensive. Especially when we pay attention to what serves us individually. Disease starts in the mind and healing starts there as well with our perspectives. What healing could you do on a daily basis to prevent major injuries mentally or physically from happening? Chances are the “work” you are avoiding because it seems hard or “not for you”, (be it meditation, journaling, slowing down, looking inside, being open to a new mindset…) will really make life much easier and more aligned.
Many symptoms can be remedied by addressing the same questions?
WHAT DO YOU EAT?
It might be “good” but if you crave sugar or processed carbs, then you are likely missing some key micronutrients.
HOW DO YOU THINK?
If you think “it is what it is” or you are a funny self-deprecating type, then chances are you are doing yourself harm.
HOW DO YOU BREATHE?
Is it collapsed chest or mouth breathing or in and out calmly thru your nose 99% of the time? This makes a drastic impact on our physical & mental health.
HOW DO YOU MOVE?
Is it quality or quantity? It’s not about more, better, faster to burn calories.
HOW DO YOU FIND STILLNESS?
Is it collapsing or intentional mindful rest meditation or sleep? Check out the challenge.
HOW DO YOU CONNECT?
Do you you listen and feel listened to? Do you step out of your comfort zone or spend too much time on the screen?
WHAT SELF CARE IS NON NEGOTIABLE?
Be intentional and present with it. More of “something good for you” is not always better. Have you shifted along with your body’s needs?
HOW DO THESE ANSWERS SERVE YOU (NOT OTHERS) AT THIS POINT IN TIME?
Be honest with yourself. It’s information for you!
Your intelligent body can heal when it is in balance. Your balance!
A few tips to check out or be on the lookout for.
- Meditation challenge: you don’t need to look far to find loads of science supporting the neurological benefits from meditation. Many think its hard or not for them or then don’t need it. In a world of people alwasy up for a challenge of some athletic or physical feat, or food restriction, I challenge yourself to tackle meditation. Check out the 7 minute video and I challenge you to not find a change in your ability to stop attaching to your negative or anxiety ridden thoughts for even a few minutes. Watch your ability to choose your thoughts and manipulate your breath.
- I’m very excited about a new certification I just completed: Brain Health Licensed Trainer. You are not stuck with the brain or genetics we have. I look forward to sharing insight and workshops regarding our crucial brain health.
- I love connecting, collaborating and sharing with experts in their fields to continue to learn and spread messages. Please reach out with questions or a time to chat about which areas you might like to dig into more.
- I also love incorporating a variety of healing modalities from MD’s, therapists, body workers, & energy healers, to acupuncture, cupping, infrared and PEMF technologies. This doesn’t have to be expensive and can be date nights or girls out for extra healing of connection and learning. Over the years I have learned so much, experienced healing and growth, and developed connection and friendships along the way. I love sharing great people and places I trust.
1. Sole + Luna Wellness: screams soothe and heal walking in. Infared sauna, Bio Charger, Red light, Cryo, Gua Sha face and body, cupping, acupuncture, deep tissue, custom or Thai massage, Reiki energy work, Shaman energy and Breath work
@solelunawellness, @healingjewels @thewitchandtheelf @chicagothaibodywork
- @DelosTherapy : Microstretching fascial tissues in a unique manner to break up adhesions, scar tissue and stored stress and trauma.
- @DelosStrength: 30 min very customized strength training specifically designed to reshape the tissue and build strength and stability
- @DelosGumdrop: Tool to allow you to do fascial work on your own time
3. Integrative Holistic Health: @Dr. Christy Matusiak, Dr. Brad Campbell
4. Chicago Chiropractic, Dr. Josh Akin
5. Reach Yoga @reachyogaglencoe