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Editorial: Good Health Is Easy ...

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Good Health Is Easy ... Acceptance Is the Tough Part

by Morgan Jones

30 August  2002

Wherever I go these days, I meet folks with health problems. Allergies, arthritis, weight issues, immune system dysfunction, high blood pressure, hypoglycemia (and accompanying low energy), arrhythmia, candida, back pain, irritable bowel syndrome, cancer, thyroid problems, constipation, acid reflux, chronic sinus infections, migraines, osteoporosis ... you name it. And the ones who aren't suffering so much from a physical ailment often are dealing with depression, an eating disorder, a bipolar condition, or another emotional/mental/spiritual challenge.

Sometimes I feel like the vast majority of people in our land are sick. This makes me sad, because I don't think this is the natural order of life. But what's even sadder, most people seem ready to accept these diseases as inevitable or hereditary or controllable (with a lifetime regimen of daily medications that always produces nasty side-effects) or ________ (pick another rationalization for staying sick).

But here's the happiest thing I have discovered: It is absolutely possible to heal from all of these degenerative conditions. And it's not that hard to do. How do I know this? Well, for starters, I've done it for myself. And I have had the great good fortune to share the similar experiences of many other folks who have healed themselves from the very serious conditions I listed.

After more than two decades of searching for the way to optimum health (which I define as my personal best
—not someone else's standard), I have come to believe that good health and plentiful happiness are our birthright. All creatures—human and otherwise—are designed by our creator to be reliable, self-repairing, and smooth running.

Pretty cool, no? But if this is true, then why are so many of us so darn sick?

I think I figured that out, too. I believe that when we change the way we maintain our bodies and minds
—by eating food that in no way resembles what came out of the earth and by living and working in toxic environments and by breathing air and drinking water filled with chemicals—we change nature's rules and the self-repairing thing stops working. Our bodies start to decay prematurely and because our internal chemistry is out of whack, our minds don't work as effectively as they should. We hurt, we experience a lack of energy and enthusiasm, we accomplish less (personally and professionally), and we just don't find much joy in daily life. Herman Aihara, on of my favorite teachers, calls this “ignoring our physiological limitations.”

So who wouldn't want to do whatever it takes to be healthier? Well, it seems to me that in our society we are trained from an early age to go to a doctor at the first sign of discomfort and say (in effect),
“My body is broken. Please fix me.” And then we take some medicine to make the symptoms go away without doing much to change the underlying cause of the problem. Given that this programming is a cradle-to-grave experience, it is not surprising that many of us find it tough to accept the idea that we would achieve better results if we were to take personal responsibility for our healing rather than delegating this task to a doctor or a drug company. I have come to believe that we each have to personally do all the study and all the work to heal ourselves. Yes, many of us believe that good health is achievable, but too many of us are still wishing someone else could do the heavy lifting.

And even sensitive, new-age guys (like me!) mostly go to acupuncturists or naturopaths or chiropractors and say,
“I'm broken. Fix me.” Same song, second verse. It could get better but it's gonna get worse. Worse, that is, unless we decide to invest the time to learn what the AMA and McDonalds and the pharmaceutical companies don't want us to know. We can regain and preserve good health if—and it's a big if—if we are ready to learn how our bodies work, if we are ready to do—everyday—that which will help us heal, and if we choose to avoid—almost every day—that which works against healing. With study, we can learn when and how to let our bodies heal themselves. And we can also learn when and how to work with other healers and teachers—acupuncturists and naturopaths and chiropractors and even medical doctors. We can learn to filter diagnoses and prescriptions that others give us through the wisdom of our own bodies and our own experiences.

Good health is a cumulative thing. And so is bad health. What you do everyday defines you. Easy to say, not too difficult to believe, but I find it can be tough to accept on a hot afternoon when that cold beer is calling my name
—oh, and all of my friends want to go eat chips and salsa and cheese enchiladas at Guerro's (a local Mexican food Mecca.).

But then I remember how bad I felt, how much my back ached, how poor my mental concentration was, how my energy would sink every afternoon when chips and salsa and cold beer and cheese enchiladas (and rum raisin ice cream) were dietary staples for me. And then it seems easy to make the choices that made all these problems disappear in a matter of months.

What do you think? Do you believe good health is yours (and everyone's) for the taking? Do you think I am a well-intentioned but obviously misguided nut? Are you curious to explore the subjects? If you fall into this last category, then here's your chance:

Please come and join us at One Part Harmony for our conference called The Origins of Disease
—The Road to Recovery. Or join Dawn Steinborn at The Natural Epicurean for her Fundamentals of Cooking for Disease Prevention & Reversal course.

It' won't cost you much to participate in one of these events
—not counting, of course, all the work you're going to have to do down the road if you happen to find yourself vibrating sympathetically with what we have to share with you. Can you accept that?

I sincerely hope to see you at one of these events very soon. And to those of you who have already studied with us: Please come and share what you have learned with us.

I know I have much to learn from all of you.

Peace, love, and brown rice,

 

Last modified: 02/21/05