I’m not ill, I just wasn’t listening

Oh my Lord, why do I have to feel like this? Sunday morning, lots to do today with all of my projects, I was even going to fit in a little visit to my family so why do I feel like ‘death warmed up’? In fact what is it with the timing of my ‘under the weather’ incidences that they always seem to happen when I just don’t have the time for them?

As they say in America, “This sucks man!”

Then again I suppose it makes sense that they always happen when I’ve got something big happening; an event; a deadline; a party.

I mean it’s only my ‘body telling me to slow down’ right? Well at least that’s what everybody always says but what exactly does that mean? Surely my body doesn’t talk to me? And why is it always about slowing down, what if I’m going pretty slow already, I mean slow people get sick too don’t they?

I joke about it only because for me if someone had said that to me a few years ago, I would’ve just accepted it as one of those things people say, and gone through my ritual pill popping routine to nurse myself back to health again.

It normally consisted of a ton of Lemsip Cold and Flu Max Strength, extra ibuprofen when I needed it, Berocca and a hell of a lot of sleep.

So what changed?

Well I changed. I started to understand myself a lot more and for someone who was often ill, this was an important research project! You see, my communication with my body isn’t just limited to one message; “I need to slow down”.

I realised that if I was totally honest with myself and let’s face it when we’re doing something ‘wrong’ that’s not easy to do.  If I was totally honest with myself then my body would tell me all kinds of things!

Take now for example. As I’m sat here, with my flu-like symptoms I know what my body is trying to tell me.

It’s trying to tell me that I’m an absolute idiot to think that I could start my new workouts with my PT, without drinking enough water and consistently eating healthy! It’s also trying to tell me I need to be on top of my new projects; I need to do all the things I’ve been putting off before it gets too late!

This time I got off lightly and it could be a lot worse, but if I don’t do what my body’s telling me to, then I know next time the ‘whole immune system gets it!’.

I joke but there’s a serious side when the ‘whole immune system gets it’ because when I’m ignoring the warning signs and not looking after myself, this could lead to serious dis-ease in the future.

The messages from my body could be anything; drink more water; do more exercise; sort out my relationship; stop working late; anything that causes stress on the body physically or mentally.

After all, 75% of all doctor visits are stress-related, and can probably be prevented.

Our bodies are amazing machines so maybe we should listen to them more:

• There are 45 miles of nerves in the skin of a human being.
• 50,000 of the cells in your body will die and be replaced with new cells in the time it’s taken you to read this sentence.
• We have a whole pharmacy within us and can create any drug we want.
• The average human’s heart will beat 3,000 million times in their lifetime.

So how about next time you feel ‘under the weather’, instead of reaching for the pills, you ask your body what it needs, do what it wants and thank it for looking out for you ;-) Just a thought, but why not try it and remember, it will only work if you’re honest with yourself. You don’t like being ignored so why should your body.

Oh and out of interest ;-)

• You use an average of 43 muscles for a frown. You use an average of 17 muscles for a smile!
• You burn 26 calories in a one-minute kiss!
• A sneeze comes out of your mouth at over 100 m.p.h!
• According to the World Health Organization, there are approximately 100 million acts of sexual intercourse each day!

Enjoy the Ride fellow Emergisers.

Thanks to Deepak Chopra’s, Magical Mind Magical Body for these great facts.