If you don't believe that the human body tends toward wellness by design (homeostasis), then skip this article.
If you do, then you're probably already on the search to discover barriers that are keeping your body from being well and fit. Versus looking for solutions that stimulate, constrict, or otherwise jam the body into a state that someone told you is fitness or wellness. If that's you, here's some homework for your barrier-finding quest, from "Natural Weight Loss" at Women To Women.
"Let’s say your body is like a garden, and weight loss is the rose plant you’ve been cultivating that just won’t bloom. You’ve sprayed it and pruned it and applied Miracle-Gro. And even though you’ve seen a few buds, the darned thing still won’t blossom — in fact, it’s withering. Then one day you read a book about organic gardening, and you begin to pay more attention to the whole plant, not just its flower."
"You rule out the simplest stresses (Not enough light? Disease? Pests?). You stop treating it with artificial chemicals, and take note of the unique aspects of your garden. You then add customized support: enriching the soil with nutrients, adjusting the quantity of water, mulching the roots. If the problems are more severe, you call a professional gardener for help. Eventually, your plant is brimming with health. It feels safe and nurtured and robust. Then one day, lo and behold, it blooms with abandon — and does so reliably year after year if you keep up the same measures of care."
Although the target audience for this article is female, most of the principles outlined for knowing your body, knowing your challenges, and taking action accordingly, are not gender-specific. In addition, taking action in those kinds of areas (e.g. chronic inflammation, adrenal exhaustion, detoxification) reaps other health and quality-of-life benefits besides weight loss. Great treatment of all of the above!
"Blooms with abandon ... year after year." Indeed. Our bodies were designed to do that, if we give them the chance. See the complete article here: http://www.womentowomen.com/nutritionandweightloss/naturalweightloss.asp.
Posts
