Listen To Your Body

With all of the information I provide on this website, the truth is that you know your body better than anyone else.  As a result, when I give nutritional advice and other information, some of this you probably know, simply because your body has “spoken” to you. 

For example, I talk a great deal about the effect that eating refined foods and sugars have on your blood sugar levels, and how eating refined foods frequently can cause an imbalance in the hormones insulin and cortisol, thus leading to adrenal problems, thyroid conditions, etc.  But most people know the effects of frequently eating these types of foods, and often times their body will let them know how bad such foods are for them.  Unfortunately, many people fail to listen to the messages their body provides, which is a huge mistake. 

Here are some examples of how your body “talks” to you when something is going wrong:

1. Eating certain foods.  This is an obvious example, as many people experience reactions when consuming different types of foods.  Different people of course will have different symptoms.  For example, someone might eat a food which causes severe headaches, while another person might eat the same exact food and experience stomach issues, diarrhea, or have a different reaction.  These are foods one should obviously avoid, although many people still continue to eat foods they react to, and therefore are most likely allergic to.

I realize that sometimes it isn’t so obvious as to what foods a person might be allergic to.  Some people have a mild reaction to foods they eat, and sometimes they have no obvious symptoms.  This is where a food allergy test like an Elisa Panel can come in handy, although sometimes just keeping track of what you eat with a daily food diary can help.  Keep track of all of the foods you eat for a week or two, and then also pay close attention to any symptoms you experience as well.

2. Taking certain drugs.  As you know, many drugs have side effects, and once again, you should listen to your body with regards to the side effects from any prescription or non-prescription drugs you take.  Of course sometimes you might need to deal with some minor symptoms if the medication is necessary for you to take.  On the other hand, sometimes there are other drugs you can substitute for, or in some cases there are alternative remedies which perform equally well, but have no side effects.  Obviously I’m not suggesting that anyone stop taking their medication and/or replace these with herbal remedies.  This is something you should talk over with your medical doctor, and ultimately you will need to make the decision on your own.  But it is something to consider if you are having moderate to severe symptoms with any medication you’re currently taking.

The same concept applies with any nutritional supplements and/or herbs you take.  While such reactions are rare, they do occur on occasion.  And so if you do notice any symptoms when taking a specific nutritional supplement or herb, make a note of this, and you might want to consult with a holistic doctor to see if there is an alternative supplement or herb you can take in its place.

3. Not getting enough sleep.  When you deprive your body of the sleep it needs, it will definitely let you know.  This is especially true if you do this on a frequent basis, as this can weaken your adrenal glands, and make it difficult for you to wake up in the morning.  Of course many people try to “fix” this problem by drinking coffee, or a different caffeinated beverage. 

As mentioned earlier, many people don’t listen to their body, but instead try to cover up the “messages” it is giving.  This of course doesn’t just apply to lack of sleep, but any of the other examples I have given here.  For example, if someone eats a food which leads to moderate or severe symptoms, sometimes they will take a prescription or non-prescription drug which will help with the symptoms, not realizing the negative reaction is still taking its toll on the body.  And the same thing happens when someone is fatigued in the morning and drinks coffee, as this is not doing anything to correct the cause of the problem.  Getting enough sleep and eating well will correct this problem, although sometimes adrenal support is required if the adrenals are severely compromised.

4. Dealing with chronic stress.  Unlike eating a certain food, taking a specific drug, or neglecting your sleep for a single night, one frequently won’t experience immediate symptoms when dealing with chronic stress.  The symptoms for this are usually gradual, but one still usually knows when stress is dragging them down, and can take the necessary steps to correct this.  The problem is that many people don’t think stress will lead to any physical problems, even though study after study shows that stress can cause certain conditions to develop, and therefore shouldn’t be taken lightly.     

5. The effect of environmental toxins.  Many times our bodies will let us know when we’re allergic to a certain chemical or toxin.  When this happens, it’s important to do everything you can to try avoiding the toxin, or at the very least minimize your exposure to it. 

One of the problems is because we expose our bodies to so many things, it can sometimes be difficult to determine what is causing the symptoms.  For example, if someone has certain food allergies, but also takes medication, and exposes themselves to certain environmental toxins on a regular basis, it can be challenging to determine what is causing their symptoms. In this case they might have to do some detective work to determine what is exactly causing their symptoms. 

In summary, most people need to do a better job of listening to their body.  While this alone won’t restore your thyroid health back to normal, it can help a great deal.  On the other hand, covering up these “message” can lead to numerous health problems.