Everything Is Killing You

This article is more positive than it seems, trust me.

It's hard to go a day without being warned about how you're actually not doing anything right.

Microplastics are everywhere - in your clothes, the food you eat, and your water. Our food is sprayed with chemicals or pumped full of antibiotics. We need some medications to keep us healthy, supposedly, but don't forget that one of the side effects is death, according to the lovely commercial on TV.

Screens are bad for your eyes, headphones are bad for your ears, and Bluetooth signals are frying your brain. The air is polluted, the ozone layer is destroyed, and the oceans are full of trash. Our skincare and makeup products wreak havoc on our hormones, candles kill your lung cells, and no natural substances are ever "natural" enough.

What the heck are you supposed to do?

The best that you can, and nothing more. Trust me when I say you don't have to let the fear-mongering get to you. It is impossible to manage all of these inputs. The people and companies who want you to keep up are typically trying to sell you something you don't need.

It's not always financially feasible to eat only organic, local produce, or always buy things that come in glass containers. Most people can't control their own water supply or buy a gajillion supplements instead of taking their prescribed medication.

Your best will look different each day and in various phases of your life. You need to spend more time focusing on the "big rocks" before you fret over the "little pebbles".

Here's what you should do:

1. Eat mostly whole foods. Fruits, vegetables, the highest-quality meat, grain, and dairy products you can afford.

2. Sleep more. Sleep is the number ONE factor that influences everything else in your health. If you're not sleeping well because you don't prioritize it, be an adult and fix it! If you're not sleeping enough or sleeping well for reasons out of your control, start prioritizing finding ways to optimize however you can.

3. Drink less. While there have been some studies in the past showing benefits of moderate alcohol consumption, that has now been disproven. Less alcohol means better sleep, less fat, and more money for other things.

4. Move somehow. You don't need me to tell you again how important exercise is. But telling someone exercise is important has never been the catalyst. You need to find movement you enjoy. I don't care if it's only for 10 minutes. It doesn't have to even be a structured routine. For the sake of your health, just move more!

5. Work on lowering your stress like it's your life's mission. The power of mental stress on our health cannot be overstated. Life IS stressful, but many people operate from a sense of learned helplessness. Stop making excuses. There is always something you can change or take ownership of to lower your stress. Think outside of the box, don't just do things the way they've "always been done", and recognize that if you're responsible for taking care of others, it's paramount that you take better care of yourself.

   
   

G.K. Chesterton once said, "If a thing is worth doing, it's worth doing badly".

Before you start to worry about endocrine disruptors, artificial sweeteners, and the next "natural" fad, do the boring stuff first.