2011- what a year!

Here is my year in review, the five things that really stuck with me in 2011.

1. The only constant is change. There is still SO much we (and I in particular) don’t know. Be willing to learn and change if necessary. Don’t get stuck in a dogma or be too stubborn to change your beliefs. We all like to look for things that support our beliefs, don’t be afraid to challenge what you believe. If your perspective is the right one for you it will withstand the pressure.

2. Digestion and bacteria are of ultimate importance. Don’t underestimate or take this for granted. If these aren’t in check, your health will suffer. Digestion as a whole could be the key to health. Bacteria contribute so much to the homeostasis of our body that many prople believe the next great realm of discovery will probably happen in this area.

3. Hormones are everything. Whether it’s cortisol, testosterone, estrogen, thyroid, insulin, leptin or any of the numerous other, hormones are vital to how we feel and function. When hormones are off, weight control becomes tough, energy/libido suffers, disease grows and we plain just don’t feel right. If you don’t know, get them checked. If they are off, get them fixed!

4. Keep things in perspective. Health and happiness encompasses so much. Nutrition isn’t everything. Exercise isn’t everything. If you are focusing so heavily debating nutritional details on Facebook to the exclusion of spending time with other people or things that make you happy, you have probably lost some perspective. Everyone appreciates people who strive to be healthy but let’s make sure we don’t take it overboard.

5. Take care of yourself. Last but certainly not least, this is the biggest lesson I learned this year. We all like to think we are tough and can handle whatever life throws at us. Maybe we can do it for a while but we are certainly not built for what this world throws at us day after day. I finally learned that this year. After years of sleep deprivation and stress, my dad’s illness and the impact it had on my family put me over the edge. For all my life I had taken my health for granted. I was young, fit, lean and resilient. I could handle stress, heck I could handle anything. Well, life is unrelenting. It caught up with me. Lesson learned- take care of yourself. Life won that round, time to pick myself up, regroup, formulate a better plan and get back out there.

Thanks for reading, thanks for a great year and have a great end of 2011!