Why are we getting more sick as a society?

This is one subject that consistently baffles me. In the U.S. today, we are more privileged, more advanced in technology and just plain richer than most countries. And yet, we are a country that has more cancer, more heart disease, and more diabetes and obesity than most.

What in the world are we doing?

I have made it my life's mission to help the U.S. turn around its view of health, wellness and a quality life.

We are sitting on our butts all day. 

As much as we have gym memberships, home exercise equipment and fitness classes, most of us are sitting around for a majority of the day. Our bodies have not been developed over time to be sedentary. Sitting for long periods makes you more tired and causes you to sit more.

The workplace is probably a big contributing factor. 

If you have a desk job, it's probably killing you. I know that's a bold statement, but there is truth. Each week I see more clients who complain to me, that in order to keep up and not lose their jobs, they must put increasing hours at work. And guess what? That means more sitting.

We are overachievers. 

Unfortunately, in the U.S., if you are not doing more and being more, you may not feel successful. And that means, when you come home from your day job, you are probably carting your kids to baseball, soccer, dance or other activities and thus neglecting your own health. 

We are eaters. 

Since we live this frenetic lifestyle, we are often doing a "grab and go". We grab a Starbucks on the way to work with a pastry. We grab a bag of chips at the vending machine. We grab a soda to be able to work more. Our lifestyle does not allow us to sit and enjoy meals.

We reward ourselves with alcohol. 

Just like the "grab and go" mentality of our eating habits, we have a reward system for getting through our busy lives with a glass of wine, a bottle of beer or a martini. So you spend the day, not moving, eating unhealthy foods, stressing out over your never ending day and on top of it, pour alcohol into your already unhealthy body. Is it any surprise we're getting more sick? 

A Healthy Lifestyle Must Become a Priority in Every Walk of Life. 

As a society, we must turn our lifestyle around if we are to get better. It must be acceptable to exercise during work hours, to take breaks to meditate or have walking meetings. Employees should be able to work remotely and be able to clock their hours and not be threatened with job loss. Wouldn't it be great if you actually got rewarded at work for clocking in hours at the gym, taking a meditation class or organizing an at work "Walk and Talk" meeting? 

Just as being a non-smoker has been more the norm today than 30 years ago, not drinking alcohol needs to become socially accepted as well. Unfortunately, drinking and success in business tend to go hand in hand as business deals are often closed over a glass of something. 

Taking time to eat needs to become another societal norm. In many European countries, people take an hour or more to eat lunch and sit around the table for family dinners. 

Just say "no" to over-scheduling. You don't have to be everything to everyone all of the time. Your child doesn't have to get into Harvard to be successful. The best way we can teach this next generation of kids to live healthfully is to do it ourselves. They will never learn otherwise. 

This is just a bit of food for thought. Any suggestions on how we can live more healthfully as a whole? 

Michelle Fondin

Author of The Wheel of Healing: An Easy Guide to an Ayurvedic Lifestyle

www.michellefondin.com

Understanding the Law of Pure Potentiality

In our yoga classes at The Ayurvedic Path, we study The Seven Spiritual Laws of Yoga. The first of those seven principles is the Law of Pure Potentiality. 

This is a principle innately understood by babies and small children. Initially, everything is open and new. When we are young, all is amazing and the world is a realm of all possibilities. Then very quickly, through our upbringing, we begin to narrow our view of the world. This happens through no fault of our own. Our families, teachers and caregivers, help shape who we are and a lot of that includes setting limitations. 

Growing Up and Growing Out

While fitting into a mold was helpful as we grew up, staying in the parameters that were set for us, may not work in adulthood. I know a family who, through the generations, has encouraged their children to become doctors, lawyers or engineers. Understandably, these are fine areas of study, which often guarantee a good source of income. However, many children, even within the same family don’t necessarily fit into any of these areas easily. But, if you were raised in this family, you might think that you can only choose one of these career paths to be completely accepted and successful. 

Expanding your limitations into full potential includes overriding something you’ve been taught your entire life if it’s no longer serving you. 

Raising the Ceiling of Limitations

Some of us live with a ceiling so low that we frequently hit our heads on it. We are so used to living with our own excuses that we many not even hear our own voices anymore. “I can’t do this because...” “When I get more money, I will...” “If I was younger, I could...” or “I’ve tried that before and it hasn’t worked.” 

Pure potentiality calls us to open up and raise the ceiling to infinite possibilities. This means you must let go of disbelief. What you thought wasn’t possible before, now becomes possible even if you don’t see it right away. Small children dream and speak the impossible. You must have the innocence of a child if you are to embrace pure potentiality. 

Listen to Your Thoughts and Speech

Retraining the mind can be a challenge. One way to begin is to observe yourself. Observe your thoughts and see which ones are limiting. Notice which of those are regular in your thought patterns and write them down. Then make a commitment to yourself to rewrite those thoughts into ones which open you to infinite possibilities. Do the same with the things you say. Make an attempt to not speak limitations on yourself or others. 

You are a piece of the creative mind that orchestrates the world into existence. You have the capacity, therefore, to be limitless. Embrace this aspect of who you are and live the life you’ve always dreamed of living.

Love,

Michelle

Michelle S. Fondin, author of The Wheel of Healing: An Easy Guide to an Ayurvedic Lifestyle. 

www.michellefondin.com