Wednesday, February 25, 2009

It takes a village...

Want the most optimal bill of health possible for YOU?

It takes a village of experts, instructors, practitioners, and professionals to get you there!

Honestly...

The healthiest of people are extremely active.
That's a given.

The healthy also nourish themselves with clean, wholesome food.
Another obvious one.

Those who are serious about nutrition and exercise are smart enough to seek out expert advice from knowledgeable people in those fields. So, that can be a pretty large group of people through which an individual acquires their basic fitness/nutrition information.

Others, like myself, find instructors to teach them activities and skills that they have yet to master. Many take a step up from that to train with a personal trainer - in order to get individual attention, personalized workouts, and an extra kick in the butt! And, we can mention the personal attention provided by nutritionists and dietitians in this category as well. Add all those instructors and professionals to the entourage.

Now, when someone is super active, it's important to note that exercise is a stressor. It strengthens the muscles and improves overall fitness... but it can add tension to those muscles and tightness to major joints. Therefore, for optimal health, an active individual needs to practice regular stretching, foam rolling, active release techniques, and soft tissue work, as well as utilize the help of massage therapists. Include those resources and therapists to your book of helpers.

Another point: exercise can sometimes create imbalances, structural displacements, overuse injuries, or even acute injuries. It happens. That's when we head to the office of a high-quality chiropractor or maybe a physical therapist. Rolf therapists can use deep manipulation of the soft tissue to improve chronic pain and imbalance issues, too. These people are often magical solutions - and should head up your healthy 'community'.

And of course, I cannot neglect to mention acupuncture and other forms of traditional Chinese medicine. A holistic approach to medicine is truly helpful to those seeking optimal health. And we can definitely consider these practitioners a part of the larger group.

Maybe we use the services of a personal chef or a meal delivery service to prepare our healthy meals. Add 'em to the pile!

There are endless people that we enlist to help us maintain or optimize our health. They are our "village". And while we don't have to break the bank to get that help from the most pricey wellness services, we really should have access to a large pool of people for any issues that may crop up or any questions that may come about.

If you're reading this, and you find the information I present to be helpful, then I'm happy to be a part of YOUR village!

Because it certainly does take a village to be satisfied, functional, and spectacular! :)


(Did you notice that medical doctors are NOT a part of the village?! I believe that there is a need for them - in cases of check-ups and emergencies. But if you are proactive about your complete health, you honestly won't need 'em. Think about it!)

2 comments:

Aaron Benes said...

Hey Kim!

All good info. I especially like the part about traditional medical doctors.

Really healthy people don't typically take medications nor visit MD's all that often.

By the way; You rock!

Kim Ball said...

YOU rock, Aaron!

You know who else I forgot in the proverbial "village"? Therapists, psychologists, life coaches... the people who tend to the brain stuff!