SUSTAINABLE OR STIMULATED HEALTH?

SUSTAINABLE OR STIMULATED HEALTH?

Health can certainly be defined in a myriad number of ways but no matter how we define it sustaining it is a critical component. Within the body is an innate healing ability that is always looking to have you at your absolute healthiest given your current and past circumstances. The law of "layers of adaptation" states that our bodies will adapt to stress by altering themselves moment to moment, and day to day. These adaptations will then build up, layer by layer until eventually we can't adapt anymore and a symptom or disease becomes apparent. Each adaptation requires more of the body's energy, so as one ages, less and less energy is available for all other bodily activities.

Energy then becomes an important issue that faces most, if not all, of us. Low energy and its related conditions like depression, low libido, fatigue, apathy, despair etc are significant issues for many. What to do? Well there are many things that can be done but they all require a resting and rebuilding approach. Unfortunately in today's fast paced modern society we often don't follow this advice and look for a magic bullet quick fix. We look for anything that is just going to help get us through our day (conscious and unconscious) and that is all too often a stimulant.

Many people believe the answer to low energy is to use stimulants and before you think this doesn't apply to you please read on.  Stimulants certainly include the list of usual suspects such as caffeine; but did you know that others include such things as worry, fear, anger, hatred, fearful news or movies, and stimulant drugs such as methamphetamines or cocaine. Stimulants include sugar, alcohol, and theobromine in chocolate. Other stimulants can include loud noise, loud music, light stimulation such as strobe lights in night clubs, excessive exercise and excessive vibration. The list is quite lengthy. Caffeine, sugar and alcohol are probably the most common stimulants.

These don't work long term. They provide a short energy boost, but they do this by stimulating or irritating the glands or the nervous system. Most stimulants whip the adrenals. This may cause one to feel better for a while, but the long-term effect is to weaken the adrenal glands. Over time, the system becomes very depleted and then the stimulant won't work anymore. One is left much more tired than before one began using the stimulant. This will eventually lead to burnout which is a far more serious condition.

It is important to note that stimulant use can be a result, as well as a cause, of adrenal insufficiency. A person who is tired due to weak adrenals may be attracted to stimulants to feel better temporarily. Another way of saying this is that stimulants are attractive to people who are already in burnout and are fatigued. The stimulants will provide temporary energy by adrenal stimulation to allow a person to feel better temporarily. This is an important reason why giving up one's addictions can be difficult. When one gives them up, one must face the fact that one is exhausted, depressed and often just feels awful due to adrenal burnout.

If anyone is in doubt about their stimulant use try making a list of what your stimulants are and then give them away for a few days to a week. Many would be surprised and perhaps even scared at how fatigued you actually might be.

Nutritional balancing is the approach I suggest to rebuild the body and it is the exact opposite of the use of stimulants. It requires more rest and it restores the body's entire energy system by removing toxic metals, replacing vital minerals and other nutrients, removing chronic infections such as parasitic, yeast and others that just use up energy, and balancing the body gently and delicately, over and over so that the body regains its former energy producing capacity and, in many cases, becomes far more energetic than it was previously. This approach, in my experience, is far better than stimulant herbs, adaptogen herbs, various vitamin regimens, or the large number of energy products that are offered in the health food store. It is more work, more discipline and often requires hair mineral analyses to assess one's needs, but it is much more precise, safe and a long-term solution.

If stimulants and their various uses had never entered your thoughts when it came to the sustainability of your health hopefully you will look at them in an entirely new light. Symptoms are often misleading and even if you feel well, you would be well advised to critically reflect on yourself to determine if how you feel is the result of true health or stimulant use.