How to Heal

Our bodies are self-healing.

This may seem obvious, but, how often do we really think about it? A little cut, bump, or bruise will usually heal within a few days with little to no intervention on our parts. If we did not self-heal, we would be one big walking bruise by the time we are 5 years old. Short of growing new organs when they are removed (although, in some cases, it can happen) we are always in a state of renewal and repair. How miraculous! Now think about this: It's not just our skin that self-heals but every single organ and tissue in our bodies. All of it is capable of self-repair and regeneration on some level, IF we have every thing we need.

So then, what happens when we don't heal? Why do some still have lingering issues or disease? Why can't the body just repair everything?

Could it be that we are lacking the proper nutrients needed to self-heal?

That is, truly, the million dollar question. And though we do not know how to cure all disease, we do know what the body needs to repair tissues. So lets start there and figure out how to give the body what it needs to do the job it was meant to do. Heal.

First start with this. How do we know when our bodies need help healing?

Simple: Symptoms. Symptoms tell us when something is wrong in the body. When we experience symptoms (say a headache, stuffy nose, fever) it is a sign that the body is trying to heal something. The fever is not the illness. The fever is a symptom of the illness. It is the indicator that the immune system is working and doing its job. To do the best healing job possible it will need proper tools and materials. Thats where you come in. Whether healing a chronic long term condition or recovering from the flu there are things we can do to empower and boost our bodies healing capacity.

I like to use this simple metaphor when talking about healing: Imagine our bodies as buildings and our immune systems as part of the construction and maintenance crew. We usually think of our immune system as internal soldiers fighting off germs. In reality, germ warfare is only one important function among many. Very simply put, our immune systems help the body heal. Of course, our body's systems are all functionally interdependent and infinitely interactive and so this metaphor is definitely an over-simplification of a vastly complex phenomenon. I use this metaphor solely for the purpose of communicating a new way of thinking about what our bodies need.

In order to perform repairs on our buildings (bodies) effectively our repair and maintenance crews need the following: plenty of energy to get work done, proper tools and materials to build with, a way to get rid of trash, and, very importantly, rest. With this in mind I propose the following steps to get your body on track to more effective self-healing.

(Disclaimer: This article is not intended to diagnose or treat any illness.)

How to keep your repair and maintenance crew working well:

1. Balance - Keep blood sugar level with regular meals and snacks - Give your crew the energy they need to work hard- eat low sugar foods at regular intervals. (Every 3-4 hours to start out.) When blood sugar goes down our crews run low on energy. This makes us feel tired immediately. When blood sugar goes up too high we have to get rid of it, creating more work for the repair crew, which can leave us crashed after a sugar high. Balanced blood sugar reduces stress on the crew and gives them full energy to make repairs.

2. Nourish - Put good stuff in - Give your maintenance crew good materials to repair structures with - eat good quantities of vitamin and mineral rich foods. Would you build your home from potato chips and chewing gum or bricks and mortar? Full nourishment reduces stress on our brains and bodies. It allows new structures to be built and repairs to be made with sturdy materials. Check out the good healing foods list.

An expansion on Dr. Bruce N. Ames' Triage Theory: Vitamins and nutrients will be used by the most critically important bio-chemical processes and organs first. If there are none left over the other organs and tissues will become deficient, and have trouble doing tasks, and even age prematurely. Make sure there are enough vitamins and minerals for your whole crew. According to Dr. Terry Whals (who is so inspiring!) this means 9 cups of vegetables per day. If that feels unrealistic for you, set your own goal - eating anything more than you do now is a win. Then just keep working upward.

3. Hydrate - Drink enough water - If you’re thirsty, drink - Keep crew sanitation (waters) flowing by staying hydrated. When water gets depleted in our bodies, wastes can build up. Imagine trying to build a structure while the trash piles up around you. Water cleans out the trash and supports the organs that work to detoxify our bodies.

4. DeTox - Take bad stuff out - Remove extra work for your crew by reducing and avoiding foods that cause damage and inflammation. Every person responds differently to all foods, however, there are some foods that very commonly will increase inflammation and may cause altered mind states (of the un-fun variety.) So, generally speaking it is best to avoid sugar and processed foods when possible. Avoiding unhealthy foods improves healing times.

5. Restore - Stress Reduction - Allow your crew to rest- continual environmental, emotional, or work stress creates generalized inflammation. Your repair crew is then distracted from it’s healing job. Rest and sleep create time for repair and maintenance. It happens fastest while we are in a resting state. Yoga, massage, acupuncture, walking, play time, reading, meditation and sleep! In fact the body has a hard time healing when there is a lack of sleep. When our bodies are stressed healing is delayed and symptoms get worse.

Continuing healing takes time. Be patient with your body. Making changes takes time as well. Be patient with your mind. And if you find that you have a condition that worsens or won't heal, seek help. After all, asking a healthcare professional for guidance may be the real change you are needing. Healthy resources are the key!

Copyright: Olivia Honeycutt 2017