This is a low point in my career. I pride myself in walking the talk and lately I feel like I have been treading in a soup of stress and tissue. I was warned that this would happen. I have two kids under two, work full time and frequently trade time with my pillow for a meaningful relationship with my inbox. I firmly believe I am living the dream; I have a beautiful family, a sense of purpose but lately, unrelenting disease.
I work with people everyday, sharing strategies for managing stress, reducing the physiological burden of over-commitment and devising strategies to ensure healthful nutrition in the face of hectic and relentless commitments. I believe in balance, checking-in and listening to your body, so how the heck did I get here? Six words: I took my health for granted!
In the face of a jam-packed Outlook calendar, I have always pushed on with the fundamental belief that my immune system is impenetrable. For as along as I can remember, it has been a consistent ally in my quest to manage it all. Two weeks ago when my slightly runny nose developed into a cough and then a sinus infection and then a cold and then a sinus infection, I was at a loss. This happens to other people, not me. I had failed to execute the most fundamental intervention in my arsenal, good sleep, good food and cuddles. No excuses, if your body is starting to tell you that it needs attention, proceed at your own risk.
We wouldn’t ignore the gas light for days or weeks at a time. In the very least, we wouldn’t be surprised if our ignorance of the warning light resulted in our car being side-lined because we had run out of fuel. So why do we treat our most precious asset, our health, with the disregard afforded to that old clunker, hand-me-down car.
With a little self-care and most importantly, self-awareness, I am back on track. I went to bed at a reasonable hour, took the time to prepare real, green, nutrient dense food and traded an out of office reply for a day of play with my girls. It was a start, and my body and spirit soaked it up.
When you gas light is flashing, you WILL run out of fuel without intervention. Check out my article in the Huffington Post for the complete list of immune serving interventions.