Viewpoint by Dr. Greg Quinn, founder of MedChefs
While hiking in Zion National Park, it occurred to me that the awe inspiring natural beauty that abounds on this planet also exists within us. All we need to do is turn our attention inward and feel the wonder. Have you noticed you don’t have to tell your body how to heal after an injury? For most of us, the body just knows what to do. Optimal health is the body’s purpose and the cells work together to manifest that. Wellness is inherent in our biochemistry. We merely need to provide the right environment for our biology to do its thing. What is the right environment? Minimize toxins such as tobacco. Optimize your diet. Without the ideal nutrients wellness cannot be realized. Our body functions optimally when it is doing what it is designed to do… move, think, create, perceive, love. Lastly, our thoughts influence our biology to a remarkable degree. So be kind to yourself. These are the elements necessary for innate health to flourish.
Over 25 years as a cardiologist, I have personally witnessed countless examples of what is possible with nutrition…for better and for worse. So, it’s not a surprise to me that those who suffer the ravages of poor nutrition experience disproportionately high blood pressure, diabetes, heart disease, strokes, obesity, kidney and liver disease. These are the diet-related diseases and are an epidemic in our society.
The infrastructure of our society does not favor optimal health
The intent is not to blame the individual. We are assaulted by the constant messaging that we need more. Advertising encourages us to consume fat, salt and sugar in insane quantities. We are encouraged to be consumers…spectators of life as opposed to doers. To overcome these forces, we must be aware and make conscious choices on our own behalf.
There is hope…
Indeed, there’s hope. It’s never too late to change. We start by getting out of our own way. Our body wants to be healthy. It is amazing how quickly our biochemistry favorably begins to change in response to new healthier dietary habits. With the right environment healing takes over.
The science is clear…you are what you choose to eat. And this is the basis for frailty or resilience. It’s really that simple.