Say thank you and show appreciation.

Our bodies are working 24:7 365 days a year to keep us safe, well and functioning so that we can enjoy and partake in this thing called life.

We all understand the concept of taking care of our cars or things we want to last. We recognise for our cars to function (and function well) they should be regularly serviced, get oil changes, have wiper fluid topped up and let’s not forget to ensure they actually drive we need to regularly put fuel in the tank. If we fail to do the above, we understand we will likely pay for this lack of care at some point, yes?

Why is it then that we do not offer the same level of care, love and attention to our bodies? It blows my brain that as a society we are so disconnected from our bodies and our health. We only get one body, and it is where we have to live for our whole life, if we don’t take care of ourselves it means our enjoyment of life will suffer. As humans, there is a well-known concept called the “negativity bias” which has shown we have an increased tendency to respond to negative stimuli more than positive.

What that means in terms of what I’m talking about is even though we understand logically that when we take care of our bodies, we will feel good and benefit from this care by being able to do all the things we love; it often isn’t a strong enough stimulus for us to actually commit to behaviours or actions that keep us happy, safe, well and pain-free. As negativity bias shows, we do however respond to negative stimuli, so often we only “action” the care, love, and attentive behaviour towards our bodies when they fail us, and we experience pain, illness or loss of function.

In a world where we are so used to silencing our bodies cries for help (symptoms) with either drugs, surgery, alcohol, narcotics, food…. I encourage you all to re-frame your thinking on what is happening and why. Using the car analogy again, there is always a price to pay for a quick fix, and unless you are Del Boy from Only Fools and Horses, I am sure you agree that if your car had a broken exhaust pipe it makes much more sense, in both terms of reducing pain from the hassle of further issues down the line, as much as increasing pleasure from driving a car that doesn’t sound like a rocket, to actually fix the problem than tape it up with a bit of gaffer tape and a bit of string!

Aim to think of your body as a loved relationship, someone that has your back always, who cares for you daily, looks out for your best interests, protects you from bad things, and will fight anything that tries to hurt you. Next time it “speaks” to you (through a symptom be it physical or emotional), and before you reach for that “fix” to tell it to be quiet, ask yourself if there is anything you could do to perhaps be kinder to yourself or support your body to feel better? Treat it like you would want to be treated or how you treat your most loved person, pet or prized possession.

When we immediately reach for something to quieten our symptoms be it pain killers, antacids, Gaviscon, Movicol, Imodium, alcohol, food, drugs, or whatever your go-to “fix” maybe, you are moving further away from health, wellness and the best that life has to offer. Even if you do not know where to start on this journey of body appreciation, small steps go a long way.

Here are just a few to get you started for ideas and if they feel too tough maybe start with prioritising a “treat” for yourself once a month, something you do for you that makes you happy and most importantly your body smile too will pay dividends in the long term. Remember when it comes to cars you don’t just fill your car up once with petrol and oil and expect it to keep running, you have to do this consistently to ensure a happy functioning car, same goes for bodies too!

• Commit to drinking more water

• Reduce your caffeine/alcohol/sugar intake (pick one at a time but the aim is to reduce all three)

• Go vegetarian one meal a week (or a few if you feel you can)

• Go for a walk at lunch or sit outside in the sunshine to get some fresh air

• Home cook and take lunches into work so you know you are eating healthier

• Prioritise a monthly treatment to help you relax and boost your immune system (massage,

• reflexology, acupuncture, chiropractic….)

• Commit to reducing screen time

• Read a book instead of watching TV

• Commit to exercising daily (even if only for 10 mins to start with)

• Go to bed earlier so you get 8 hours of sleep

• Turn your wifi off at night or put it on airplane mode to help you get a better nights sleep (your

• alarm will still work in this mode)

• Try drinking herbal teas as an alternative to caffeine or sugary drinks

• Practice focussed breathing or meditation (apps like Calm or Headspace are very helpful here)

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