Water Wise

Water is a curious substance when you think about it. A drop or two here or there are easily brushed away without a thought, but put enough of those drops together and water can become one of the most unstoppable forces on our planet. Over time, moving water can slowly erode rock and carve its own path. Yes, even solid rock pails in comparison to the power of this fluid, dynamic substance. There is much to be learned from watching the behaviour of water. 

Those who resist change, are close-minded and stuck in their ways may seem solid and stable like a rock, but their ability to last will fade over time. Those who are dynamic, adaptable and fluid like water actually have much better “staying” power. Consider that although we may want the things and the people in our lives to stay the same, they rarely do. If we try to resist change or stifle others from expanding their horizons, our relationships will begin to erode. If you are wanting someone or something to always be there and stable for you, then perhaps the goal should be to adapt and grow together, rather than try to stay the same (and expect the same from each other). To be ever-lasting, we must be ever-changing. The bond of your friendships or love will only get stronger the more you adapt together. And with persistence, you will be able to carve your path through any obstacle that may arise. 

Water is also always “trending” one direction or another. Anyone with a pool or hot tub knows that you must learn to be a bit of a chemist when it comes to balancing your water. Keeping it at just the right sterilization level and just the right pH requires constant adjustments. Even if you don’t use it and leave the lid closed, the water will never just remain the same. The alkalinity will change, the sterilization levels will drop and the tiny microorganisms and cells will take advantage and begin to multiply. Just like water, we too are often trending in one direction or another. Every decision we make either leads us closer to optimal health or further away from it; and our behaviours, stress levels and environment can stimulate one part of our nervous system or the other. We can encourage activity in the sympathetic fight, flight and survive system, or the parasympathetic rest, digest and thrive system. Experience working with patients tells me that most often in today’s society if we don’t make a conscious effort to keep ourselves balanced, we end up trending towards the sympathetic dominant state. The state of chronic stress and inflammation. Pay attention to which way you’re trending and if you’re heading the wrong way, do a little course correction. 

To function optimally, our body craves homeostasis (“the same’) - but to achieve this we’ve gotta stay sharp and adapt. Thankfully, our body usually takes care of the finer details. For example, we’ve got a pretty narrow window of internal temperature that we can function with. The body must be the mechanic, dilating and constricting blood vessels and adjusting our metabolism to keep us in this range. It also has a fairly narrow window when it comes to oxygen levels in the blood - and so it must be attentive to the demands and conditions placed upon it, altering our breathing rate and oxygen delivery systems as needed. Our blood pressure and heart rate must adapt to maintain a consistent flow of blood throughout our body.  Unless something is awry, our body takes care of these “behind the scenes” details, but it leaves the big picture up to us.  We must act as our own project managers and chemists to balance ourselves out. So when you’re feeling stressed and worn out, consider slowing things down. Try a meditation or stretch/restorative form of activity rather than pounding out an intense workout. When you feel sluggish, don’t reach for the fast food and sugar - give your body some of the good fuel that it needs to help you feel better. If you feel energized, seize the opportunity to get some higher intensity activity in and/or participate in social engagements. If you pay attention to your body, over time you will learn when to push yourself and when to give yourself a break. Remember it’s progress not perfection that we’re striving for. There will be blips, but try to keep your health trending in the right direction. Stay dynamic and adapt and like water, you too will soon become an unstoppable force to be reckoned with.