Physical Health

I'm excited to be writing about physical health as well as mental. A forum friend has started a blog on health challenges and it reminded me that one of my goals when setting out this blog was to focus on physical as well as mental health.

Exercise is so important. I see many younger seniors my age and older who keep themselves fit and are vibrant and youthful in outlook and mobility; many others who are old before their time. I'm not a fitness aficionado by any means but walk a lot, mainly because I don't own a vehicle. I have a driver's license but choose to walk or take the bus. Of course, it also means I sometimes cadge a ride from a friend. I try to pay them back with gas money or a meal and otherwise seem to get along okay without a car. If I lived in a different area it would be more difficult to get along without a vehicle, or if I lived in the country. Still, taxis and buses are cheaper than owning a vehicle. I gave away my beater car many years ago to someone who needed a vehicle for work. That's another thing. I work at home so don't need to get out every morning and evening.

Eating right is another clue to a healthy physical lifestyle. I'm lucky that I'm not allergic or sensitive to any foods that I know, although a friend suggested I try a gluten free diet as I have trouble getting a deep breath often. I suspect that's psychological, but as I said in my last post, often psychological problems have physical roots and vice versa IMHO. I don't think the two can be separated easily. I think the danger is when a person focuses on pain or discomfort and doesn't simply let it go. You know, my 12 Step Program has a motto "Let Go and Let God." Or just let go of people and precious ideas you may have had since childhood. They're not important enough to ruminate on and make us unhappy or stressed. I'm just learning that now. Like e.e.cummings said in one of his poems, "hatred bounces" and so do anger or painful or uncomfortable thoughts.

That being said, I can talk like that because I have no real physical problems other than alcoholism if that's physical (I haven't had a drink in over 18 years), and I believe it is, and schizophrenia, which appears to be a chemical imbalance or genetic, triggered by stressful events. I'm okay now, though. But maybe something I was born with? Triggered by distress?

Nobody really knows the reasons for these things.

I'd be interested in comments on keeping oneself physically healthy, though. I suspect diet, exercise and positive thinking are as important as genes but certainly we have to play the cards we're dealt in life. Some would say mental illness is more debilitating than a physical illness. Certainly it's hard to function without a functioning brain.