Hi Everybody,
A teacher of ours recently passed away, and his passing reminded me of a simple message we have hit on before, but I’d like to go over again.
GENETICS- We are all dealt a genetic hand at birth. When I was younger I listened to “health nut gurus” who professed that despite genetics or anything else, a person can be perfectly healthy and have no health troubles whatsoever. I believed it back then, but I no longer believe in that idea.
One of the things that has changed my mind is very simply that a lot of these people died early. Another is that, through the experience I now have, I can see how powerful the body you inherited from your parents affects your overall health.
THE CONSTANT ONSLAUGHT- We all have bodies. Our bodies are mortal and susceptible to a wide variety of insults. In addition, we have genetics to contend with, toxins in our air, food and water, and stress on even the best of days. Because of all this, there is no such thing as perfect health.
Our bodies are constantly fighting, constantly at war with the toxins around and inside us, constantly at war with bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites, constantly at war with erosion from aging and the onslaught of environmental changes. If you expect to be healthy all the time, you will most likely be disappointed. Unless you were genetically gifted, you will have small problems on a regular basis, and large problems from time to time. That’s just how it is.
PLAYING THE HAND YOU WERE DEALT- That being said, the better you play the hand you were dealt, the better you will feel, the stronger you will be and the longer you will last. If your body has the maximum ability, on a scale of 1-10, of a 7 in overall health, then the better you take care of yourself the closer to 7 you can get. If you don’t take care of yourself, you may live your life at a 5, or a 4, or a 3.
The Ancient Chinese used the analogy of a candle. The wax is the strength of your body, the wick is the genetic length of your life, and the flame is how brightly your life force burns. You cannot control the genetic length of your wick, or the genetic amount of wax you were born with, but you can, through proper living, control how quickly you burn through the candle of your life.
Whether you genetically received a long or a short wick, living badly cuts it even shorter, and dims your flame even while you are here. Living well, on the other hand, allows the flame to burn stronger and brighter and longer.
Hope this helps,
Dr Matt and Dr Robin
mattandrobin@yahoo.com (email)
This week’s bit of Useless Information: Quote – We cannot direct the wind, but we can adjust the sails. ~Bertha Calloway
This email is courtesy of Matthew Barnes, D.C. and Robin Barnes, D.C. Neither this nor any of our emails are intended to be medical advice and should not be taken as such. They are opinion and are for informational purposes only. None of the nutrients discussed here are meant to diagnose, treat, or cure any disease.