That’s what my body was screaming at me last week as I faced the nastiest 46 hour flu I’ve ever had. I can’t remember the last time I got the flu.
Ironically this followed after a week of me noticing how sugar had entered my diet again… chocolate almonds here, soy lattes there, a piece of cake in between… it all adds up.
Even in my sickest moments, I whispered thoughts of gratitude for what my body instinctively knew to do. GET RID OF ANYTHING THAT IS NOT SERVING IT! It was not pleasant by any stretch, but then again, neither is some of the garbage processed foods (anti-foods actually) we put in our bodies, often when we’re not even hungry. Neither is the fact that we keep ourselves under high levels of stress, or choose mindless TV or internet instead of a good night’s sleep.
Our bodies are screaming, “Stop taking me for granted. I know I’m efficient and do so many things that you don’t even realize. But seriously, I’m not perfect. I’m bound to let out the occasionally yelp. And if that doesn’t get your attention and you keep abusing me like this, then I start to shut down. I don’t want to disappoint you, but I can’t help it. I can only be pushed so far. You wouldn’t put up with this from another person. So why treat me like this?”
Okay, okay… maybe the body doesn’t have such a vocal side. But think for a moment what it’s actually saying to you. Think about all the symptoms it reveals – like aches and pains, indigestion, skin breakouts, PMS, headaches, stomach upset, irritability, sleeplessness, and many more.
What if these were messages and not symptoms? What is your body asking for?
Love and acceptance?
Kindness?
Rest?
Peace?
Acknowledgement?
Nourishment?
The human body is miraculous.
It breathes, rebuilds, cleanses, processes, digests, synthesizes, synapses, and performs hundreds of other functions without your knowing – including growing new cells every day so that you can live to enjoy another day. But like everything else, it has its limits.
Are you taking it for granted?
It is easy to look at your body in the mirror and lament about all that it isn’t. But after laying fetal on the bathroom floor unable to move, I got it. “Thank you my sweet little body for all that you are!”
Sometimes life’s gifts come in interesting packages. The flu caused me to reset my eating and take the downtime I probably wouldn’t have gifted myself.
What is one thing will you do this week to show how much you adore your body and all it does for you?
