Health

I’m pretty convinced that health has got to be one of the foundations of a good life. Nothing is good when I’m sick, I just want to crawl into bed and die. The only positive I can take from it is that it reminds me to appreciate it when I am healthy. I have a tendency to take not-being-sick for granted, when I think it is something I should be grateful for.

If health is one of the key foundations, then it follows that I should put a bit of effort into it. It’s not something I’ve ever really thought about specifically. Sure, I’ve made resolutions nearly every year since I was 12 to lose weight and exercise, but those were really about appearance. I wasn’t thinking of the health benefits of exercising, and I don’t think losing weight is even a health goal. Most people who lose weight end up skinner but not healthier than when they started. I’ve known quite a few who have even ended up much less healthy than when they were a bit bigger. Needless to say, losing weight as an end in itself is no longer one of my goals.

Being healthier is definitely a goal for me this year. I think I still need to do some thinking and exploring around what this means for me, but for now, it includes the following:

1. Eat real food. I’m currently avoiding anything with sugar in it, and anything processed, and instead trying to stick to good quality protein and vegetables.
2. Exercise. I’ve started going swimming sometimes in the evenings, but it’s not really a habit yet. I’ve also started walking to and from work rather than driving or getting the bus.
3. Get some sun. I’ve read a lot of research on the importance of vitamin D, so I’m trying to make sure I get some sun every day, or to take some vitamin D supplements if I can’t. There are probably other things I should have on here, but that’s all I’m focussing on for now.