Talented artists are good observers. They take time to not only look but also to see. The difference between looking and seeing is best identified in the quality of work that the artist produces. Whether we are talking about visual art or literature the same rule applies. A lot has been happening in the months since I last posted on this blog. I have certainly been doing a lot of observing. First, I observed my own thoughts and behavior and then the actions and words of those around me and in the wider world.
I was reminded of my work as a Community Dietitian in Scotland which took me into Hospitals, Clinics, doctor’s surgeries and people’s homes and communities. Both chronic and acute diseases were encountered and ensuring my own optimum health was a necessity in order to continue functioning in these challenging surroundings. Top priority for me as a dietitian, who had also explored diet from a Natural Health perspective, was to eat fresh seasonal produce grown without pesticides. There is no one diet that is suitable for us all. We have individual requirements based on our body type and current health. However some items classed as food are less nutritious than others and are harmful if consumed on a daily basis. Refined sugar products and other refined carbohydrates such as white flour breads, biscuits and pasta, many fried foods and snacks, create an imbalance of excess calories and deficiencies of essential vitamins, minerals and trace elements.
In addition to a nutrient rich diet it is important to supply your body with sufficient clean fresh water. Sweet drinks, strong tea, coffee, and alcohol although fluids require water to help compensate for the diuretic (water eliminating) or water retaining aspect of these drinks. Failure to do so will result in problems such as chronic headaches and sleeping difficulties.
Sufficient, good quality sleep is an essential factor for maintaining and restoring health. Animals, when left to decide for themselves, can always find the “best” place to sleep. A place that is safe, peaceful and undisturbed by restless energy. By this I mean something as simple as opening and closing doors or something more subtle like ley lines (created by water courses that run under a building) or Wi-Fi routers and Bluetooth devices. Interestingly it has been observed that dogs are in tune with our energy whereas cats and reptiles tend to prefer those energies that we humans would find less harmonious. Unlike animals, we often over-rule our intuition and choose for trends and fashion in place of inner sense. The first question worth asking someone with sleeping problems or chronic fatigue is where they place their iPhone at night. For the vast majority this will be on the night table beside the bed or even under their pillow. Throughout the night the device will be in constant search mode for a Wi-Fi signal and there has been found to be a direct link between these unseen frequencies and disturbed sleep.
So what’s my point? My point is that when you observe a situation, any situation, you will start to see patterns. Visual patterns as well as patterns of behavior. In our current situation it is essential to care for our health in the best way possible. Observe your daily routine, your eating, drinking and sleeping habits and make positive adjustments where you can. Taking control of your own health is the adult thing to do. Waiting like scared children for someone in authority to tell you what to do is not only undignified but also unnecessary. Human beings have been surviving onslaughts to their health and well-being for millennia, this is not the moment to roll over with our paws in the air.
Normally (a word that has lost all context) we would be heading for Scotland on our annual holiday to experience the wild and rugged beauty of the highlands and islands of that glorious un-tameable country. Sadly, the current rules and regulations have contributed a layer of pollution that does not sit well with the surroundings. I trust that Nature will choose the right moment and method to sweep away these unnatural humors. In the meantime, I watch from a distance and develop insight.