When you are truly connected to your body a simple symptom can tell you so much. You know exactly and precisely when something is out of balance. Balance is what our bodies strive for. A body out of balance leads to symptoms, illness and disease. A symptom is our body's way of communicating to our consciousness that something is off and out-of-whack and needs some attention to get back into balance.
Truly connecting to my body has been a decade long work-in-progress. I used to carry so many symptoms that I didn't even know what feeling good and normal was. Since I fought my way back to true health I am so connected to my body and the way it communicates to me that I know exactly when something is off and therefore can focus on regaining that balance and get back to feeling good and whole again.
This week I have had some major joint discomfort, swelling and pain in my hands and at the base of my head. I do a lot with my hands. Today I was cutting thick wire to make a protective wire fencing around my baby orchard trees to keep the goats and deer off of their tender branches. Less than a week ago I planted those five trees and operated a hole auger on my own. Some discomfort is expected. I never stop moving, lifting, working, and my joints often get sore. However, this has been long lasting and when I wake up with tenderness it is a big signal to me that something isn't normal.
Joint pain—the achy, dull, constant pain—for me is usually a second or tertiary symptom. Usually it comes along after a yeast infection or sinus infection. This time, however it is the only symptom I have. I always start by thinking about the food I have been eating. The only major change I can think of is I have been eating quite a bit of sourdough bread this past week! I finally figured out how to successfully create the crunchy, chewy deliciousness and have been overindulging. I do have a gluten insensitivity and can only tolerate it in small doses without my body having a reaction. I would bet that is what is causing the joint pain. When our guts (mine especially) are not supported properly it is often the first system to erupt with some sort of symptom usually caused by systematic inflammation. Inflammation can't be seen, but it can be felt, if you're paying attention. My body is responding to the gluten and inflammation of my joints is the result.
If I were to not listen to what my body is telling me or continue to do the thing that’s causing the issue, it would result in more symptoms and often times develops into a more serious illness. And I don’t have time for that!!
Have I oversimplified my body's reaction? Of course I did! I am not a internal medicine scholar. I am a women who was sick and tired of being told I was fine, that everything I was feeling and experiencing was all in my head because nothing appeared on blood test. Or my absolute favorite advice from the endless MDs I saw was if "I still felt "off" just take another antidepressant". I took it upon my self to learn simple body reactions, to get off the endless carousel of pharmaceuticals, to slowly and methodically peel back the muffled layers and get down to my raw, natural self. To learn what made me feel good and then do that! Yes it is simple—that's my whole point!
So what am I doing about it? Well, darn it, cut back on the sourdough is the first step and then flood by body with whole food, raw nutrients, antioxidants and supplements. I will focus on the things my gut responds well to as well as focusing on "treating" the joint discomfort. When we understand why a symptom is presenting itself it makes it pretty simple to alleviate the discomfort.
Now this has come after years of practice. The biggest secret to opening up the communication between your body and your consciousness—both the internal and external awareness of everything—that I want you to know is to fully embrace living a low toxin lifestyle. When our system is so bogged down with external toxins—those we can control like those found in our cleaners, personal care products, hair care, over-the-counter meds, injectables 💉, processed foods, heavy metals, our water, clothing and more—we can't possibly distinguish between a new problem and a systematic one. Our communication system has been muted and clouded by so many toxins, that our body is not functioning the way it supposed to.
I fully know that it can be done. You can feel yourself at the cellular level. You can hear your body talk to you. Every symptom, however mild or intense, is a clue and with that clue you will give your body exactly what it needs for balance. You have the power to give your body, and in turn your soul, exactly what it craves to be whole, vibrant and healthy.
I am SO glad I did the work to alleviate the years of torture so I could reconnect my body to my consciousness.
If you ready to learn more about a low-toxic lifestyle - please reach out. I'd be happy to have a conversation about what I choose for myself and my home.
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