I’ve been rehabbing a shoulder injury recently, and not having full use of this limb has made me really aware of our magnificent body and how it works. Our body is like a machine!
One of my corporate wellness presentations centers around treating our bodies like a car. I think some of us have a tendency to take better care of our automobiles than we do our bodies!
So, let’s go with this car analogy.
Your car needs to be taken care of in order for it to get you from one place to another, right? You need to put fuel in your car – good fuel. Have you ever put bad or old gas in your car? Or, maybe you’ve used sub-par oil to save a little money, or worse yet, didn’t check the oil level at all! Your engine will seize and stop working altogether. Your car simply won’t run on this bad stuff.
Your car needs periodic tune-ups, too, if you want to keep it in good working order. You change the oil, keep the tires inflated, check the brakes, even give it a wash and vacuum it now and then. All so it can keep doing its job for you. And, if you keep driving your car long, long distances without refueling and checking the oil, it’s probably going to stop running - even leaving you stranded somewhere! On the other hand, a car left for days and months in a garage without being driven at all may not start up one day. It’s a machine and as such is meant to be operated properly!
It’s the same with your body. If you don’t keep your body fueled – and fueled properly – it’s not going to function very well…or at all. Your body needs tune-ups, too. You need to provide nutritious, whole foods as nourishment for your cells most of the time. If you eat junk, you’re going to gunk up your body engine (I think this was used in an engine oil commercial…).
You need to change your “oil” and in fact, use good oil in the form of healthy fats. You have to allow your body machine to rest occasionally, too, so it doesn’t break down and stop running altogether. And, you need to maintain your body by giving it a form of exercise so it continues to run efficiently.
And, if your car is clean on the inside and outside, it looks better and performs better. The windows stay clear and your paint lasts longer. Do the same for your body. Keep the inside clean by what you eat. Take time to eat so you can digest and eliminate properly. Keep your skin – your largest organ, by the way - clean by what you put on it. The total package will run better, look better, and last a long time for you! You’ll keep your health and vitality in check and will run like a magnificent and dynamic machine!
To Your Vitality!
