Problem: Sickness and/or lowered physical performance. The definition of sickness is to be ill, unwell, deeply distressed, weary, tired or; in need of repairs.

Common Perceptions: Many individuals today believe or perceive being healthy or the absence of sickness as a lack of major disease such as diabetes, cancer or coronary heart disease. Sickness or being sick by some is perceived as being bedridden for several days, on several occasions throughout the year. Some see lowered physical performance and being tired all the time as just needing some exercise and possibly a few dietary changes.

Facts and Considerations: Sickness or lowered physical performance is the body’s inability to maintain at a balanced responsive performance level. This inability to respond adequately is due to imbalance. This imbalance can come from inadequate amounts of nutritional components, too much stress or stimulus (exercise, physical work) or inadequate amounts of time to accumulate nutritional needs, process these needs and enough time to make adequate repairs to tissues. In the recent past, the office of the surgeon general stated, that an individual who has more than two colds per year is in a state of sickness. Many individuals look at the outside of their bodies, consider how they feel, and if nothing is obvious they say “I must be healthy.” How about on the inside? What about what we can not see or feel right now? What about next week, next month, or even next year? The human body is almost completely replaced down to the last cell in just over one years time. Every cell must be replaced from what the body receives through the makeup of those components we ingest. The nutritional base that we give our body through food and water is what determines what our bodies will physically become. It is not just the makeup of our dietary intake, but can it be assimilated (utilized)? The quantity of intake is important also in respect to having enough to meet the current needs. The timing of intake is important in that certain nutrients need to be present at the right times to receive full benefit. Everyone has the same basic nutritional needs. However, these nutritional needs do vary depending on age, sex, backgrounds and stress levels. In today’s fast paced society isn’t it sad that most of us know more about our car’s needs and requirements than our body’s. In most cases physical exercise is usually nothing more than adding an additional stress to an already out of balance body. Most individuals perceive that more of anything is better. When it comes to improving our physical condition, the exercise portion is usually performed in more of an addictive manner than an effective manner. By increasing the amount of exercise progress usually comes to a stand still and in some cases where exercise has been increased the results will reverse. The problem is, just because the muscles and cardiovascular system have become stronger does not mean that the internal workings of our bodies have increased to the same degree. Our organs and internal processes do not increase in size or output to the same proportion. This point is well proven when physically advanced individuals take one or more days off from exercise. When they return to exercise they will notice an increase in strength and/or performance. Adding exercise is adding stress. The adding of nutritional components alone is not enough. Time is needed to process these nutrients. After the nutrients have been processed by the body, they need to be utilized or put into place. The requirements for repair must be present prior to the stimulus or stress from exercise or no positive benefit will take place. Example: If you are shaving today and cut yourself will you at this point go and eat those things which will assist to clot the bleeding? Obviously the components to help clot the blood should have been consumed prior to shaving. Rest can be equated with the time between stimulus or exercise. Time to accumulate adequate amounts of nutrients, adequate time to process these nutrients to be utilized for repairs and reserves. Example: Many individuals do not get enough nutrients from the foods they eat so the body takes longer to recover and may not build up any reserves. Other individuals may get enough of the right nutrients for repair however do not allow enough time to process these nutrients and build reserves for the next time repairs are needed.

THOUGHT... would you rather have more reserves with which to respond, or would you rather have more exercise or stress? Reserves are the key to physical maintenance and increased physical performance not additional stress.