My recent misfortunes during road races have landed me in the waiting room of a few doctors’ offices. And when I say waiting, I mean waiting...so of course I took advantage of the opportunity to observe those around me. They were old and young, with crutches, braces, walking boots, many clutching onto large envelopes that I can only assume were some type (MRI, X-ray, etc.) of images.
We put our faith in these doctors during times of injury and illness because...Because why? Because they have studied the books and passed the exams? Because they know our bodies better than we know our bodies? Obviously, there are times when medical attention is a necessity, but do we rely on modern medicine to our own detriment?
I thought about the experience I had a few years ago with anemia. I had an endoscopy, and a colonoscopy. I saw a hematologist, gastroenterologist, a general practitioner and an orthopedic doctor. I had blood draws and blood tests every other week. This all resulted in absolutely nothing. The cause of my anemia was never determined.
The problem resolved itself on its own...or did it...maybe it was just a matter of me paying better attention to my body...resting when I felt tired, eating the right things at the right time, not allowing stress to build up, letting go of anger...maybe it was just a matter of being outside more, doing the things that I love.
Sometimes, it seems like technology acts as a blinder. This tunnel vision doesn’t allow us to see the whole picture, the whole person and so; we end up only treating a part.
Keeping healthy comes down to how we help ourselves. The best way to do this is to stay in touch with our bodies and how they work and engaging in life’s simple pleasures.
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