Key #2 is about improving your internal chemistry; it is so VERY important to health and wellbeing.
Sometimes called the internal ‘mileux’ or even the internal ‘soup’ – this is the interplay of nutrition, hydration, drugs, acidity, neurotransmitters, hormones, inflammatory mediators and more.
This all happens within the watery environment of self – the exchange, assimilation and use of chemicals and the excretion or storage of toxins and by-products…
The Vibrant Life Keys are all about working toward purity and sufficiency, primarily by removing toxicity, and resolving deficiency in PHYSICAL, BIOCHEMICAL, MENTAL-EMOTIONAL and SOCIAL realms or domains.
Chiropractic Care is all about reducing the ongoing toxic stress-load of subluxation and improving the movement capacity of our chronically movement-deprived bodies. While resolving these stresses are a vital contribution toward health and wellbeing, it is not the ONLY stress which MOST of our clients are experiencing in their lives.
There are essential other components of life including internal chemistry, movement and other physical factors, mental-emotional challenges, and the way we interact with their broader community that also become sources of either toxicity, deficiency or both.
If the aim is a complete shift toward better cell function, human beings need to include in their ‘healthstyle’ both knowledge of and action steps toward resolving toxicity or deficiency in the domain of Internal Chemistry.
When implementing change in the area of ‘Internal Chemistry’ we are effectively discussing all of the factors that contribute to stress-load of the ‘internal soup’ of our bodies.
This can in part be due to to our nutritional intake or lack thereof, but is actually a much greater topic than just the food/drink we consume.
We are an organism of over 70 TRILLION cells; each cell lives in an environment where the chemistry in which it ‘lives’ must be ‘just right’ to promote ideal health and function.
Cells are forced to adapt and change their function either because:
- they are TOXIC – being exposed to something that is not appropriate or not genetically required, OR
- they are DEFICIENT – they do not have an essential nutrient or resource, as genetically required for their optimum function
Remember, this is important because sickness results from deficiency and toxicity, the two forms of stress that result in a loss of the healthy state (a movement in function away from your cells operating in what scientists refer to as ‘homeostasis.’
Of course it can be a combination of the two, or it may be that the accumulated load from previous stress is still affecting the cell’s function.
As with the broader conversation about the value of Health & Wellness coaching, we work to help people identify how or where they are experiencing either a toxicity load or a deficiency state in terms of their body biochemistry.
This is perhaps the easiest Optimal Life Key from which to understand the terms 'toxicity' and 'deficiency' because of their use in common parlance – remember than you can also experience ‘toxicity’ and ‘deficiency’ in both PHYSICAL and MENTAL-EMOTIONAL and SOCIAL domains.
In any case, the idea of toxicity or deficiency from a nutrition standpoint is easy to grasp – too much of something NOT needed, or not enough of something that IS needed. These two categories are that the root of all nutrition-related sickness.
Requirements for Ideal Internal Chemistry
Good Quality Natural Whole Nutrition
- The ‘right’ fuel (energy) is vital.
- Correct ratios of the ‘macro-molecules’ (fat, carbohydrate and protein) sourced from the right kinds of foods.
- Appropriate levels of micro-nutrients and vitamins – co-factors in correct cellular function.
- Correct combinations to maximise digestion, absorption and assimilation – and generate maximum energy production from these foodstuffs.
Oxygen
- We use oxygen to ‘burn’ our energy and for a range of other critical functions
- Appropriate breathing methods (and physical activity) are vital to ensure sufficient oxygen saturation in the blood
Appropriate Clean Hydration
- As adults we are made up of between 60-75% water!
- Each cell lives in a ‘gel-like’ environment made up of tissues that attract and hold water
- We call the internal chemistry a ‘soup’ for good reason.
- Flouride and chlorine are NOT clean – both compromise our cellular function.
Mentality, focus, speed and emotion while eating
- Eating while calm, relaxed, and focused on task of eating results in better digestion and internal chemistry
- Enjoying food, taking your time to eat and appreciate food is remarkable
- The same goes for food preparation.
- If you are eating ‘on the run’ you are fueling the body while it has turned off your digestive system!
The Essential Nutrient System, vital for EVERYBODY, EVERY DAY, FOR LIFE
- The best supplement is NO supplement – ideally we get all the nutritional input we need from our food
- In this day and age, due to our food production methods, storage and transport systems, our ‘busy lives’, the types of cooking and food-consumption patterns we choose to allow in our lifestyles there are some things we are NOT GETTING in the quantities we need.
- These essential nutrients are not OPTIONAL – they are required: Vitamin D, Omega-3, good-quality probiotics and a source of phytonutrients with an appropriate vitamin/mineral profile.
Cleansing in a biologically appropriate way
- Despite our best intentions, toxins do build up in our bodies – life is never ‘perfect’
- A capacity to eliminate toxins and the internal resources to do this safely is important
- Understanding how to assess the need for cleansing AND when to stop is vital.
Intermittent Fasting
- Humans did not evolve to eat ‘three squares’ every day.
- We did not evolve to have access to every and any foodstuff at any time of year
- Different types of fasting exist – exploring which works well for you is a good thing to do.
- Our bodies become ‘lethargic’ and less efficient when they are not ‘tested’ by absence of food
- Being seasonal in our food choices is important
Limiting (or ideally completely removing) poor quality foods that humans are not designed to consume
- Overly manufactured foods
- Overly processed (white) foods
- Grain-based foods (seeds of the cereal grasses)
- Dairy
- Alcohol
- ‘Dead’ food that has been altered with preservatives to ‘keep’
- Refined sugars, including complex carbs that readily break down to simple sugars
- Soft drinks / ‘Energy’ drinks
- Too much caffeine
- Colourings and other additives
Reducing chemicals that the body must otherwise detoxify and eliminate (wasted energy!)
- Pesticides and other chemicals
- Pollution
- Nicotine or tobacco products
- Make-up / Dyes / Personal care products such as anti-antiperspirants
Reducing use of drugs
- All drugs override the body’s natural systems. All drugs are a toxic load that the body needs to detoxify and eliminate
- This includes illicit or recreational drugs
- Pharmaceuticals, while having a place in acute situations don’t move our physiology toward health
- Neutraceuticals – more natural substances taken to ‘fix’ or ‘treat’ a symptom, as opposed to a natural substance that is simply needed to function at your best.
Chronic stress levels
- As seen elsewhere, excessive stress hormone not only had a broad range of problematic medium- and long-term effects but becomes a toxic load in its own right.
- Neurologic inhibition of ‘non-vital’ systems while under stress decreases their efficiency and capacity to do their job.
- Reduced blood-flow to these organs as other organ systems are prioritised further complicates this.
All of the above approaches result in a reduction in internal ACIDITY levels and INFLAMMATION levels, which are profound chemical stressors that take a LOT of internal resources to either combat or attempt to adapt to.
