Initially, I discussed the importance of understanding your body's specific needs. Trying to find answers to a list of complex questions about a complex, multi-functional organ system can be overwhelming. Let us begin with some familiar and major areas your body could very much be communicating with you.
Have you noticed any sudden changes within your body? Are you noticing the warning signals and interpreting these signals correctly?
Your body is an intelligent, meticulously designed, complex system that knows how to inform your brain that something is not working correctly. While there is no harm in investigating each organ system to establish whether there is a dysfunction present, you could save time by focusing on the more urgent concerns, the red warning lights.
Common Areas of Concern
The first question you should ask yourself is: Where are you experiencing frequent inflammation? Inflammation is a sign your body has identified something as out of order. Inflammation could also mean that a specific organ or body part is under-working or overworking to help your body maintain homeostasis. The second question you should ask yourself is: Have you noticed any drastic changes in your energy levels? Are you more sluggish throughout the day? Is your energy level very sporadic and unpredictable regardless of how much sleep you get? The third question you should ask yourself is: How easy is it for you to focus throughout the day?
Ultimately, it is very common for your body to signal warning signals through various forms of inflammation, inconsistent levels of energy, and your inability or difficulty to focus.
I will briefly describe general ways to analyze each category introduced above. In each section, I will provide some good starting questions to assist you with discerning the urgency of your warning signals.
*Disclaimer: I am not providing this information in hopes that you will supplement it with professional medical advice. Please follow up with a certified medical professional for diagnosis of medical conditions.
A. Inflammation
Understanding and pinpointing the inflammation in your body may need medical assistance. External inflammation is much easier to locate and treat because you typically see this through swelling, discoloration, pain, or abnormal/high sensitivity in that part of your body. Internal inflammation can be difficult and convoluted because one organ can be inflamed from an issue in an entirely different organ system. So, it is crucial to assess the type of inflammation you are experiencing and then determine the location in the body. Once you've categorized the kind of inflammation you're experiencing, proceed to ask yourself these questions:
- Is the inflammation in this area constant? Is it triggered by doing a particular activity or consuming a specific type of food?
- What does the inflammation show up as? (Swelling, discoloration, pain, abnormal/high sensitivity, or other)
- On a scale of 1 to 5, how inconvenient is the inflammation in your day-to-day routine?
- Would you be willing to permanently adopt the necessary lifestyle changes to reduce or remove inflammation in that body part or organ system? (Before you answer, be honest with yourself and consider how much energy and time you can commit to making these lifestyle changes.)
Now, let's transition to the second category—your energy levels.
B. Energy Levels
One of the most noticeable signs of dysfunction in the body is your energy levels. I am sure you've heard the quote, "You are what you eat," and if the quote on the front page of my website does not reiterate this message, let alone the business name, somewhere along the way, I have not done my part.🙂
Obtaining an entire night's rest in your sleep window (yes, this is a real thing) may fix and realign your energy levels. At the same time, how your body processes and digests food can impact your energy levels significantly. If you are at the point where no matter how much you eat or sleep, you're lethargic, sluggish, exhausted, and more, it is plausible your body is not getting the nutrients it needs to function at its best. Additionally, your organ systems could be experiencing difficulties because you have not accounted for your body's design, food sensitives, and body structure.
For example, most people understand that beans are a great way to include fiber in their diet. However, beans are commonly known for producing gas in the digestive tract. All beans contain a sugar called oligosaccharide, and the body cannot break down and process this sugar. Part of the reason my body cannot digest beans is due to the abnormal curvature of my spine, as well as a hypersensitivity to this food category. Structurally, my stomach is positioned extremely close to my left rib cage. Once I consume any portion of beans, organ inflammation begins as the food item travels through my digestive system. As the body tries to transform this food into energy, the sugar contained in beans continuously releases in the intestines faster than my body can process. This interaction creates extreme bloatedness, fatigue, nauseousness, and other symptoms. It is important to note that organ inflammation in the digestive tract dramatically slows the digestion process and this is very dangerous if not monitored and corrected. An usuaul, slower digestion process can impact how frequently you eat and disrupt your energy levels since your body cannot cultivate a good rhythm to recharge and refuel the energy you use throughout the day. Under these circumstances, you are potentially creating an opportunity for your body to overcompensate in other areas it shouldn’t be. This is an example of both inflammation and energy levels signaling an important warning message. Where have you encountered issues with your energy levels?
Here are some questions to get your mind thinking in the right direction:
- Have you identified your personal sleep window, and on average, are you hitting the minimum hours of sleep to support your lifestyle?
- When do you feel the most energized? Is it an hour after you finish eating?
- Are you generally more tired or need a nap after you eat a full meal? (*Heads up, you should not catch the itis after every meal.)
- Are your energy levels consistently the same regardless of how much sleep you get and how many meals you eat?
C. Focus
Immediately, I think of the song lyric, 'Can you focus on me?' by H.E.R. Most of us struggle with focus, and we have identified environments and tips to help us focus better. Nonetheless, I am not referring to these personal facts about your temperament. I am discussing the type of focus that you need to be present in your day-to-day routine. Each day, we have a list of responsibilities we must tend to and that need our focus. If you are struggling with keeping your attention on any of these responsibilities and completing the required tasks, it may be time to assess if a warning message is going off. It is super important here to initially establish pre-existing attributes about yourself. An example of this would be if you know through diagnosis that you have ADHD, ADD, or other conditions that can impede your focus.
To assess whether this is an area of concern for you, ask yourself these questions:
- Even when I control all the factors that help me focus best (sleep, eating, unplugging, self-care, etc.), do I still struggle to be present throughout the day?
- When was the last time you experienced brain fog? How often do you experience brain fog?
- How frequently do you mentally check out in conversations with two or more people?
- Is it a daily struggle for you to tend to your responsibilities and obligations even with little to no significant life stressors? (*Significant life stressors are whatever you define as emotional, mental, physical, or spiritual situations or events that are burdensome for you.)
It's Time to Do the Work!
Now that I've covered the most common areas where your body could be signaling a warning message and provided some basic questions in each area, I hope you can come to some unique revelations on what needs your attention most. Please use a notepad or journal application on your most used device, or feel free to use a physical journal to document your responses along the journey. You will not remember this information in your head.
In this process, be patient and intentional. Patience matters because you recognize you did not get to where you are overnight. Intentionality matters because you will never be able to fully commit to any lifestyle changes without understanding the ‘why’ behind your actions and choices. Intentionality and patience help you stick to your plans and goals when the process becomes tiresome or arduous.
Once again, everything in life is a process. Try to enjoy the process as much as possible and reframe from comparing your needs to the next person's needs. Everybody is uniquely designed, which was done on purpose by the best creator ever.
Jaime🪴