By Leann Mai (M. OMSc)
Our bodies are amazing machines, they have built in mechanisms to heal and protect that we aren’t even aware of – it’s like a software program always running in the background so that we can work, enjoy, and play our days away!
We change the way we play as we get older, running around playing tag or playing sports may be something we enjoy in the first few decades of life – we may thrive on the competition or the achievement of success as part of a team. Often in the third, fourth and fifth decades we redefine fun according to our limitations as we start to notice our body doesn’t respond the way it used to. We try training, like we did in the second decade and still, not the same response. We often notice our health isn’t what it used to be either.
Perhaps defining our health to meet the same criteria it was in previous decades is the problem. Maybe we should still focus in on the joy of what we can do and continue making goals based on where we are rather than beating ourselves up for not being able to do more.
We need to be open to variety- we have joints that move in multiple planes and a nervous system that loves rhythm! We can learn from young children, they love to walk, dance, swim, and swing, to name a few things they enjoy. They just enjoy discovering how their body can move!
So perhaps re defining health means being young at heart, go for a bike ride by the river, dance while making dinner, swing with your kids, it doesn’t matter- just move!
Let osteopathy show you how tomorrow can be a better day.
Cheers to you and your newly defined health!!