If You Value Freedom, Then Read On

This Independence Day, my family watched the movie 1776, a dramatic reminder of the birth of our nation, and the risks the founding fathers were taking to stand for freedom from tyranny.  The Declaration of Independence was not just a piece of paper -- it was a set of principles that was carefully crafted and debated, with at least one founding father resigning from Congress rather than participate in what he viewed as treason.

We carry the legacy of liberty two hundred thirty-six years later, and indeed, it is what makes our country great.  Not perfect, but still an order of magnitude above so many oppressive regimes in the world.  With this tradition of freedom so firmly etched into our national identity, it's sometimes challenging to get the message that certain boundaries do make us healthier and happier.

We live in the land of endless choices:  two hundred channels on cable, but nothing worthwhile to watch.  Fifty varieties of pasta sauce on the grocery store shelf.  Clothing in any color or style imaginable.  Is this what our founding fathers fought for?

The most famous phrase in the Declaration of Independence is "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness."  Did you know that when it comes to choices, more is not always better?  Dr. Barry Schwartz has done rigorous research in this area, and found that more options increase happiness -- up to a point.  Beyond that, we become increasingly anxious, or even paralyzed, by the number of choices we're faced with.




With so many choices, we are led to believe (especially by the marketing industry) that there is some option out there that is perfect for us.  Paradoxically, though, we often end up regretting what we chose, because we imagine that one of the other options out there might be better still.

In the area of health care, pharmaceutical companies advertise prescription drugs directly to consumers.  Why market something to the general public that needs to be prescribed by a physician?  So that we go to our medical doctor and demand that drug, rather than relying on the expertise of the doctor to prescribe what is best for our health.

We suffer from too many options -- fast food, processed food, endless sources of electronic entertainment to deprive us of exercise and sleep.  In this sense, naturopathic medicine is counter-cultural:  a major principle we have is vis medicatrix naturae, or the healing power of nature.  In other words, get back to the basics -- simple, nourishing food, restful sleep, regular physical activity, and conscious methods of stress management.  Discover how to fit these into your life, and be on constant guard for the seduction of excessive choice under the guise of "liberty," that in reality detracts from our life and pursuit of happiness.

Exercise, Sunrise, and a Reminder

You've probably gotten the message by now that exercise is essential to health and longevity.  Newer research (performed locally here at the University of Illinois) even shows that resistance exercise helps prevent cognitive and memory decline in the elderly.  The question often comes up, though:  What type of exercise is best?

Different forms of physical activity can serve different purposes.  For example, if fat loss is the goal, then a specific program of "burst" training, such as Sprint-8, has been shown to boost the body's production of human growth hormone, leading to significant decrease in fat tissue.  This approach uses very short (30-second) bursts of maximal effort (e.g., on a stationary bike), followed by 90 seconds of low-to-moderate effort, repeated over 8 intervals.  With warm-up and cool-down, this translates into a 20-minute workout that, performed properly three times per week, can provide more fat-burning punch than 45 minutes of daily walking.

No matter what type of exercise is chosen, the key is to provide some variety and enjoyment.  Here's a secret:  for a long time, I resisted exercise, because of negative associations with team sports (just look back at my P.E. transcripts).  Gradually, I learned that exercise can be (a) enjoyable, (b) done in a non-competitive atmosphere, and (c) more about health than image.

This morning, I went cycling across Lake Vermilion (Danville folks are familiar with the Denmark Road causeway).  I love this route early in the morning, with the sunrise over the water, spying a blue heron on the strand, and being watched warily by a family of raccoons.  In spite of our ongoing drought, the trees all along the shore provide a luxuriously green border.  This natural setting is exercise for the soul, at the same time that I'm exercising my body.  In fact, there's plenty of scientific evidence that exposure to natural surroundings can decrease blood pressure, stress hormones, and improve immune function.  In Japan, this is called Shinrin-yoku, literally "taking in the atmosphere of the forest," or just Forest Therapy for short.

This past weekend, I went kayaking in Kickapoo State Park:  another opportunity for Shinrin-yoku, and a great upper body workout.  I got to thinking that this would be a wonderful form of cardiovascular and strength exercise for those with hip and knee pain.

My bicycle route also took me past a small cemetery -- a reminder of the final destination for all of us.  It's also a reminder of the steps we can take to maximize the years of our life, and maximize the health and well-being we pack into those years.  Every choice we make can have an impact on our health -- choose wisely.