Above you see two pictures of my living room floor. The first is the before and the 2nd is after sanding, lots of TLC, and begging my "floor man" to just work with me on this one.
You are probably thinking great Paula, pictures of your floor, but what does that have to do with health. I am going to be quick about this explanation... the Reader's Digest version is what I am aiming for.
In a frenzy one day I made my boys help me rip up the carpet in this room. I hate carpet. I knew underneath there was 100 year old wood floors (my home is 175 years and there are wide plank boards under the boards you see. Hmmm, crowbar? Nah, work with what is right there!) that I would prefer to sweep than use a noisy vacuum cleaner on carpet.
Long story short: hard wood floor refinishing company took one look and said: "No way to make this floor look good. You need to put in a whole new hardwood floor." My reply: "Seriously? Why not use what is there and prevent the use of new trees to make new floor boards and the possibility of creating garbage in this world by ripping up the 100 year old boards. There is history here, lives lived on these boards, stories that I will never hear (the people are no longer alive!)... why waste what is already here? Why not work with what we have?"
I got my renegade, work for himself floor guy (who initially said the same thing about the floor and why I then asked the "pros") and begged him to just work with me on this one. I will share pictures of the final floor when I am finished sanding, fixing up, and poly-urethane covering the boards I am thrilled to have under my feet.
Your health and my floor connection? Work with what you have!
Years ago, close to 20 I bet, I was doing a workshop locally on whole foods for weight loss. After the workshop a woman came up to me and said... I want to look like you. This woman was easily 5 inches taller than me and blessed with the big bone structure of Slavic peoples. I am 5 foot 5 1/2 inches and have the bone structure of a bird. (Trust me, I have had my longings for a more curvaceous and voluptuous body and bones that would better anchor me to this earth in a strong wind but what I have is what I have!) I hugged this woman, told her that her body was strong and beautiful, and suggested she work with what she already has (what she was gifted by her genetics)! Sure, a 25 pound weight loss would increase her health and vitality but her height and bones are her height and bones.
My point(s):
- embrace what nature, genetics, God, Goddess gave you (whatever beliefs you live and love by),
- eat whole foods to re-balance your weight right where it is supposed to be for you
- move your body to keep it frisky and healthy; do not rely on movement... exercise for weight loss, real food 100% of the time is what matters in the metabolism of healthy biology and body weight
- chew your food well to take good care of your gut
- LOVE exactly what you were given (what you have) and care for it in whole health ways to make the very best out of YOU!
