Chiropractic Care in Phoenix Arizona
With the New Year, we have metaphorically been given a “clean slate” – time to change old habits and try to get the most out of the time we have and the lives we live. In keeping with my never-ending blog theme that the life you live, the relationships you keep, and the way you think about living is the only “medicine” that keeps any of us alive I would like to discuss a new concept, or rather a new name for an old concept and that is Biohacking.
Basically, biohacking is anything a person does experimentally with their own body to get the most out of that body and possibly life itself. Some of the ideas like sleep, and rest, eating properly and being social are not new and make a lot of sense, but like all things, there are people out there pushing the envelope in an attempt to live 160 or 180 years! Some are taking small doses of LSD to improve creativity, others are being injected with young peoples’ blood. There are now “smart pills” and vitamins- all kinds of stuff meant to hack into the body’s systems and genetics hoping to somehow “improve” on the basic design that has worked for the past 10,000 years!
So is biohacking a good thing or a bad thing? It really all depends on what you do.
In earlier blogs, I have discussed simple lifestyle changes and see how you feel. Eat at certain times, avoid certain foods, exercise or not, get more sleep or less. You play around with these things and see how you do. It’s not any more difficult than trying a few things and paying attention to yourself. Check the scale or blood pressure cuff. Are you happy? Do you enjoy the people you associate with? Get the idea? How is life around you, and more importantly how are the lives of those who are around you?
I recently became aware of the term biohacking through a series of articles written in a chiropractic journal and the author went on to elaborate a number of things people are doing to try to maximize their living potential. Some make sense like the suggestions I’ve made in my blogs and others are just plain dangerous.
As I read the articles, I couldn’t help but feel sad when I thought of the people who measured health and happiness and fulfillment in terms of what they could do to alter their bodies. It really seemed like (Mr. Roger’s moment!) they just needed a friend or two to enjoy life. Many of the people discussed were isolated and fighting against nature’s design- a fight you will probably lose if only for the fact that you are doing it alone.
As I read, I finally came to the end of the articles, and there it was. For all the stuff the author describes, he said in the very last paragraph that in his opinion the number one biohack was the quality of a person’s relationships- his relationships with self, others the planet…. Maintaining good relationships leads to happier and healthier lives. High conflict people and relationships are really bad for our health. (I wonder if he read my blogs?!?)
It is true – the best way to extend your life is not to worry about a body, but to create meaning and purpose to your life and more so to others through communication, kindness, compassion, and understanding of others.
Think about it! What is the one thing most of us would want most from life? To know we matter! To know we are loved and that people care about us – the best way to ensure this? Make sure others matter to you and know that you love them and care about them and make sure that you communicate these points to them.
Do you recall a time someone was kind to you? It’s not a memory, is it? It’s a feeling and it lives forever. Kindness and compassion can be immortal. That is the longevity we seek, not 180-year-old bodies. Help give meaning and purpose to others, let them know you love and care about them. And to hell with bodies!
Each day I am blessed with smiles and thank you’s from helping others better their lives. To that degree, I have meaning and purpose, but you don’t have to be a chiropractor to let someone get through in traffic, to say, “Hello, I see you.” Let someone know you care, and they are valuable to you and others. This can simply be done with communication- just tell them and show them that it’s true.
It’s funny for all the science and technology invested in life, the one thing that matters most, the one thing man craves is communication and the love and support of his fellow man. Communication alone can create life and opportunities and joy and happiness. All the stuff the crazy biohackers are trying to gain, and yet they are isolated and alone and desperately clinging to a body which in time will let them down. Communication and your relationships with others never will. You can always fix anything with communication! It leads to understanding. Hence the importance of these blogs!
Well, Happy New Year and Best Wishes for a healthy and prosperous 2020! Find someone today and start talking- you’ll be amazed!