Is Happiness Enough?

Is Happiness Enough? Don’t we need to be concerned about eating right, exercising, getting good sleep, and avoiding harmful substances?

How important are good nutrition, sleep, water, and exercise in getting well and staying well?

What about the dangers of pesticides, mercury in our fish and teeth, cadmium on our grocery store receipts, and all the toxic chemicals in the modern world?

You’ll know from listening to the audios so far that my previous medical specialty was environmental medicine, with an emphasis on toxicity.

At the time, the concept of toxicity being a major factor in illness was still quite controversial. I spent thousands of hours scouring medical literature to find research to support my belief, and was frustrated that it was not conclusive. For every report that found a clear correlation between tissue levels or exposure to toxic substances, there was another that found no correlation.

Though there is now wider acceptance that it is important, the research, especially cancer research, is still inconsistent.

Does this mean there’s some sort of conspiracy? That the research sponsors are “massaging” the results so they support conclusions that are economically favorable to businesses that manufacture toxic chemicals? Is it that the journals themselves are biased in what research they choose to publish?

Is someone hiding the truth? Maybe.

But maybe not.

When in preparation to teach a course on weight loss several years ago, I studied the medical literature on the subject. I was shocked to find something else. What “everyone knows” about obesity–that it really does boil down to the balance between calories ingested and calories used–is not consistently supported by medical research AT ALL!

Is there some financial gain for the way the research comes out that is causing someone to hide the truth? Maybe.

But maybe not.

When you begin to realize that the research about almost any condition and its popularly attributed causes is also inconsistent, it makes you think, and wonder, and question.

Why do some people eating the perfect diet, drinking purified water, exercising, sleeping well, and avoiding toxic stuff, still get sick or fat?

Why do some people who smoke, eat crappy diets, and take terrible care of themselves, not get sick or fat?

What else is going on?

Could it be that our basic paradigm of medicine–the generally accepted idea about the causes and cures of disease–is missing something? Could it be that that something actually explains why every person experiences the exact health conditions he or she experiences? Could it be that that something is something you can learn to work with, and use to change what you are experiencing?

Hmmm, things to think about! I’ll share more about this in Audio #4, which will be posted in a few days.

Meanwhile, here’s my advice. Use happiness and feeling good as your guide to taking care of your body.  If you do this, you’re not using concern, worry, or fear as your motivation to do or avoid this or that.  The answer to “Don’t we need to be concerned about eating right, exercising, getting good sleep, and avoiding harmful substances?” is a resounding NO! Do not be concerned or worried about any of them.

Put your attention on enjoying what you love, and on the opportunities you have to thrive, and you will.

Is happiness enough? Well, when you think about it like this,…YES!

Wishing you the priceless blessing of perfect health,

Dr. Alexandra Gayek