I once believed that optimal health was achievable. The complete absence of illness, dysfunction, & suffering. Boy was I foolish. That being said, we all can continue to improve. Build resiliency, gain wisdom, find compassion, & love life.
I just needed a reframe of the phrase optimal health.
Before I get ahead of myself, let me explain why I initially saw optimal health as a blissful heaven where nothing ever goes wrong.
I grew up in the 80’s and 90’s when ultra-processed food was piling up in kitchens around the country, allowing both parents to grind at a miserable job to bring home the bacon. I wish they actually brought home some sizzling pork belly bacon from a happy pig but that was deemed unhealthy by the powers that be. My saving graces through those early years were a community of family and friends who loved me and the multitude of sports that kept me constantly moving.
However, I struggled through frequent episodes of gut distress which induced pain beyond belief at times. Then came the depression and extreme social anxiety. Somehow, I was convinced that everyone else dealt with similar issues and that I needed to soldier on. Perhaps that was the initial seed manifesting my decision to join the US Army.
The military brought many things to my life which were quite unexpected. The first was understanding how our cushy, soft, & safe lifestyles have contributed to this epidemic of chronic disease. When survival is paramount from day to day, your body has little time to experience chronic disease.
The next thing was understanding another culture outside of our Western civilization. The cohesiveness and unity of a small dessert village, paired with their complete self-sustainability and independence, blew my mind. Ironically, that was my first taste of pure freedom. Those families were not at the pinnacle of health, but most chose to live that lifestyle for a reason.
Finally, was the power of a brotherhood. A band of brothers if you will. Having that kind of male support provides you with a deep connection. That connection plays a vital role in men’s health. Granted, there were some miserable times, but the memories and friendships continue to light up my soul to this day.
But I still had not healed my mind, body, & spirit completely. After I left the army, I was still a lost man trying to find his purpose and combat the daily aches, pains, & depression. Then I found the ketogenic diet. For the first time in my life, the lights truly came on in my brain. My energy was through the roof. I felt grounded, confident, & poised. I did not realize you could feel like this. Everybody needed to know about this fountain of youth.
This brings me back to optimal health. Yes, the Keto Diet catapulted my healing journey over a major mountain, but that was one piece to the puzzle. It also was the first major adjustment to my diet that I made which was why I saw such profound results. You can insert any diet into that story, and I likely would have experienced similar results. I did not have the wisdom at the time to recognize what it meant in the grand scheme.
Now, the endgame is not the goal. There really is no end in sight, and I am ok with that. I am ok with the uncertainty of life. It is the journey which I focus on.
There will be times when you fall ill. There will be times when you lose your path. There will be times when shit hits the fan. How you course correct reveals how far you have come in life. Remember to build resiliency, gain wisdom, find compassion, & love life.
If you would like assistance on your health journey and are fed up with the other medical models, then reach out to the doctor directly by emailing drdamon@seedandsoilwellness.com. We look forward to meeting you and helping you to regain your vitality. We invite you to become a part of our tribe.
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