No one wants to think about prevention in the summertime.
Who wants to worry about heart disease at the cottage? Or cut back on drinks on a long weekend? Who wants to contemplate diabetes on the dock or the extra handful of chips?
I’ll tell you who: my 53-year-old body. She’s not having any of that anymore! She will complain LOUDLY if the sugar is sneaking in around the edges or if the extra glass of wine with friends messes up her sleep. She’s cranky if the old shoulder issue creeps back in when I “forget” to do the exercises that were keeping it at bay.
The older I get, the more I make peace with the fact that what is required for good health as I age is simply the stuff we call “prevention.” And prevention isn’t seasonal. I can’t just commit to it when it’s easy or “when summer is over.” It’s a year-round job.
The good news is that prevention can be remarkably fun. Good whole food is delicious–especially in summer. Moving your body outside is joyful. Spending time with others is restorative. Rather than something to put off until another season, prevention can also be the best way to enjoy the season.
A call out to all our teachers! August is a great time to re-engage with prevention. Your benefits roll over at the end of August–invest some of your downtime in your immune system and stress hormones so you’re in the best shape possible for the start of the school year! Book online here.