What is the REAL cause of illness and disease?

So I was in a discussion today with some regional health funding organisations. We discussed what I believe to be the real cause of illness and disease and a program I've been working on that could potentially change the way health systems work in primary care.

No, it's not that people don't know what they should be doing because there is certainly no shortage of information out there. And with the Internet and Google you can pretty much find anything! So you can't plead ignorance. So it's not lack of information.

It's not even that people don't do enough exercise. Sure exercise is really important and essential to overall wellness but I don't think just lack of exercise is the real cause of illness and disease.

And it's not even the food. I know a HUGE part of it IS the food and if we could get everyone eating properly (as in eating REAL food) that would make a massive difference on peoples overall wellness and reduce the burden of disease. However, if best nutrition was available to all (which is NOT food pyramid by the way - even though that is what the dieticians other health care professionals in the health system are telling us we should follow), there would still be many that could/would not follow it.




Which leads me to what I believe to be the real cause of disease - a LACK OF SELF-MANAGEMENT SKILLS (and I can't really find a good picture for it...). If we really think about it, we could do anything we put out minds to yet we limit ourselves by not knowing HOW to apply new things and changes into our lives that will make us better, happier, more successful and so on.

What is self management you ask? Well it includes the knowledge, skills and ability to drive your own personal health and wellness - so you can be in control more of your health and not at the mercy of our health professionals (most of whom of course are well-intentioned but may not be following the latest information and therefore not giving you the correct, most current up to date information or in fact may not be giving you all the options that are available). The problem is that we have become lazy, too focused on instant gratification, too comfortable with what we do now, too good at telling ourselves that we are fine, too expert in justifying away what we do to our bodies - which for many of us is downright abuse of the gift we have been given.

How would this help? Well, these people would then have the skills to apply good healthy eating principles they have learned and eat better, they would understand the importance of exercise and know HOW to apply that into their lives, and would know HOW (by experience not just listening to how) look after their bodies in the best way possible. Surely that would lead to reduced burden of disease.

And how do I propose we do that? By taking people by the hand and walking them through it, gradually letting them do more and more until they are at a point where they can start taking more of a lead and then finally at the point when they can lead themselves and their families (and even influence others around them) to apply positive changes and move towards healthier lives!

Getting Results!

After all is said and done - what results have you noticed??

 I know as fitness trainers or health professionals we all TALK about 'results this', 'achieve that', 'abs here', 'tight and toned there' and give you lots of advice on what you should and shouldn't do, what you can and can't eat or drink and so on. We promise all kinds of things and some even give guarantees that you will get that result. We can even provide all manner of research, studies and opinions to back up what we are doing or recommending, or not doing and not recommending as the case may be.

But when it all comes down to it - you need to ask yourself 
"am I getting the results or outcomes I want?"

I have come to realise that as health and fitness professionals, we cannot GIVE you the result or outcome no matter how much we promise it or how technically correct and evidence based we think our programs or advice are. YOU must earn that result - you must put into place the strategies to succeed, you are the one that has to get more in tune with your body and realise how it tries to tell you when you have eaten crap food, you are the one that needs to get yourself off the couch and stay active regularly, you are the one that needs to get yourself to sleep at a reasonable time so you can recover properly.... and so on and so on.

When it comes down to it all we can do is provide solutions. What I'm saying is YOU need to actually put it into action. You cannot avoid the work, the sacrifice, the commitment and honesty required to achieve your goal or the result you want. We can invite and keep inviting you to make changes required, but only you can decide on whether to be or not to be; whether to act or not to act. They say "be before you are and you will become" (more on that another time).

So the question then is what do you want? Are you strong enough mentally, physically and all the other ways to make those changes yourself? If you are, then why haven't you already done it? If you need support what kind of support do you imagine you will need?

I think the only way you can be helped is by uncovering and tapping into the motivation or potential within. And I certainly can't do that for you. I can help with throwing off some of the layers that keep that motivating factor hidden and perhaps even opening your eyes and understanding to who you really are and what is available to you. I can even help to encourage you and provide an example for you, pull you through the tough times and most importantly BELIEVE in YOU. I probably believe in you more than you do in yourself.

To finish off this post let me just say this. Words are powerful - they can motivate change. Positive words will motivate positive change. Give it a go and start by talking good, positive words about yourself and how you CAN achieve your goal. You might surprise yourself with what YOU can achieve.

Say it; believe it; do it.

Simple yet profound motivators!!

How do we get more people into health and wellness?

First thing is do they WANT to be in the first place? If they have no desire to be healthy or feel better then you are flogging a dead horse as they say...

However! If they have a small hint of a desire to do something to improve their current situation, and are willing to do something then you are in business.

Next thing is how do you know they have a desire and what brings about that desire? 

I had an awesome discussion with a lady who was telling me a story about her 7-year-old granddaughter who she found doing star jumps in her room. She thought this was interesting so asked her granddaughter why she was doing star jumps?

The response amazed her when the granddaughter said,

"I don't want to get diabetes!" 

What this 7-year-old knew was that 3 out of 4 of her grandparents had diabetes and most of the other adults in the house were also on medicines for other chronic conditions. It highlighted the impact of disease and ill health of family members on a child. Even at such a young age she realises that she doesn't want to go through the things that she sees her role models go through each day (she is probably particularly worried about the insulin injections one of them has to take everyday cause even I'd be freaked out about that too!).

It seems that often we don't think too much about the effect of ill health on ourselves and even less about the effect of our ill health on loved ones around us. We have this kind of mentality where "I'm fine", or "I'll be OK and only I have to deal with it". Perhaps we have that sort of 'macho' thing going where we are so tough and even though we are sick we carry on doing what we do as if there is nothing wrong.

What I found interesting was that it was THIS experience that prompted the lady to ask me what she could do with her family to make some lifestyle changes to improve their health and wellness. No, it wasn't all the ads you see on TV, it wasn't the doctor or any other health professional saying you should do this and that, nor was it the fact that this lady and the rest of the adults already know all the things they should be doing anyway. 

IT WAS the simple yet profound comments and actions of a young girl expressing how she didn't want to get diabetes... that's powerful when you think of how much money is spent on all those other areas everyday that are supposed to motivate us to make changes!

So back to the first question... How do we get more people into health and wellness? I would suggest it is through their families. If they won't do it for themselves, perhaps they will do it for their loved ones, and in particular their children and grandchildren!

a new year!!

HERE WE ARE AGAIN at the start of a new year! How cool is that! 

I remember hearing a couple of friends recently debating the worth of making goals at the start of each year. One was saying that people that want to achieve something should go ahead and start working towards achieving it immediately as opposed to waiting until Jan 1st to start doing something. The other was proclaiming the benefits of having a set time to work within for achieving those goals.

For me I think there is no debate - it's great to have both. When I identify something that needs work (which happens quite often for me), I usually start working on it straight away if it isn't too big. For the bigger vision and dream kind of goals I like having the time frame of 1 year, 3 years or even 7 years so I can track progress over that time.


This came to mind because this past week I have seen SOOOOO many more people running in the morning past our house. I think it is awesome that so many more people have made the effort to get out there and do something. They are full on into them for the first couple of weeks - what I find sad is that come end of January I don't see them anymore...

I wonder what it is about human nature that makes it so difficult for us to change behaviour? They say you need to do something for at least 21 days before it becomes a habit. That's 3 weeks of sticking to something religiously every day and that is tough for anyone. It takes self discipline, a clear goal, a vision of the outcome, and alot of effort.

BUT IT CAN BE DONE!!

From what I have found with the people I train, most of us just need someone to hold us accountable to what we have said we will do. They need to be firm but fair. They need to be your friend but at the same time need to keep that distance so that you will still respect and follow their advice. So perhaps one way to improve your chances of achieving your goal is to tell everyone you know - but more particularly those whom you know will support you in your goal and provide a level of accountability for you.

I wish you all the best this year in achieving your goals whatever they may be - go forward with faith for we will never know what we can achieve nor what our full potential is until we exercise faith. That is, until we have faith enough to take those few steps into the dark outside of our comfort zones. Enjoy the journey and take someone with you along the way that can keep you accountable!!