When you know better, you do better
As published in Owen Sound & Grey Bruce Life – April 2007.
When my friend Daryl Wood was on Roger’s Television the other day, she quoted Maya Angelou when explaining her upcoming life-coaching workshop. “When you know better, you do better.” This really resonated with me, as it sums up why I enjoy educating people on the whys of making certain dietary and lifestyle choices. Personally I like to know the whys and hows and always thought it helped me to make better decisions, but I’ve never heard it summarized so eloquently as by Ms. Angelou. When you are armed with knowledge, you can make a conscious decision, not an automatic response based on past decisions, culture, and marketing.
If you really want to make healthy changes in your nutrition and lifestyle choices, learning why might just be the trigger that will make those choices happen. For example, you know eating lots of fruits and vegetables is good for you – but why? Because they provide fibre to keep you regular. Why is that important? Because your bowel takes all the waste and toxins our body doesn’t want anymore and dumps them in the toilet. Fruits and vegetables also provide phytonutrients, vitamins, and minerals. Big deal. Except that by eating these we receive the nutrients our body needs to allow our heart to beat, keep our blood pressure optimal, think a thought, and make usable energy, as well as absorbing the plant’s natural defense system to help us to fend off disease and stay healthy. Produce also provides water, which our body needs to make our blood flow, move our neurotransmitters, hormones, and immune cells around our body, and flush waste through our kidneys and down the drain. There is an infinite list of benefits of good nutrition on your body, but by knowing a few relevant points you will automatically make better choices for your wellbeing.
Choices don’t have to be based on things you read from a book or learn in a class either. Learn from past experiences. If every time you eat a bag of chips you feel ill or have some type of digestive issue, think about what your body is telling you. Okay, maybe my body doesn’t like so much salt and fried fats – why don’t I make a different snack choice next time and see how much better I feel? Be aware of what your body is telling you, and together you can make healthy decisions from which the whole of you will benefit.
Educate yourself and become armed with the knowledge to make informed, healthy decisions. You can thank yourself and be accountable for the great way you feel and act. Because like Maya says, “when you know better, you do better”.
