Systems Thinking to Getting and Staying Healthy and Fit
One of the things in health and fitness I’ve noticed for many years is that many have focused on the separation of body parts when training. And that was even true when it came to nutrition. And yet, our bodies were never designed to be separate in function. From our muscular system to our skeletal system to our endocrine system to our nervous system to our digestive system and to our cardiovascular system, all work in conjunction with one another.
I like to describe it as the human system. Each part is in support of the other. When there is an imbalance in one part of the system, it throws off the rest of the system. Heck, even going down to the cellular level, we can see communities working together for the whole.
One example is in the area of back pain. When we sit too long, the Sartorius muscle in the upper front of the thigh tends to shorten and the Gluteus muscles tend to weaken. This leads to a muscle imbalance that causes the Sartorius muscle to pull on the lumbar area. Back pain may develop.
So, what is a system?
It’s simply many parts that come together to function as a single unit. When one part of the system is taken away, it changes the whole system. How the system is arranged is crucial to proper functioning. If you were to split the system in half, you wouldn’t have two separate systems. You’d have a destroyed single system.
Here are some ways to keep your human system functioning properly:
· Thoughts count. How you perceive your body and your health is important. Just know that what you do in one part of your human system will affect another part. Even your beliefs will affect it.
· Nutrition counts. When you consume certain foods, how and what you eat will have a positive or negative effect on your human system. If you digestive system is off due to food stagnating, it may lead to you feeling sick. Your mindset will feel sick too. If you eat too much sugar, that may lead to chronic inflammation. This, in turn, will affect your whole system. Just the opposite is eating healthy foods, such as fresh fruits and veggies. You’ll get a healthy response. Read more