Does Your Body Tell You What You Need?

Pay attention and cut down on the confusion.

Face the fact: Most of us do not pay any attention to what our bodies need.

Some people think they are paying attention. Are they really?

Decades ago, I read an article in a science journal about a little boy who craved salt. His mother could coerce him to do things by holding a saltshaker. He wound up in the hospital and doctors limited his salt intake. He died within a few days. Autopsy revealed enlarged adrenal glands. Doctors thought that he needed salt to support his adrenal glands. Perhaps his body was telling him what it needed.

People with food allergies are interesting examples. If a person eats a peanut and can’t breathe, listening to the body and not eating peanuts seems like a good idea.

Now look at some ways we can confuse the body. When people smoke a cigarette for the first time, they usually cough. That should be a sign not to smoke. If they continue, they find they get a pleasing sensation when they smoke. They want that sensation and become addicted. Smokers can’t rely on their bodies to tell them what they need to be healthy.

What about eating sugar? Most of us get a pleasant sensation when we eat sugar. Some people won’t eat anything unless it is sweet. They become addicted to sugar. Eating sugar in excess has been linked to obesity and diabetes. Sugar addicts can’t rely on their bodies to tell them what they need to be healthy.

My wife and I typically start our day with a cup of coffee. We don’t even consider whether we are thirsty or not. Coffee is thought to be a diuretic. We urinate more because we are getting rid of the toxins in the coffee. Are we benefiting from the water in the coffee? Or are we losing more than we benefit? If we are thirsty, do we drink water (what the body needs) or another cup of coffee, glass of pop or beer? Often, we continue to confuse the body with coffee breaks or social drinking. I had three cups of coffee one day and was very thirsty and just didn’t want any more coffee. I wanted water.

Acton steps: Stop confusing your body. Pay attention. Are you getting wrinkles? Is your urine colored? Drink more water. Are you overweight? You may find you naturally eat less when you increase protein in your diet and cut back on sugar.