Have you noticed… I mean REALLY noticed that most “Health Practitioners” and “Health Care Professionals” are ridiculously out-of-shape? I mean, we really need to take a good hard look at this… These are the very people who are giving you advice about what you should be doing to have the health and fitness that you want to have in your life…
This is the bonafide elephant in the room that is impacting your life more than any other single thing. Your body is REALLY how you experience the world… And if your body is not healthy, strong, and pain-free, then you are AUTOMATICALLY living a sub-standard life.
And why is this so prevalent…?
Well, if we’re honest about it, we’re listening to people about health that aren’t really healthy. We’re taking advice from people about getting in shape while looking at their huge belly and acting like it’s not there…. And how can we justify that??? It’s not that there’s anything inherently wrong with being a bit out-of-shape if that’s someone’s decision, but if we’re going to be advising others on health and fitness then we ALL need to be shining examples of what we teach.
You don’t have time to sit around and find out if they know what their talking about… Use your god-given common sense and ask yourself, “Do I really want what they have to offer?” Not as a concept, because anyone can talk a good game, but as a real proven result.
If your doctor, or health provider, or nutritionist, or “healer” is not healthy themselves, that’s a smoking gun that you need to redirect your time and energy into another option NOW! A wise old saying states “You should never listen to anyone who’s more screwed up than you are.” These are definitely words to live by, but it takes some time to really get this and remember to catch yourself when you go against this mandate.
Why do we not listen to our better judgement that’s literally SCREAMING at us from within ourselves??? It’s simply because we’ve been programmed to ignore the fact that you have ownership over your body, and it is YOUR responsibility to take care of it and keep it strong and healthy. We simply don’t know how to take care of ourselves… We have to go to an “expert” outside of ourselves when something goes wrong… And the irony is that we live with ourselves ALL THE TIME, yet we don’t have a clue how we actually work.
Now I’m not saying that adept health professionals and caring advisors aren’t a very important part of your life…. But they should be a FAR distant second to you understanding what is most important in your life, which is the health and happiness of your own body. And the real linch pin is making 100% sure that the person you are taking advice from when it comes to your health and the health of your family actually knows what the they’re talking about! Not by words, but by RESULTS.
Some of the most inarticulate people can give you some of the most valuable information about your health that can instantly change your life. It’s all really experiential… If someone has LIVED IT, and they have the real results there to prove it, drop your ideas about whether or not they have a masters degree and just listen in. They are the real Master because they’ve made it REAL in their life… It’s not just a theory or a concept.
There are a lot of good people out there that are branding themselves as healers, and this is a call out to you to SHOW that you can give the value to the people you want to help by walking the talk and BEING it first.
The bottom line is if you want to call yourself a health professional, then you need to have your body and your life reflect that.
It’s of the utmost importance that you do this right now, because the cream is rising to the top, and everything is becoming more transparent. If you want to succeed in the field of health, fitness, coaching, wellness, etc. then you’ve got to get YOURSELF healthy, fit, coached, and well FIRST. That’s where the game is not only going, but it’s already here. It’s just a matter of short time before the entire culture is tuned in to this.
Another wise adage says that “You cannot give someone something that you do not have.” For the great people who really do care and want to help people, it’s time to focus on yourself and get yourself into the best shape of your life so that you are the walking embodiment of what you teach.
That’s the type of person that you’d want to learn from yourself, isn’t it?
Case closed.
Now let’s make it happen!
Please leave your questions or comments below.
For years I have suffered chronic pain with L4/L5 ruptured disc. I have had two microdiscectomies. It confused my neurosurgeon as I was healthy otherwise, fit, normal body weight and young. There was no point where I injured it badly, it just began with a little back pain and eventually the compression of the nerve rendered me unable to sit, stand, lie down. After the second microdiscectomy I still had nerve pain and it was especially bad at night. I decided to take matters into my own hands and started listening to functional medicine podcasts. I decided to eliminate all sugars, processed food, dairy and gluten from my diet. As little as a week later my pain had completely disappeared. Today people can’t believe I’ve ever been anything but fit and healthy. I’m 43 years old and people think I’m in my early thirties. I’m at the gym regularly and working in a job I love and life has never been better. I recently had a follow up with my neurosurgeon and he was doubtful that the changes I’d made had the effect they did. I think I am the best person to decide what has the best impact on my health.
This is simply incredible!!! Thank you for sharing Trish. You are a true miracle and I’m blessed to have you here with me. Keep doing great work!
Hi Shawn, I’m beginning to see more often that doctors are getting to be like lawyers, all they seem to focus on is the money, on how many meds they can prescribe, how many test they can give, like cat scans, mri’s, ekgs and a lot of the those test aren’t even necessary so, it seems more like if they can keep you sick you’ll have to come back thus, keeping the money coming in. They’re bedside manners are bad and I feel a lot of the time they really don’t pay good attention to what the patient says. Since we are not channeling the whole picture the doctors figure we don’t care and since we’re letting them get away with everything then they don’t care about people they care about the pay check. Thank you so much for your wednesday recipes they’re wonderful. God bless you and your family.
What an “in the trenches” perspective to share about the typical medical office visit, JoAnn. All it takes is for people to have their filter on to see whether or not that concerns are really being attended to… There are so many good people that set out to be in the medical profession that lose sight of what’s most important, and that’s doing whatever it takes to help that person FIRST and truly understanding and appreciating where that person is coming from.
I challenge all of us to do this in our relationships. To strive to understand and appreciate the real perspective of people that we want to help. This is the #1 thing to help someone make the difference they are trying to make, and it’s what sets apart a consultation from a transformation.
Great article shawn. Continue sharing the truth. Applied knowledge is the only way to free ourselves. I have been in situations mentioned. You can’t trust practioners who don’t walk the talk. I have many make fun of my lifestyle but when they realize I am 56 competing and excercising with 20 year olds they get quiet. We have to be the chabge we seek. Others will see and follow.
One of the things that never ceases to amaze me is witnessing the lifestyle choices of the people in their 50’s and 60’s who are vibrant and running circles around their 20 and 30 year old counterparts. Truth is what works! And I stand committed to continue sharing the truth. Thank you, Perdita.
I love that cartoon. I’m sure we’ve all had a surreal experience like that with Doctor at some point in our lives.
One of my little maxims in life is “people don’t know what you think they know”. I’m pretty ruthless about applying this idea to the general medical profession (to the definite irritation of my wife and others). I don’t see why Doctors should get a free pass on the constant advice and “expertise” they dole out. Tremendous harm is done to people (physically, emotionally and financially) becuase they’re not willing to challenge what their doctors say. Everything in the conventional medical profession is built arround intimidation of the patient – calling them “doctors” instead of their actual names, the diplomas on the wall, the costs, the rushed two-minute consultations…the list goes on. Ever notice that people say “Gee what a great Doctor” just becaused they smiled instead of frowned, or chatted for a few extra minutes? What gives?
But to end this positively, I’m hopeful that this whole sham is coming to an end thanks to the internet. With sites like yours, people now have access to real advice to build up their health knowledge; information they can validate for themselves through their own experience. Once you have self knowledge, there’s no stoping that, especially when you’re in the doctors office.
I love the balance in your statement, Erich. We do need to be a bit irritated to question some of these false-assumptions when it comes to our heath and well-being… And on the other side, there is an UNBELIEVABLE positive light being shown thanks in large part to the internet, due to the fact that people can get this information into their hands and (as you said) validate for themselves through their own experience. THAT’S how we truly learn, and that’s how we’ll change our society from a “sick care system” to a true health care system.
Preach what you teach! Well said Shawn.. Thanks for posting!
Perfectly said. “Preach what you teach!” must be a mandate taught to us when we are just a child so that it’s a lifetime expression. Let’s make it a mandate to lead by example Thanks for sharing!
I’m so glad I’m not the only one that is irritated with what goes on. It’s time we wake up and say no more to the junk all around us and make it a better world for all of us. There are tons of people that won’t listen to anything unless a doctor tells them. My rule is, don’t take advice from someone that isn’t getting the results you want. We need to expect more and have more value in what we accept. It’s time to stop ignoring ingredients in foods that should never even touch human hands. It’s time for the drug for this….. and then take a drug to deal with that drug to stop. It’s time for patients to stop being mistreated when they didn’t have to die from a prescription or a disease………….. I knew when I switched to healthy eating it wasn’t going to be an easy thing with kids because the way the world is, and it hasn’t. But I can tell you, WAY worth it and the ripple effect it has had, has been amazing to watch.
Mother of 8, 35 years old and just got mistaken at my 15 year old’s parent teacher conference as being a student….that’s the power of exercise and eating the world’s healthiest foods,…I can’t tell you the last time I went to the doctor. And once again Shawn, YOU ARE BRILLIANT……Love your stuff!
Krista, I am honored to have been able to learn your story… That is POWERFUL! You are so appreciated for what you are doing and bringing greater health and wholeness to you family. Just by the actions you’ve taken and being an example, it’s effecting FAR MORE people than we even know… And it’s making things easier and more graceful to live healthfully because you are creating more and more stories just like yours and building a community. You summed it all up by saying, ” We need to expect more and have more value in what we accept.”
It’s simply a matter of taking a moment to ask the question, “Is this really good for me?” and not having blind actions just because someone is telling us it’s the thing to do. One of our greatest gifts as human beings is to ask questions and make choices that can CONSCIOUSLY deliver us the life we want. I truly appreciate your contribution, Krista.
All the best!
Shawn:
I noticed this sometime ago and wondered the same thing! You wouldn’t want a dentist with a yuck mouth working on your teeth now would you? How could an obese doctor advise his or her patient about not being obese!!?? Intentional living is the key! That’s the consciousness Krista speaks of! Don’t just show up in your own life; take center stage. Finally in the words of Financial Advisor Dave Ramsey, “Live like no one else so you can live like no one else!”
Renee` J.
I LOVE the dentist example Renee… Straight to the point! There is actually a wonderful comment shared above by a great dentist, Dr. Perdita Fisher, who walks her talk in her holistic dentistry, and has a beautiful set of teeth to prove it!
Great article. Makes total sense. Challenging for me too personally because I want to show my results better and enter into the very realm you’re talking about. Yet my own struggle with my own results is, well, a challenge. I’m starting to have family members use a magic pill and get results while still eating things I wouldn’t touch with a 10′ pole, and it is frustrating. Because I still believe in the process, eliminating most of that junk food, and staying with smoothies and real food. I know my biggest struggle remains my physical activity(quality and quantity). An article like this one puts it right back in my face, I need to show results to preach them. It’s not always easy to hear, but sometimes it’s what needs to be heard.
Seth, you said it perfectly. We see people around us to these short-term things that create long-term damage… And the only way to truly help them is by demonstration. It’s AMAZING to see your natural talent when it comes to superfoods and nutrition, you know your “weak spot” is the activity component, but as adept individuals we are not here to work on our weakness, but rather LEVERAGE our strengths.
As far as the exercise/ activity goes, it’s simply about finding something that you like and that excites you… That’s it! It may change from time to time what turns you on, but it’s just having that child-like nature and willing to play that makes all the difference.
Thanks for sharing!
Great Article! “You are your best reference.” R.B.
Well said, Ronnie. Thanks for sharing.