The Big Three

I used to call them the Big Three. Without delving too deep into the story of their creation, I will cut to the chase and present them to you here for your consideration. The Big Three:

1) Diet.

2) Exercise.

3) Stress Management. 

One could legitimately argue that our search for meaning, self fulfillment, or the basic food, shelter, love, esteem, community and safety hierarchy should be included if this short list is to be considered altruistic, but that is not, and never was, my goal. 

My goal was to simplify and isolate the things, steps, activities necessary to bring change into the spectrum of reality. In other words, how many things are necessary to encourage adaptation as change that moves us closer to our goals. In this usage we have established the goal of good health and happiness. That is all. Nothing additional, no augmentation. Be healthy and happy. Simple right?

I wish it was so. You know as well as I that it ain’t. 

It was yesterday that a fragment of validation arrived in the form of the New York Times. The article in the Health section caught my eye like a hummingbird whizzing past, late for lunch. The thriving and relevant NY Times has printed enough articles on the best combinations of carbohydrates, proteins and fat, in what portions, at what times and with what pairing of liquid beverages will provide best results when mixed with what cardio programs, weight-bearing exercises, in what ratios, at the best and optimum intensities and lasting for appropriate durations, to fill one’s head with more than enough motivation to eat better and exercise more. Have they not? Seriously, who would’t want washboard abs in thirty days? 

But for once they strayed. They got a little risky and ran a piece on the role that stress plays in our noble quest. It seems that under stress, and even more acutely, under chronic stress, our bodies automatically release adrenalin and cortisol in response to what we feel is a fight or flight situation. In another article research we learn: Of the interest to the dietetics community, cortisol also plays an important role in human nutrition. It regulates energy by selecting the right type and amount of substrate (carbohydrate, fat, or protein) the body needs to meet the physiological demands placed on it. When chronically elevated, cortisol can have deleterious effects on weight, immune function, and chronic disease risk.

Those deleterious effects? They actually keep us from losing the fat we are dieting and exercising to reduce. I have one comment on this that would instantly give this article an R rating so I will refrain. I think you know both what I mean and the ramification of the linguistic usage I begrudgingly avoid. 

All meaning that what, and where, we had initially assigned to the importance of stress management, has now taken on a new and completely different dimension. Number Three has now jumped the shark and moved to Number One! SOMEBODY ALERT THE MEDIA! 

In class thins morning as I rather clumsily presented this information as news, I offered a few off the cuff, options. Among them:

Meditate.

Count breaths.

Sit still.

Go to the beach.

Walk in the forest.

Classical Music.

Yoga.

Church.

Practice gratitude.

Think positive and happy thoughts.

Love your neighbor. 

The new order: 

1) Manage Stress

2) Diet

3) Exercise. 

The list is dead. Long live the list.