Is health a destiny?

Most of us think of good health as an outcome or a result that we would like to achieve at the end of a particular period of time. We also assume that once we have good health we will be healthy ever after. Both of these assumptions are incorrect. The reason being that our bodies are not static. The body is one of the most dynamic and sophisticated machines created on the face of the Earth. Millions of biochemical reactions take place every minute. Our health changes minute to minute. It is affected by everything around us from the food we eat to the material of our socks.

I like to think of health as a habit. The habit of tuning into our physical, mental and spiritual needs on a regular basis. The habit of listening to our own thoughts and how they influence our behavior towards others. The habit of asking questions about the source of what we put in our mouths, apply on our skin and use in our homes for cleaning.

The attitude of questioning is a pillar in helping and guiding us take one step at a time. A practical example of questioning is reading labels. The purpose of reading labels is to find out what ingredients does the product contain and also what is the source of those ingredients. For example food dyes are food additives present in cereals, snacks, beverages and many processed food products consumed on a daily basis by children and adults. If we are buying a product with a food dye as one of its ingredients, we need to make an attempt to find out more about the source and effects of these dyes. During the process of our investigation we may find that these artificial dyes are derived from petroleum and are added for the purpose of creating colorful products that attracts customers. Dye Red 3 has been shown to cause cancer in animals. Dye Red 40, yellow 5 and yellow 6 are contaminated with Benzidine and other cancer causing agents. These dyes (Blue 1, Red 40, yellow 5 and yellow 6) have been linked to allergic reactions. There is an ongoing debate regarding the connection of food dyes and ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) in children. Quite a few of these dyes have been banned in Europe.

When we ask questions and attempt to find answers, we are likely to make better and healthier choices for our self. We may not always find the answers to all our questions and there are many grey areas. However, this should not disappoint us because health is a habit and we have to continue developing our habit to the best of our capacity.

Ref: Int J Occup Environ Health. 2012 Jul-Sep;18(3):220-46. doi: 10.1179/1077352512Z.00000000034. Toxicology of food dyes. Kobylewski S1, Jacobson MF.