"Let food be thy medicine, and medicine be thy food." -Hippocrates
So I decided to ask her for advice on a few personal health concerns that I'm still trying to find the holistic solution for. Her response was simply that she would send me a general juice program for my needs and listed certain things to avoid, most of which I already do.
Now, I love fresh juices. But it's so much freaking work to do it the sensible, cost friendly way at home. Plus, it becomes pricey anyway because you need so many organic veggies to make a glass. And then buying bottled juices individually every day also gets really expensive!
Then I realized... Can there really be a price tag on your health?
I'm a very business minded gal. And thinking of this as a business decision for the quality of my work and rest of my life... Maybe readjusting a budget to incorporate something that could improve my quality of life is worth a shot to see how it will ultimately benefit my "business".
Thus began my decision to consider a juice program in place of coffee. Most New Yorkers feel naked without a coffee attached to their left hand and cell phone in the other, so this is pretty bold. However, in realizing and understanding what replacing coffee with juices could do, it occurred to me, I would be creating my own version of coffee except with much more health and functional benefits and my body would adjust to being without the caffeine. Smart business move and solution. Worth a shot, right?
Just to explain, the whole concept of juicing is to get a powerhouse of nutrients into your system in a way that your body can easily digest them. If you tried to eat that many vegetables in a meal your body would probably get really overwhelmed (not to mention seriously flatulent... Ha! Eek.) So the huge dose of nutrients in liquid form is a really amazing thing to put in your body in the morning, as opposed to a caffeinated, acidy, laxative beverage that ultimately dehydrates you (Coffee). Despite that there are various proven health benefits of a cup of coffee or so a day, I'm pretty sure a nutrient dense juice is a much more solid choice. The experiment would be to see if it can jump start my body in its own way, and hold its own without the caffeine kick. Because my student's mother had mentioned that cutting out coffee would greatly help the issues I was asking her for advice on along with the juices... I figured viewing it as a replacement would be the best way to go.
I don't know how long it will last, if it'll work for me, or if this is total self torture. But I do know that you only live once and you only get one body, and I don't want to miss out on my best.
Which brings me back to the point of your body being your business. If you have a small business struggling to survive in a busy, competitive market place... Would you really be okay with missing out on a potential edge? Don't you think it's important to spend a few extra bucks or dedicate some time/effort on resources that will keep you strong enough to overcome the competition and obstacles?
Now think about your life. You can pound through and keep struggling through the same obstacles, or you can find the edge for them to make sure your "business" is thriving.
Sometimes it costs a few extra bucks for that marketing, certification, or new business strategy to be implemented. But what about the benefits of producing more business growth as a result of that initial investment?
By being in better health, you maximize your work, your happiness, and your relationships. It's the truth no matter how you slice it.
For me, my new juicing endeavors would be my latest edge tactic. Reflect a bit on your obstacles. Maybe you're lethargic and know your diet isn't what it should be, or you're out of shape, or not getting the particularly right workout for your needs. Or maybe you have toxic relationships you need to push yourself to cut out. It can be anything physical, mental, or emotional that you need to address in a bold, empowered way. Make a liberating choice to do something about it.
After all, the best business owners are the ones who take responsibility for their own success. Take control of yours.
