I had a conversation with a friend and client last night who had told me she was very upset because one of her friends was not being supportive of some of the things she had going on in her life. In fact, not only was this friend being non-supportive, but had become downright toxic.
Upon further review of the situation, I ascertained that this friend liked to create drama where, in fact, no drama needed to be created. My client was on the path to good health, she had eliminated many things in her life and had replaced them with more positive and healthy choices. So I was a bit concerned when I saw that this situation was causing a lot of stress in her life. What was this situation? The drama? It seems that this friend made a lot of statements that tended to elicit negative responses from my client. These statements were nothing more than just that, statements, looking for a response, which in turn would create more drama. This got me to think about why some people do this and make these types of statements. You in fact, may be one of them.
Then I tried to see how could I relate this to health and being fit? Everything we eat elicits a response. Food creates an inflammatory or anti-inflammatory response. Omega-3 fatty acids are anti-inflammatory, processed foods are inflammatory by nature. The same could be said of random statements made by people that don’t require a response.
How many times have you heard someone make a statement like, “I wish I had a car like yours”, “that doesn't look good on you”, “I’m upset with you”, “the way you are doing that is wrong/stupid”. These are inflammatory by nature. They are intended to create an inflammatory response, or more drama, or hostility. Statements like, “you are such a joy to be around”, “I’m so proud of you”, “don’t give up”, or “I like who you are” are all anti-inflammatory responses. They are intended to reduce the amount of hostility or anger and create a positive response.
So what can you do to reduce the inflammation in your statements? Make only anti-inflammatory ones. What about others? When someone makes an inflammatory response, diffuse it by not responding. Why? By not responding, you are not creating the continuous inflammation. Just like food, you break it down, process it, and eliminate it. Just simply don’t respond. What else can do you? How about only responding to questions, not statements. Someone sends a rude text…don’t respond. Someone makes a hateful statement about someone else…..don’t respond. Wait till someone asks you a question, and then respond. You may feel more energized and less drained. Mentally fit indeed.
Jared Toay, aka. the "Digestion Dude" has actively been promoting the importance of health and digestion for more than 4 years. A weight loss expert, Certified Nutritional Specialist, and creator of Be A Fitness Freak, he has had a lengthy journey on his way to healthy living. An accomplished author and speaker, he would love to send you an eBook focusing on digestion and nutrition by entering your email address below or join him on his "Be A Fitness Freak" fan page on Facebook by clicking the "like" button below to learn about his revolutionary Focus On Foods wellness program.