There is a lot of “good advice” when it comes to health.
“Lose some weight.”
“Be careful not to get dehydrated.”
“Reduce your salt intake.”
“Get some moderate exercise.”
There are good reasons behind all of these recommendations.
But sometimes I wonder:
What is considered right is not necessarily right for every person.
“You should lose some weight.”
Someone decides to lose weight and significantly reduces how much they eat.
Their weight goes down.
But at the same time, they may not be getting enough energy or essential nutrients.
The number on the scale may be moving toward the goal, but that does not necessarily mean the person is becoming healthier.
“Be careful not to get dehydrated.”
Staying hydrated is important, especially during hot weather.
So someone starts drinking large amounts of water or tea.
They were told to “drink enough fluids,” so it may seem like the right thing to do.
But hydration needs depend on how much you drink, how you drink it, and your individual health condition.
More is not always better.
“I take supplements, so I’m fine.”
Someone worries about nutrition and starts taking supplements.
Supplements can certainly have a role.
But if the person is not eating enough food or getting enough energy in the first place, supplements alone cannot make up for everything.
Supplements and food are not the same thing.
“I take medication, so I’m fine.”
The same can be true of medication.
Taking necessary medication properly is very important.
But taking medication does not always mean that diet, exercise, and other lifestyle habits can simply be ignored.
At the same time, it would also be wrong to say that improving your lifestyle will always eliminate the need for medication.
Depending on the illness, age, and individual condition, medication may be necessary.
Medication or lifestyle?
It is not necessarily a matter of choosing one or the other.
We tend to choose the answers that are easiest to accept
Among the enormous amount of information available to us, we sometimes choose one answer because:
“An expert said so.”
“A doctor said so.”
Or perhaps:
“This way is easier.”
I think most of us, myself included, sometimes prefer the easier option.
That is why, instead of asking only whether something is right or wrong, it may be worth asking:
“What am I actually trying to achieve?”
Losing weight.
Drinking enough fluids.
Getting enough nutrition.
Taking medication.
Exercising.
Each of these can be important.
But our age, diet, body, lifestyle, illnesses, and medications are all different.
What was right yesterday may not always be right today.
What works for someone else may not necessarily work for you.
Every “right answer” comes with conditions.
When it comes to health, rather than taking a single piece of advice in isolation, perhaps we should leave ourselves a little room to ask:
“Does this still make sense for me, in my situation, right now?”
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