The Barrier (to Superior Health)

by Bobby Rock

We humans are perhaps the ultimate creatures of habits. Our daily routines, protocols, habits, and rituals are not only etched into our neuro-netways like grooves on a vinyl record, but much of what we default to consuming every day has actual addictive properties.

Yes, it’s true: addictive properties.

As a result, we have what I believe to be the number one barrier to superior health:

Virtually everything that gives us the biggest short-term pay-off (in terms of lighting up the pleasure centers of our brain), will invariably lead to long-term catastrophe where our mind/body health is concerned. (Obesity, disease, addictive behaviors, early death, etc.)

Meanwhile….

Virtually everything that is good for us on the long-term, offers little in the way of any kind of notable short-term pleasure spike. Sure, once we get into a vigorous workout, we can sometimes experience the rush of the pump, or the "runner’s high." And it always feels good to have that light but satiated feeling from a healthy meal or superfood smoothie. BUT, there’s never really a significant pleasure spike involved (especially compared to a caffeine or sugar hit), and there is seldom a sense that we are quenching an addictive urge.  Bottom line? Addictive behaviors always win out unless we actively resist them.

So… understanding this challenge is really the first step in transcending this barrier to superior health. We are playing the long game here. We are investing in a higher-energy, more vibrant way of being in the world that is truly on “the road less traveled.” 

And listen, it doesn’t mean that you’ll have to wait five years to see results of healthier living… not at all! You will likely start seeing and feeling the results ASAP.  It’s just that the steady buzz of true vitality shows up a bit differently than the rollercoaster ride of junk food and coffee or energy drinks. There are fewer peaks and valleys and more of a steady, electric energy that powers you through your day more evenly.

That said, it doesn’t mean that we don’t occasionally indulge in those things that offer the quick pleasure spike. But it does mean that we commit to a way of life where we aren't enslaved to the round-the-clock urges of such a lifestyle. And as a result, we have our best chance of staying the fuck out of hospitals, avoiding the need for all of those prescription meds, and living our most vibrant and productive life for as long as possible.

Amen!