Nature Vs. Nurture The Power Of Your Health Bubble

By Wayne Andersen, DO, MD

Optavia

. http://www.drwayneandersen.com

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Nature Vs. Nurture The Power Of Your Health Bubble

The debate between nature and nurture has raged for decades. One side argues that our lives our health, our social behaviors, and so on are largely predetermined by factors beyond our control like our genetics. The other side argues that how we are raised and the people around us are the key determining factors.

The reality is somewhere in between. Genetics will always be a force in our lives, but the good news is that a significant portion of our health is a result of elements that we can potentially control.

We are not doomed (or saved) by our genetics. The choices we make and the people we surround ourselves with can lead us down the path to optimal health.

Beyond the typical decisions of eating the right foods and making regular exercise a part of your daily life, the habits of health system looks at the bigger picture of health. We know that diet plans and exercise programs fail because they fail to look at the life you have outside of the kitchen or outside of the gym.

In many cases, the choices you make are influenced by a range of stimuli, which includes your physical environment and the people that populate it.

If you are surrounded by people that make healthy decisions, you are more likely to make healthy decisions yourself. The inverse is also true. Physical factors influence your decision-making and mental outlook as well.

For example, we know that certain colors are more soothing than others. Studies have found that living around more trees leads to better health outcomes. We have also known for some time that sunlight improves mood and potentially eases depression systems.

The environment we create around us our individual homes, our workplaces, our cities could support or limit our well-being. Physical environments that nurtured us at children likely have a significant impact on our development, which is worth noting for the readers that are also parents, but your present environment matters too.

If you want to be a healthier person, placing yourself in a healthier environment can help you to rewire some of the deeply rooted behaviors that are holding you back. A handful of big choices will stick around for a long time.

Rearranging your home office to put your desk closer to a window will be a lot of work on one day, but that extra sunlight won't go away any time soon. Moving closer to a park is a big choice, but if you put a big open space within walking distance, finding an excuse to go for a walk won't be as hard.

Removing yourself from negative influences might be painful at first, but the return you get in physical and mental health will be well worth it in the end.