Just a Little Kiss

It all started with just one little kiss. My 17-year-old daughter’s boyfriend had a cold. I remember saying to my daughter⎯ “No kissing please, you don’t want to catch his cold.” A week later, like a spiraling of domino’s tumbling over, my daughter, followed by the rest of our family picked up a cold virus. Perhaps from a little stolen kiss.

Appreciate your wellness
Experiencing a cold for the first time in 5 years ⎯honestly I forgot what it was like. Now that I am fully recovered, the aching head, stuffy nose and persistent cough that I experienced are a memory I prefer not to keep. The positive thing about being sick is that when you finally get well, you gratefully appreciate the simple pleasure of just feeling “normal.”  Our accustomed everyday wellness goes unnoticed and just as in any contrast of experience we realize how good it feels only by comparison to how bad it can be!

Prevention is key
How had I managed to avoid a cold virus in some five years? In a word⎯prevention. A diligent investment in our own maintenance can pay back in profitable “healthy” dividends. The simple principles (not always the first or easiest choice) of eating wholesome fresh food, balancing work and play along with getting a good night’s rest all pay into the plan. Add in a dedicated time each day for exercise and relaxation and you are on your way to living healthy and virus free.

Learn from my experience
Catching that recent cold virus taught me a valuable lesson. I had obviously let me body get out of balance. My more typical powerful immune system had lowered its defense system and got caught off-guard. Just like a tiny bathroom window innocently left unlocked long enough for a burglar to sneak in⎯ that nasty little viral bug found a window of opportunity. Its surprise invasion slipped in and my body suffered for the lack of attention.

Bottom line
Living in a healthy balanced way means continually “paying in” to the regular care that our bodies need to stay well. If we do this– our beautiful, intricately designed immune system provides  “state of the art protection” in keeping out any unwanted visitors. This in turn allows our body to function as it is capable, keeping us healthy and happy.