Civil War

History in America is relatively recent as the age of our country is only 242 years. Only 85 years after the Declaration of Independence the country split into north and south factions an entered a civil war. While we know the outcome, the reasons for the war starting actually took decades to come to a head. The after effects lasted for decades physically and emotionally, and for another century as hatred and prejudice was passed on to new generations. America is still grappling with the causes of the Civil War. A million soldiers were killed in a 4 year period, but somehow the country managed to survive and eventually become stronger as a result, though it still shows signs of the original weaknesses. Within the human body there are many mechanisms that oppose each other for the better good of the body and its function. Muscles have opposing forces to balance out motion. There are agonists that move a bone in one direction and antagonists that move bones in the opposite direction. There are hormonal releases that elevate and lower certain electrolytes and elements flowing through our blood. Calcium, glucose, water, sodium, potassium, all have hormones that increase or decrease their levels. This is important to keeping all the functions of the body balanced to maintain order. Prolonged elevations or decreases in certain vital ions and compounds can have devastating effects on the brain and heart, as well as other organs. When one hormone predominates when levels of sugar or calcium remain high or low, one side is winning, and winning is bad for the body. Neither side should ever win. It should only bring things back to a balance. If one muscle tries to over power another we end up with torn muscles and tendons. When one hormone over powers another we end up with diabetes. In the blood we have immune functions that are designed to fight off invasion and infection. If something is recognized as foreign, the immune system and antibodies recognize it as foreign and destroy it. If you eat too much salt or sugar, the body perceives it as biochemical injury and responds by attacking its own tissues. This is what is called an auto immune response. The body starts attacking itself. Prolonged attacks on ones self do not end well. Just like the American Civil War, the body basically is fighting itself and an internal civil war is the result. The casualties are millions of cells, from brain cells to liver or kidney cells, you name it, it is not healthy for the whole organism. Lately, political discourse has become more vitriolic than ever. Civil discourse and debate in our government has always been crucial to maintaining a balance of opinions and mindsets, allowing us to come to a reasonable and civil compromise for the better good of the country. It is a necessary evil that must accept losing a battle for the sake of the country. In becoming more uncivil it feeds into to our emotional and ultimately our hormonal levels which create an imbalance within our bodies. Our bodies start their own internal civil war. This is also compounded by the salt and sugar we eat which makes us more irritable and more likely to lash out at the other side in a political discussion. The outcome is that everyone is miserable, no one can compromise, and the unity and future of our country is at stake. Let's start by eating better, exercising more, listening to the other side, compromising and respecting others. It must first start by respecting yourself and your body. Be civil to yourself, to your neighbors and to those you disagree with. It is essential for the health of your body and for the health of America.