The poet Mary Oliver asked a question that rests upon our hearts and minds as we enter this new decade in the year 2020: “Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?”
This is your special gift, given with multiple opportunities. Are you a person who makes New Year’s resolutions? Do you spend the year with a focus on them, or do they quickly disappear?
Resolutions
Each January, some people choose to address an aspect of health and wholeness. Recently, diet, nutrition, health care products and exercise advertisements have been everywhere. They include invitations to join multiple diet programs or purchase expensive exercise equipment. Using the web, many machines also include a coach to assist in building an exercise community.
Health Opportunity
Dr. Oz recently introduced System 20 — his new plan to take control of your health in 2020. It is very comprehensive and includes specific quantitative benchmarks. These include blood pressure, waist size, fasting blood sugar and cholesterol guidelines.
Specific aspects of this plan based on recent research are revolutionary. They include skipping breakfast, creating a specific meal framework that involves eating only from 11:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Nutritional guidelines recommend low-carbohydrate snacks and no caffeine after 3:00 p.m. This plan also highlights certain exercises.
Basic Health Education
Embedded in Dr’ Oz’s plan is long-recognized education on basic food groups and healthy behaviors. I spoke with some of the wise residents at Parkvue, many active well into their 80s and 90s. They shared childhood memories rooted within many aspects of this new plan. They grew up understanding the importance of fruits and vegetables. Walking, their major form of transportation, built in numerous opportunities for regular exercise.
Many remember this old Benjamin Franklin adage: “Early to bed and early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise.” Life patterns once revolved around this practice. Dr. Oz’s plan also recommends a consistent sleep pattern. Included in this System 20 routine is a morning practice that includes a two-minute stretch and meditation.
Holding on to Old
Given today’s technological and fast-paced society, Dr. Oz also included three ancient faith practices into his new plan. First, people are encouraged to take one day off per week. This concept is both foundational and biblical (Exodus 20: 8 – 10). “Remember the sabbath day, and keep it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work. But the seventh day is a sabbath to the Lord your God; you shall not do any work.” Many residents share fond memories of their lifelong habit of maintaining sabbath activities. They included resting from work, attending worship and enjoying the gifts of our amazing divine creation with family and friends.
Incorporating Faith Practices
Woven into the concept of sabbath time, Dr. Oz also identified the importance of relationships and maintaining a strong community framework. His simple recommendation involves just a few minutes each week. Rather than sending a text, one should personally call someone to engage in direct communication. This certainly sounds strange for those of us who normally prefer a conversation over a text.
Last and most meaningful, Dr. Oz included the ancient and blessed gift of time in his plan. An hour before bed, he recommends people disconnect from their phones. Imagine the possibilities of becoming open to new experiences!
Celebrating the Gift of Each Day
Entering this decade, let us celebrate the possibilities identified through new research, advances in technology and improved healthcare opportunities. May we also continue to remain rooted in ancient faith practices that affirm every individual’s blessed nature. The gift of each new day invites us to live fully and become our very best selves.