This week's blog is brought to you by: Beth Parkes, RDH, BSc ~ Vice President of rdhu

How is your summer going? Time is flying by and I am determined to soak in and enjoy every moment of it!

Kathleen is on a well-deserved vacation this week, so I am here in her place until she returns.

Like many of you, I created a list of summer reading material that is providing me a reason to simply sit and take in the sunshine. I tried to create a mixture of fiction, dental hygiene research, and motivational or self-improvement readings. What is on your list, Pearl?

My current book “The Happiest Man on Earth” is a memoir of a holocaust survivor, Eddie Jaku, as he shares his story and the wisdom he gained through surviving unfathomable torture, pain, and sorrow. Something he said resonated with me today. Eddie was forced to endure terrible affliction and had his body pushed to its absolute limit being frozen, beaten and starved. This left him with a tremendous sense of respect and gratitude for what the human body is capable of. He said this of the human body “…it turns fuel into life, can repair itself, can do anything you need it to. That is why today it breaks my heart to see the way some people treat their bodies, ruining this wonderful machine we are all gifted…demolishing the best machine ever put on the Earth.”

Oh boy, did this one hit home. How many times have I been frustrated by the perceived limitations of my body. The unwanted pounds, the wrinkles, the need to rest before I am ready to. How about the neck tension after long clinical days, the inconvenient muscle aches following quadrant therapy. An inability to remove all calculus in an 8 mm pocket with exudate, furcation involvement and profuse bleeding like I would like to. (I realize this last example was oddly specific). What an astounding relief it might be to instead focus on the wonders that we are. How incredible to acknowledge instead that we can acquire such high levels of manual dexterity that we can work blindly below the gumline in the smallest of areas. How fabulous that our hands can help our clients heal and return to periodontal health. How incredible is it that we can teach our clients’ hands to promote healing and change in their oral health at home!

I have been inspired to recognize the strength and resilience of my body, rather than focusing on its flaws. I would love to invite you to do the same.

Let’s try to be more kind to the unbelievable gift we have each been given.

Here are 5 ways we can start to show our bodies kindness today:

1) Embrace the imperfections. See the stretch marks, the cellulite the wrinkles or the extra 10 pounds and thank your body for the story these pieces tell of strength, adventure, and fun.

2) Sleep: your body works hard. Rest and recover as a way to thank and acknowledge the efforts of your body.

3) Walk outside: Walking is one of the most underrated forms of exercise around. Just 30-60 minutes of walking a day can boost immunity, lower cortisol levels, ease joint pain, and counteract the effects of weight promoting genes. It is also an incredible way to acknowledge the beauty surrounding us every day and fill our lungs with fresh air.

4) Focus on whole foods: By focusing on eating whole foods, we provide our bodies with fuel in its natural state with all its vitamins and minerals intact. This avoids forcing our bodies to search for them through what remains within the processed version of the food.

5) Practice daily affirmations: By not only accepting yourself, but relishing in the wonder that you are, you signal to others and to yourself that despite imperfections, real or perceived, you are more than enough, just as you are, at this very moment.

I hope today you can be kind to yourself. You are incredible, and I think you are a wonder, just as you are.

Thank you for reading and have a great week ahead! Please take a look below for what is coming up!

Kindest regards,

Beth