| About 17 years ago, I consulted a | | | | When we are ill, time gives us the opportunity to |
| Complementary Therapist for the first time. I had | | | | explore the options with respect to treating the |
| decided to take a different route and try out | | | | illness. We can choose to take a more holistic |
| what was for me an unknown and unexplored | | | | approach through diet, exercise and rest, |
| alternative to the conventional medicine I had | | | | alternative or conventional therapy or lifestyle |
| always relied on in the past. Why? Because I was | | | | changes. |
| pregnant for the first time, suffering chronic | | | | During the pregnancy that I mentioned above, |
| morning sickness (of the "all day" variety) and | | | | one thing I came to realise was how incompetent |
| unwilling to risk harming my baby by taking | | | | I was as a patient! I was so lacking in |
| conventional drugs. This experience was to be a | | | | self-awareness that I didn't have the first idea |
| revelation for me and my introduction to a totally | | | | how to answer my homeopath's questions. Ok, to |
| new way of viewing my own health and wellbeing, | | | | be fair to me, they did seem to be rather odd |
| as well as that of my child. | | | | questions, like "How do you feel in a |
| Priorities and values | | | | thunderstorm?" What on earth did that have to |
| Suddenly, with the prospect of being responsible | | | | do with how long I could keep a meal down? I |
| for someone else's life, my priorities had changed. | | | | got impatient with her and wanted a quick fix, |
| No longer did my health come second to my | | | | when really what was needed was my |
| availability to work and earn money. Some would | | | | cooperation and thoughtfulness. Often I felt like |
| say that my behaviour was a natural reaction to | | | | cutting out the middle man and just throwing my |
| surging hormones - nature taking over and | | | | carefully prepared platefuls of food straight down |
| asserting itself. I prefer to see it, with hindsight | | | | the toilet! I was afraid that I would not cope with |
| anyway, as the start of a shift in my priorities | | | | the situation and that my baby would not survive. |
| and values. | | | | My anger soon dissipated when I realised the |
| When we choose to prioritise our quality of life | | | | homeopathy was working and I was starting to |
| above our money earning capacity, magical things | | | | benefit from giving myself time to be more |
| can happen with respect to how we treat | | | | self-aware rather than fighting my affliction or |
| ourselves. For most who downshift, improving | | | | denying it existed. |
| health and wellbeing take a driving seat, often | | | | What other aspects of downshifting are beneficial |
| where it has previously been denied or ignored. | | | | to our health and wellbeing? |
| And for those who are forcibly downshifted | | | | Trading an unhealthy environment for a healthier |
| through ill health, this change in circumstances can | | | | one. |
| be very challenging indeed. For those who take | | | | One of the parts of our lives that we attempt to |
| the route of voluntary simplicity and decide of | | | | optimise when downshifting is the way in which |
| their own accord to slow down their pace of life | | | | we earn a living. Hopefully we will take steps to |
| and reduce their stress levels, miraculously, it | | | | modify our employment to suit our values and |
| seems, health issues suddenly seem to become | | | | minimise stress levels. Looking at our working |
| less of a problem. How does this happen? | | | | environment can be part of this. What effect |
| Trading money for time. | | | | does working in an air conditioned office have on |
| The answer is very simple. Downshifting involves | | | | our well-being? What about fluorescent lighting, |
| deciding to accept a lower level of income in | | | | noise levels, access to sunlight, fresh air and |
| return for more time to spend as we want to | | | | water? Trading an unhealthy environment for a |
| spend it. In order to practice preventive medicine | | | | healthier one can benefit our wellbeing by reducing |
| and optimise our health and wellbeing, time is | | | | the physicals stresses we have to endure and by |
| exactly what is needed. | | | | bringing us into contact with fewer infections. |
| Spending more time on ourselves benefits our | | | | Reclaiming the responsibility. |
| nutrition. Real food, home cooked, is higher in | | | | In my experience, many downshifters discover |
| nutrients, lower in harmful additives and costs less | | | | during the process of changing their lifestyle that |
| than convenience food in money terms. Growing | | | | they feel more able to accept responsibility for |
| and preparing food can also be an enjoyable | | | | their own health and wellbeing. They learn to face |
| experience for many, rather than just a means | | | | up to the challenges of making self-care a priority |
| to an end. Thus, the process of looking after | | | | One of the advantages of working from home |
| ourselves in itself becomes a stress-relieving | | | | (and home educating) that I'm personally very |
| activity. | | | | grateful for is that when I or my sons are ill, |
| By reducing our stress levels, we strengthen our | | | | there's no one putting pressure on us to return to |
| immune systems and are therefore less likely to | | | | work or school. When we need to rest, wrap up |
| succumb to infection or contract stress-induced | | | | warm, take extra fluids or get more fresh air, we |
| chronic conditions, such as heart disease, cancer, | | | | can adapt our day to incorporate this and |
| depression, chronic fatigue states or diabetes. | | | | recuperate in our own time. |
| When we spend more time on self-care, we are | | | | Ultimately, it's not up to our physicians, our |
| more likely to find a form of exercise that suits | | | | bosses, our family or anyone else to keep us well. |
| us and that we find enjoyable. | | | | It's up to us. |