Clean Your Room, and Prevent Disease: Functional Medicine's Father on Daily Habits for a Meaningful, Healthy Life

Confronting the Chaos: Healthcare's Fundamental Problem

Alright buckle up folks. We're diving into the abyss of modern healthcare with Jeffrey Bland a man they call the 'father of functional medicine.' Now I've said it before and I'll say it again: Our healthcare system is often about as organized as my sock drawer before I've had my morning coffee. Bland's asking the right question: Why are we only mopping up the floor when the bathtub is overflowing? It's the bloody chaos dragon isn't it? We're so busy treating the sick that we forget to ask 'How do we keep people from getting sick in the first place?' It's like only fixing the car *after* it's crashed. A bit late wouldn't you say? He essentially started his investigation when doing research under the guidance of two time Nobel Laureate Linus Pauling at the Linus Pauling Institute of Science and Medicine in the 1980s before launching his own functional medicine institutes later on. So let's start cleaning our rooms people. Metaphorically speaking... and maybe literally too.

The Worthiness Lie: Believing You Deserve Health

Bland starts his day believing he's 'worthy of good health.' And you might think 'Well isn't that a bit narcissistic Peterson?' Perhaps. But consider this: if you don't believe you're *worthy* of taking care of yourself who will? It's the same principle as cleaning your room. You're creating order from chaos starting with the self. Gratitude he says is the key. Wake up be thankful for another day and strive to do your best. It's about setting the stage defining your values and moving forward with purpose. Because if you don't have a purpose what are you even doing? Are you just existing? Are you a mere shadow of yourself? No. You wake up. You are grateful. You embrace the chaos and the beauty of life which is to live for something meaningful.

Taming the Body: The Hour of Physical Confrontation

An hour of physical activity everyday? Sounds like a lot doesn't it? But think about it this way: you're not just exercising your body; you're exercising your *will*. It's a battle against entropy against the natural tendency to fall into a state of disorganized sedentary despair. Bland runs walks and uses a Pilates reformer. Find something *you* enjoy something that makes you feel alive. And keep a journal he suggests. Track your habits your goals your progress. Because what gets measured gets managed. I can't agree with this enough! Look at the data! Look at the facts! This is as true as cleaning your room and getting yourself grounded in reality and establishing order out of a situation of chaos. What do you do in that situation bucko? Well you gotta find the best method and the best method here is to track how well you're doing!

Eating the Rainbow: A Nutritional Crusade Against Degeneration

Colorful fruits and vegetables? It's not just some aesthetic preference folks. It's a nutritional battle. Phytonutrients flavonoids... these aren't just fancy words; they're powerful allies in the fight against chronic disease and cognitive decline. Kale strawberries... they're not just Instagram fodder; they're weapons against the abyss. So for the love of all that is good and nutritious add some color to your damn plate! Do not just eat the beige colored garbage that exists on grocery store shelves. Look at a plate full of beige garbage. That's chaos right? Clean up your dietary habits by establishing order and balance. Start today.

Confronting the Night: The Hour of Unwinding and Redemption

An hour to unwind before bed? Absolutely critical. Our brains are bombarded with information all day long. If you don't carve out time for 'meditative relaxation,' you'll be lying awake at night wrestling with your demons. Bland reads books about nature and adventure. Find something that disconnects you from the technical the stressful the chaotic. Something that reminds you of the beauty and wonder of the world. So that the next day you are not thinking about the last email or the last article or the last thing that you wrote. That's not how you want to start your day is it?

The Meaning of Meaning: Purpose Beyond the Self

Finally and perhaps most importantly Bland emphasizes the importance of purpose. Not just any purpose but a purpose that extends beyond the self a purpose that connects you to something larger than yourself. Work spirituality philanthropy... it doesn't matter *what* it is as long as it provides meaning and fulfillment. It's about contributing to something that will outlive you about leaving a positive mark on the world. You need something that takes you out of the focus on yourself to the fact that you are part of this much broader system that is going to be here after you. Because in the end that's what truly matters. And that is true health. So that whatever you contribute is always going to be there and that is a wonderful and beautiful thing.