Are raw foodists invincible to the common cold? I have to admit that I kind of assumed that was the case. If it's true, at what point does the invincibility kick in? I've been raw for over three years (over two at 100%) and yet the past few days have found me overcome with sneezing, sore throat, runny nose, and fatigue.

My first thought, once my throat started to hurt, was: "Did I eat anything different recently that I'm reacting to in a negative way " But, nothing had changed.My diet is relatively clean, with the exception of the times when I consume too much nut dip. So, when the sneezing and runny nose were added to the sore throat, I knew something else was going on. I had to admit it: "I'm not invincible."

Sure, my ego struggled with it for a bit. I wanted to pretend I wasn't feeling unwell.However, my body couldn't hide the fact that I was, indeed, sick. How did it happen, though? How can someone with such a wonderful diet get sick? Well, here's what I've come to finally understand: HEALTH ISN'T ONLY ABOUT WHAT YOU EAT and/or DON'T EAT.

Once the realization fully sunk in, it lead me to figuring out what was going on with my body. If my diet wasn't the weak link that allowed me to become unwell, I wanted to figure out what was (because, I admit it, I don't like being unwell and I want to prevent a future illness if at all possible! I WANT to be invincible!).

Health doesn't only come from our diet, and I really do know and understand that. Somewhere along the line, however, I allowed diet to seem like it was the ultimate regulator of health. Sure, it's an incredibly important and large part of health, but it's not the only thing that keeps us strong, healthy, and happy. Intuitively I knew what was going on: stress was causing my immune system to become compromised.

Stress can come from all kinds of places (inside and outside the body). In my case, it was coming from both. My body is under the near constant stress of living in an environment that doesn't provide adequate sunshine for health. On top of that, the air quality in Pittsburgh is quite poor at times (even though it's "clean" compared to when the city was truly a steel-producing town). I'm working on eliminating this stress as soon as possible (once our home sells). Until then, the most I can do is get away whenever possible (which we recently did by visiting the Florida Keys). The internal stress, however, is something over which I have a lot of control.

My internal stress is coming from a few different things. The first is my mental attitude about still being in Pittsburgh when I've been ready to move away for over a year. I thought we'd be settled in a warm climate by now, one with beautiful daily sunshine, clean air, and a self-sustaining garden. When it's extra dreary and cold here in Pittsburgh, it sometimes brings me down a bit. I become frustrated that I'm still "stuck" here in this place I no longer want to be living. [Side note here, Pittsburgh is actually a very beautiful city, with a lot of cultural opportunities and nice people.] It's easy to rid myself of this stress--once I acknowledge that I'm doing everything possible at this point to make the move a reality, I can simply just accept that there's nothing more I can do and be at peace with the way things are. It's a choice, really: Do I choose to be frustrated or can I enjoy myself while I'm waiting for this one change to happen?

The second stress comes from changing the balance that's best for me. In Ayurvedic medicine, I'm considered a Pitta Dosha. Pitta people tend to be a bit active, organizing and managing projects, among other things. I'm balanced when I am true to my nature, surrounding myself with mental stimulation and purpose. When we went away to Florida, however, I purposely forced myself to *not* think about anything. I wanted a break from my normal routine, which is probably a good thing since I was actually not giving myself much quiet/meditative time over the past few months. However, once we left Florida I found myself still "on break" from my projects. I was getting by, doing as little as possible, and found myself feeling quite lazy. Living at such a slow pace for a couple of weeks put my dosha balance into a more Kapha state than my natural Pitta one). Too much Kapha brings with it a tendency for colds and congestion. So, this morning I used a neti pot to flush my sinuses, forced myself to get moving a bit more, and started jotting down notes for things I want to work on once my energy is fully returned. This evening I am feeling so much better--too much of a good thing (even if it's a vacation) isn't always the best thing.

Another stress is that over the past few months I've been focusing so much on Pure Jeevan projects, I haven't been taking time for myself to have fun. Yes, I enjoy the work I'm doing because I know it's helping a lot of people (now and in the future, as we move forward on our many projects), but it's not the same as playful fun or laughter with loved ones. I've made a mental note that I need to make sure I'm saving time for play in my life on a daily basis. Life is for fun, even though I'm on a mission to help others. I need to not miss out on having fun--I can help others and still find time to laugh, as well. :-)

I'm so thankful that my dear friend, Rawbin, took time from her busy life to stop by and brighten up my life. Rawbin has a way of waking up my playful side and I always find myself filled with love, happiness, and most of all laughter when she and I are together. Spending time with friends, even if it's for a short period of time, can really raise one's spirits which brings about tremendous health benefits! I'm feeling so much better after Rawbin's visit!

What about you? Are you healthy in all areas of your life right now? If yes, please share ways you care for yourself on all levels. If not, can you see some areas of your life that you can change to bring about a greater sense of health and well being?