Silver bullets

We’ve all heard it before: “Eat this way and you’ll lose weight.” “Do this exercise you’ll have washboard abs.” “Try this treatment and you’ll heal faster.” It’s very compelling, and sometimes it’s actually true. But when it comes to our health, we have to stop searching for the silver bullets.

Recently I was speaking with a massage therapist about the benefits of regular massage. While I couldn’t disagree about the benefits (I mean who could?!), I couldn’t help but reflect on how its just a piece of a bigger puzzle. Other factors including diet, exercise, lifestyle, sun exposure, sleep, and stress management are all important–and the relative importance likely varies for each of us. In the same way, treatments/interventions such as acupuncture, massage, mediation, chiropractic, and all other forms of physical and mental therapies certainly have value–but they are not silver bullets. We hear things like “going keto will make you lose weight, give you mental clarity, fix your gut issues, and improve your skin.” In reality, it might do some of those things, but it likely take time and happen gradually.

For the past several weeks I have been slowly and painfully rehabbing an ankle injury sustained playing basketball. It’s been a frustratingly slow healing process. I often find myself trying to attribute the slow healing process to a single factor: Perhaps I’m not getting enough sleep? Perhaps I’m under too much stress? Perhaps I’m not doing the right stretches or exercises? Maybe I need to try a new form of therapy? In fact, I have thought of these exact things and opened my mind to many new therapies including acupuncture, electrical stimulation, flossing, sauna, and cold therapy. In the end, it all helps but none solve the problem. That’s because there are no silver bullets when it comes to health and healing.

If you live an active lifestyle and participate in sports, injuries are just part of the process; its how you deal with them, learn from them, and rehabilitate that makes all the difference. Although it’s tempting to look for a quick one-size-fits-all solution, it will prove elusive. I’ve learned to have an open mind and experiment with many potential solutions–after all they are all part of the puzzle. You might even find benefits in unexpected places, like the incredible relief from neck tightness I got from dry needling, a treatment I thought was crazy but ended but being just what I needed. Here’s hoping that with an open mind and a world of therapeutic opportunities I’ll be joining you back on the mud run and basketball court soon!

~Brendan