9 simple ways to care for your body as well as you care for your car!

Try to think back for a second to the last time your car was making a funny noise. Think about what you did the last time a warning light lit up your dashboard. Or maybe one of your tires was giving out. How did you react to these situations? Did you ignore the problems and hope they would just go away? Surely you didn’t ignore them. My guess is that you probably addressed them pretty quickly.
 
A car is an inanimate object. It's completely incapable of feeling pain or distress. Yet so many of us are far more concerned with our cars’ overall well-being than our own. If you're like me, you've probably even named your car (in case you're wondering, I named mine Camilla Corolla...cute, huh?).

But don't you wish it was just as easy to take care of your own body as it is your car's? Good news! By  applying what we learn from our cars, it just might be...

We view our cars as extensions of ourselves. When we choose a car, we try to choose one that vibes with our personalities. We each have our own preferences for certain styles, colors and features. Every time we hit the road we’re openly expressing parts of our personalities. Even if you drive an old clunker, others could presume (falsely or accurately) something about the kind of person you might be (frugal, economical, non-materialistic, etc.).
 
Our cars as our bodies
With enough imagination we actually are able to find some parallels between our cars and our bodies. The windshield and the mirrors are its eyes and ears. The engine is its heart. Steering wheel is the brain.  Tires are the arms and legs. The exhaust is the respiratory system. The oil and gasoline are its fuel, components of its digestive system.
 
We can actually really learn some useful lessons with this analogy between our cars and our bodies. When viewed in this light, we can take better care of our own bodies by transferring these tendencies and abilities to care for something so well.
 
Now granted, taking care of our bodies requires hundreds of micro-decisions each day whereas a car’s needs in comparison, are far simpler. But the concepts are similar. We care for what we find value in. And it’s time we find more value in our bodies.
 
But first, one key difference to keep in mind: Never forget that you cannot trade in your body at the end of the day like you can your car. There’s no sprightly latest model of your body waiting for you with shiny new parts. As amazing as science and technology are, we’re still not quite there yet! When you’ve worn your body to the ground, it really is game over. Sadly, we humans also have our own versions of junkyards waiting for us at the end of the day, when our old clunkers’ engines cease to start!
 
Epidemic
Almost half of all Americans suffer from at least one chronic disease. Most of these chronic diseases have modifiable risk factors. This means that they’re preventable with lifestyle changes. These diseases not only affect the quality of life for millions, they’re also a huge burden on an already overtaxed healthcare system.
 
So basically, half of us are pushing through life with body parts that are malfunctioning. Our engines aren’t efficient, our windshields and mirrors are fogged up, our tires need to be inflated, our steering wheels are low on power steering fluid, our exhausts are clogged and we desperately need an oil change!
 
Our repair shops are our hospitals, clinics, doctor’s offices, spas, and wellness centers. Our grocery stores are our gas stations. These places are open all the time and they’re eager for your business. So no excuses!

9 signs you treat your car way better than your body…and how to start treating your body the same way:

• You take it in for regular maintenance

You always ensure your oil is changed on time. You take your car in for its scheduled tune-ups. You ask your mechanic to check the fluids and to thoroughly check for any signs of disrepair.
 
Your body: Go to your doctor for your yearly checkups. Get diagnostic blood work done. Get your teeth professionally cleaned every 6 months. Schedule your “tune-ups” when needed. It’s recommended at certain ages to have certain screenings done (i.e. mammograms, pap smears, colonoscopies, prostate exams, etc.). Check with your doctor to learn at which ages you’ll need your “tune-ups”. And then don’t delay!

• You want strong horsepower

When you step on that accelerator you expect your car to give you its all. You expect power, speed, stability and quick reaction times.
 
Your body: Why not expect these same things from your body? Your body too is capable of power, speed, balance, agility and fast reaction times. We may slow down a bit as we age. But that’s why it’s all the more important to build up our reserves now. We want to enter our golden years with the least amount of wear and tear as possible!

• You allow your car time to warm up

On cold days you give your car extra time to wake up. You also make sure you start your car often in colder weather. You ensure that long stretches don’t go by without giving your car a chance to really rev up its engine. You want to prevent it from rusting. 
 
Your body: Your body also needs time to warm up before it starts its day. Your body also benefits from frequent opportunities to rev up its engine and get that heart pumping strong. If you let your body sit idle for too long, it too can “rust”! Use it or lose it. Move your body often. Keep your joints and muscles warmed up and engage them with regular exercise (Visit American Heart Association: www.heart.org  for current recommendations).

• You don’t abuse it

Slamming on the brakes, accelerating too fast, overheating the engine, driving over rough terrain, parking in questionable places, putting in the wrong type of fuel, running stop signs, driving recklessly, letting your car get scratched up…my guess is you avoid most or all of these things that might put your car in harm’s way.
 
Your body: There are a million and one ways that we might abuse our bodies every day. We feed it the wrong fuel, we don’t give our bodies time to warm up slowly, we don’t give our bodies enough opportunities to rev up their engines, we take risks, or we push ourselves too hard without rest. It’s time to be as cautious with our bodies as we are our cars. Get enough rest, exercise regularly, eat nutritious foods, don’t drink or smoke excessively and don’t take dangerous risks.

• You only trust certain mechanics to work on your car

You’re overprotective when it comes to whom you allow to work on your car. You only want someone who’s experienced and really knows what they’re doing. The only people you allow to perform any sort of maintenance are the people you trust or mechanics that have been recommended. Most importantly, you don’t want to be cheated into costly, unnecessary repairs.
 
Your body: Do your own research before choosing your doctors. Learn a little about your condition before visiting the doctor for treatment. Get second opinions if need be. Inform yourself about various treatment options and medications. Be your own strongest advocate.

• You use optimal fuel for performance

You feed your car expensive, higher quality oils and fluids for optimal performance. You give it the gasoline that it requires to function. You expect fuel efficiency.
 
Your body: Garbage in, garbage out. You are what you eat. Don’t expect your body to function like a well-oiled machine when you only fuel it with cheap junk. If we came with instruction manuals too, no doubt they’d advise fueling up with plenty of fruits and vegetables, healthy fats, and lean proteins. It wouldn’t advise fueling up with highly processed chemicals and additives. Sure, your body can run on these fuels for a while. But the adverse effects gradually accumulate over time. Before you know it your body parts will begin to deteriorate just like an old car. If you’ve ignored your warning lights all along the way, it may become too late.

• You immediately address any signs of malfunction

If you hear a funny noise, see a warning light come on or feel any difference while driving, you immediately take it in to the shop.
 
Your body: The same should apply for your body. If you spot a new skin blemish, feel a new pain, experience an unpleasant sensation or really if you notice anything that suddenly causes you distress, you need to immediately take your body into the “shop”. Often times unaddressed health problems only get worse over time. Symptoms are akin to the “check engine” light. Don’t ignore them. Act accordingly.

• You maintain its appearance

You don’t like to see any scratches, dents or grime on your car. You ensure its safety and you feel more confident driving in a car that looks good.
 
Your body: As with your car, going around in a body that is strong and healthy can be a major confidence booster. Don’t focus on looking good for other people. Focus on feeling healthy for yourself. Because looking and feeling good go hand in hand.

• You do research

When you buy a new car you learn about its upkeep. When you see a warning light you do research right away. You learn about the problem as well as possible ways you might be able to fix it. You might also learn what caused it and how to prevent the problem in the future.
 
Your body: How often do you research your own health? Chances are if you’re visiting AndiamoFit,  then you are probably someone who cares about being healthy. Just as you would your car, read up on the types of things you can do to maintain or improve your body. Read about disease, its causes and how to prevent problems.
 
 Takeaway
As amazing an invention the automobile is, it still pales in comparison to the miracles of the human body. We possess nothing more valuable than our bodies; the finest machines we can ask for. Like cars (but obviously far more complex!), our bodies have various systems working in synch. When one system isn’t working, the rest of the system is also affected. Our bodies also need regular preventative maintenance and timely repairs when things go wrong.
 
Of course we need our cars to be reliable and safe on the roads. There’s nothing wrong with tending to the needs of our cars and I’m in no way suggesting we stop! What I am suggesting is that we take a closer look at the parallels between our cars and our bodies. Let’s treat our bodies as well as we do our cars. Let’s be as proactive about our own maintenance and well-being as we are with our cars. Our cars deserve good care and our bodies deserve it even more!