For ages, we have been looking for the Holy Grail, the secret elixir, or fountain of youth. One thing that these have in common is that they’re singular or one thing. But, is health really so simplistic? Let’s logically think for a moment. We live in a complex universe made up of millions of interlinking, interdependent relationships, which unite to sustain life. Is longevity, wellness, or quality of life any different? Let us explore the answer to this important question.
Imitation of Life
What do airplanes, sonar, and lightbulbs have in common? Airplanes were inspired by the Wright brothers studying bird flight, sonar by dolphins, and lightbulbs by fireflies. Nature is the inspiration behind some or arguably all of the greatest inventions to date (whether directly or indirectly). Valuable lessons are gleaned in observing and studying the natural world, which is the first great lesson book. This is known as Biomimicry which is a practice that learns from and mirrors or mimics the strategies and solutions found in nature to solve human challenges (1). It is said that necessity is the mother of all inventions. There is a health crisis staring the world in the face. Yet nature and necessity invite humanity to learn from them valuable principles that will enable us to raise to a higher level of well-being.
“There is a deep interconnectedness of all life on earth, from the tiniest organisms to the largest ecosystems, and absolutely between each person.” Bryant McGill – Activist
Ecosystems
A system is a group of interacting or interrelated entities that form a unified whole. A system is surrounded by and influenced by its environment. It’s defined by what exists within its boundaries, its structure, and purpose and is expressed in the way it functions (2). Above us, beside us, below us, and inside us is a biological community called an ecosystem. Ecosystems contain living and non-living things, such as plants, insects, microorganisms, animals, rocks, soil, water, and sunlight. They can be as large as a rainforest or as small as the bacteria on your skin. The interaction between the living (e.g. plants), non-living (e.g. soil), and physical environment (e.g. oceans, temperature) form to create these systems. It is this harmonious interplay and ministry between these various entities that create healthy environments and sustain life on planet earth (3). There is an important point to discuss right here that lays at the foundation of the focus of this cycle. There are two words central to the survival of life in these networks which is LAW and RELATIONSHIPS.
“Our challenge for the future is that we realize we are very much a part of the earth’s ecosystem, and we must learn to respect and live according to the basic biological laws of nature.” Jim Fowler – Scientist
Survival of the Lawful and Relational
Creation and everything in it are governed by law. These rules ultimately dictate the form and function of how the world operates around us. Scientific laws are the results of experimentation and observation, they help to establish how things work. There are principles that regulate not only the world around us, but the one inside us, and ultimately life and health (4). As mentioned earlier, each system’s survival is dependent on the mutually beneficial relationships that exist within them. For example, the Sun’s heat causes moisture from oceans and lakes to evaporate and form clouds. If the clouds become too saturated, the water droplets in the clouds collide and become bigger and heavier until the air can no longer support them. Then they fall as rain. This rain in turn waters and feeds plant life, this plant life is a source of food for herbivores, who in turn are a source of food for carnivores. Without these connections, life ceases completely or ceases to function properly. The same is true of the laws that govern these systems, when they are violated whether ignorantly or deliberately, the results are the same5. Yet, when life’s various working parts are operating in harmony, life doesn’t merely survive it thrives. The survival of the lawful and relational means we must better understand the laws that govern each system and adhere to them and protect and nurture the relationships that exist within them.
“Your body isn’t just a body. It’s an ecosystem.” Douglas Coupland – Journalist
Masterpiece of Ecosystems
Mankind is the masterpiece of all living things, and contained within him is an ecosystem that rivals the grandest ecosystems this world has to showcase. Enclosed within these sacred temples is a symphony played by an orchestra with various structures and functions. Our DNA is the law or main conductor of this musical masterpiece, it directs and guides all. It is the foundation for our cells, that go on to form tissue, which is the basis of organs, who collaborate to set up our systems (e.g. digestive, cardiovascular)6. When each plays their role and works in harmony with one another, health is the result. Health is more than just the physical, we are multi-dimensional beings. We are also mental, emotional, spiritual, and social beings, and science shows these have their place in our wellness. Just as other ecosystems have laws and relationships that govern them, that when broken results in death or disease, the outcome is the same in us. The bigger unanswered question is how do all of these internal and external principles and networks cooperate to produce health and how do we become better stewards and CEOs of our health? This shall be discussed in part 2 of this article. Till then stay tuned for more on this subject.
References
1. https://biomimicry.org/what-is-biomimicry/
2. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/System
3. https://www.britannica.com/science/ecosystem
4. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scientific_law
5. https://www.carbonbrief.org/analysis-why-scientists-think-100-of-global-warming-is-due-to-humans
6.https://www.genome.gov/about-genomics/fact-sheets/Deoxyribonucleic-Acid-Fact-Sheet#:~:text=What%20does%20DNA%20do%3F,the%20work%20in%20our%20bodies.
