February, Valentine’s & the Idea of “Love”
Valentine’s Day falls within the month of February in the UK and across the world there are many traditions associated with ‘lovers’ day’. According to Wikipedia, most of these traditions focus on symbols of external love, such as the giving of flowers, chocolate and other gifts. In Italy, keys are given to lovers “as a romantic symbol and an invitation to unlock the giver’s heart.”
Within European folk tradition, Saint Valentine was closely associated with the advent of spring. In Slovenia, Valentine (aka Zdravko) was also the saint of good health.
For busy people with hectic lives, one of the most neglected relationships is often the one with their own body, because they ignore symptoms until they become chronic.
As we start to emerge from the deepest depths of winter, we often suffer with a lack of energy too. So, how can we combat this? The simple fact is that we need to learn to love our health.
But like any good relationship, loving your health isn’t about surface-level quick fixes like bubble baths or green juices – it’s about listening, responding thoughtfully, and supporting your body at a deeper level.
Why Self-Care Isn’t Enough
Stress levels in people from countries across the globe are on the rise, driven by economic uncertainties and the demands of modern life. Prolonged stress affects the internal state of the human body, puts the body into fight or flight mode, and can cause an imbalance in physiological processes. Prioritising self-care is essential for maintaining mental and emotional wellbeing.
But what type of self-care people choose is based on factors including time, cost, and personal preferences. Typically, lack of time means people are often drawn to the first quick fix they see on social media, and many of these are only temporary, surface-level treatments, which don’t resolve the underlying dysfunction.
Symptoms such as fatigue, anxiety, pain, poor sleep, and low resilience are physiological signals. Fatigue is a symptom associated with many diseases (such as multiple sclerosis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and rheumatoid arthritis) and is a result of primary disease-related mechanisms (ie: inflammation) as well as secondary mechanisms not directly caused by the disease but associated with it, including depression and sleep problems.
Better regulation of the nervous system and improving cellular health is the foundation of wellbeing, and to minimise the risk of many illnesses – and to feel better – you don’t need more willpower, your body needs regulation.
What “Loving Your Health” Actually Looks Like (From the Inside Out)
Long-term health is built by supporting systems, not suppressing symptoms, and this is where functional medicine differs from conventional approaches. Functional medicine aims to be preventative by reducing the negative effects of things like inflammation and build-ups of oxidative stress. Functional medicine is treatment and care at a biological level and is targeted to find and address the root cause of health problems.
Functional medicine treatments can help to calm the nervous system and regulate it, as well as improve circulation, oxygenation and recovery, to keep our bodies functioning at their best.
By considering that symptoms are signals that our body needs help – and acting on those signals – we can build a better relationship with our bodies, improve our understanding of our own health and appreciate the benefits as they happen.
How The Ozone Clinic Supports Health at the Root Cause
The Ozone Clinic is a functional medicine clinic in Winchester, where the therapies are acts of care, designed to support your body long-term and provide preventative health care.
These therapies include:
NESA Therapy: Helps to calm an overactive nervous system, and supports sleep, mood and stress resilience. Can help to treat stress, anxiety, burnout, chronic fatigue, long COVID, chronic pain, urological issues, stress-related skin problems and much more.
PEMF Therapy: Encourages cellular repair and recovery and supports circulation and nervous system balance. The cells in our bodies are like mini batteries and PEMF recharges tired cells, prevents the formation of toxins and free radicals, boosts the immune system and can be useful in the prevention and treatment of a wide range of conditions.
Red Light Therapy: Enhances mitochondrial function and supports energy, healing, and inflammation reduction. It is particularly good for boosting energy levels and fighting chronic pain, and it can help to improve acne, eczema, psoriasis and other skin conditions. For fitness enthusiasts, it can be useful in reducing muscle soreness and promoting faster recovery.
Infrared Sauna: Gently encourages detoxification and relaxation and supports circulation and immune health. Unlike traditional saunas that heat the air, infrared saunas use light waves to warm the body directly, allowing for deeper therapeutic benefits at lower, more comfortable temperatures. Infrared therapy is suitable for a wide range of people, from those managing chronic conditions to individuals simply looking to optimise their health and recovery.
All these therapies are designed to gently support your body, so you feel better and your body can do what it’s designed to do.
Why Listening to Your Body Is an Act of Self-Respect
Good health should be for everyone and investing in your health is a mark of self-respect, not indulgence. Many people are of the not-now mindset and think: “I’ll deal with it later, it’s just stress.” But small signals become bigger problems when ignored. It’s easy to brush these symptoms off, thinking they’ll just get better on their own, but sometimes they don’t. Prevention is always better than a cure, and taking small, regular steps to keep your stress levels in check and address any other issues will pay dividends in long-term vitality.
Self-care is not new – a 2023 article in The Lancet highlighted that the idea of self-care has roots in ancient Chinese medicine practices, as well as in the Ayurvedan classical text, Astanga Samgraha, and in physician Galen’s works in ancient Greece.
What is new is the unprecedented level of stress and toxins modern life throws at us – which is why it is more important than ever to think about our health, and how we can help our bodies cope with every curveball that life pitches at us.
A Valentine’s Reframe: Love Your Health
Are you ready to welcome the spring into your heart and feel the spring in your step? As we move into longer, warmer days, learn to think of wellness as the most meaningful gift you can give yourself. Or show someone how much you love them by considering giving them a gift card or treatment experience.
This Valentine’s Day, love your health enough to support and nurture it, not neglect it.
Conclusion: Health Is a Relationship
Wise people know that good partnerships are built through long-term nurturing, and your relationship with your body is the same. Health is built through consistency, care, and understanding, but you don’t need to be unwell to invest in your wellbeing.
Why not book a Discovery Call with The Ozone Clinic to explore the therapies and give your body the support it’s been asking for.
References
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Valentine%27_Day
https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(23)02645-4/fulltext
https://tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/17441692.2023.2296970
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9807493/
https://theozoneclinic.co.uk/red-light-therapy/
https://theozoneclinic.co.uk/nesa-therapy/