Inquisitive.me

I’m a health advocate, and I weave that belief into every therapy session.

My patients hear me say this often:

• Take control of your own health instead of relying entirely on an external force (even if that force is me).
• The effort you put in now pays off later — a stronger, happier life where you can lift what you need to, including yourself, as you age.
• And yes, it’s hard.

It’s as hard as saving money. But we’ve somehow built a mindset where saving money early for a comfortable retirement is normal, while “saving health” isn’t treated with the same urgency — even though it works the same way. If you move well, stay active, and eat well in your younger years, you’re essentially investing in a future you’ll thank yourself for.

The problem? People tend to live in extremes.

No sugar ever. Keto forever. 16-hour fasts. Or on the other side — only heavy lifting, only cardio, only yoga. Where’s the balance?

Cooking fresh food with regional ingredients? Fifty years ago, we just called that “eating dinner,” not “healthy nutrition.”

Then there are the gym bros and marathon junkies who never stretch, never work on mobility, and wonder why their joints feel like rusty hinges. But it’s not just fitness. We see it everywhere:

• People working themselves into the ground without enjoying life.
• People hardly working at all, then struggling later.
• Parents giving everything to their kids but forgetting themselves.
• Physios who only do passive treatments like massage, manipulation, or taping. Others who throw exercise after exercise at patients like a machine gun.
• Doctors who only prescribe meds without proper consultation, versus those who only use manual techniques and heal with their hands.

Why does it have to be one extreme or the other? Buddhism gets this — it’s all about balance. Why can’t we use the same mindset?

Sometimes we feel a need, but that doesn’t mean it’s an actual need. That’s where thinking comes in — helping us tell the difference between what the body truly requires and what the brain is simply asking for in the moment. Just because I crave sweets doesn’t mean my body needs sugar to survive; it could just be a quick dopamine hit, not real nourishment.

Craving sweets right now doesn’t mean eating them is the best choice. Wait ten minutes. Is the craving still there, or was it just a passing impulse?

Same goes for other things in life. Not in the mood to work out? Maybe your body needs rest — or maybe you just don’t feel like it. That’s where thinking comes in.

Even as a physio, the exercise I think is “best” might not be the one my patient actually does at home. Sometimes the second-best option is the real winner, simply because it’s the one they’ll stick with.

And sometimes… yeah, there’s a little “hocus pocus” involved. I’ve seen patients go from stiff to suddenly mobile with just a small, seemingly unrelated adjustment. Science doesn’t always explain it. We’re human. The brain plays tricks, expectations shift outcomes, and not everything is as objective as we’d like.

When I started out, I was all-in on active training. Patients had to sweat — passive therapy was nonsense in my mind. It was team active vs. team passive, and you had to pick a side. I don’t think like that anymore.

Now? I have a very particular set of skills… (and yes, Liam Neeson’s Taken quote fits perfectly here). I use whatever combination works best for the person in front of me — active, passive, or both.

So maybe it’s time to step away from extreme diets, extreme workouts, extreme treatment plans, and get back to something radical: a balanced, sustainable, normal life.

That’s not just theory — it’s something you can test for yourself.

🧪 Let’s Experiment

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Your body isn’t a pendulum — it doesn’t need to
swing from one extreme to the other to make progress.

Instead of overhauling your habits overnight, notice them first. Awareness makes change stick.

🎯 Try This:

• Next time you feel a craving or urge, pause and ask: “Do I really need this, or do I just want it?” Then wait ten minutes before deciding.
• Notice when you’re leaning into an extreme (diet, workout, work habit) and ask yourself what the middle ground could look like.
• Swap one extreme habit for a balanced one — e.g., instead of an all-cardio week, add one strength and one mobility session.

🧠 Final Thought:

Balance isn’t built by perfect choices — it’s built by small, intentional ones that keep you moving forward without burning out.

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Keep it simple, stay curious, and keep learning—you’ve got this.

Take care,

Carina 🦊