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That is the question I was asking myself when I was seriously sick for the second time in a month. Last time it was the flu, this time I'm pretty sure it was African Sleeping Sickness or something awful (self diagnosed).
I have always prided myself on staying healthy and never getting sick. I do all the right things. Eat right, exercise, take care of my body.
Don't I?
Did a little forensic sickness check on myself to figure out what was up.
According to this article on WebMD, these are the most common ways to compromise your immune system.
1. You're short on sleep
2. You don't exercise
3. Your diet is off
4. You're always stressed
5. You're too isolated
6. You've lost your sense of humor
I had to run through the checklist and see where I measured up. Here is what I came up with.
1. I get up at 4am every day, I think this one is obviously a red flag. Been leaning on coffee a little too hard and I think dehydration is a contributing factor. Love me some coffee, so cutting back is going to hurt.
2. Not a problem
3. Mostly good here, could always stand to eat more vegetables.
4. Not normally a problem and I shrug stress off pretty easily. But I am in key leadership roles in 3 different areas of my life. Roles where there are a lot of people depending on me. I think it is starting to get to me and I am taking steps to fix it.
5. I'm pretty isolated from dudes, but that's about it.
6. Never. I will be joking on my death bed. Which I thought I was joking from on Thursday.
I'm sure standing out in the rain yelling and teaching boot camp, working out in my garage in 10 degree weather, and not listening to my body's warning signs to slow down all contributed as well.
My wife is a nurse, so the hand washing thing is not a problem. Speaking of forensics, I sometimes wonder if she is going to use one of those CSI type lights to see if I washed my hands properly.
I'm sorry. I can't hear you unless I am looking at you over my glasses.