Freedom was the foundation of the United States and throughout our history we have continued to value the freedom to make our own choices.  The freedom of choice covers all areas from speech, religion and what we do with our lives. Our choices also extend to what we put inside our bodies and how we maintain our health. We are born with this freedom and everyone has the right to choose for his or her own life and should respect this right of everyone else.  Our choices have a tendency to define us from the outside and mean a lot when representing ourselves to the rest of the world. But what do our health choices really mean to our freedom?  With health comes a world of opportunity.  By health I do not merely mean the absence of disease, but all realms of health including mental, physical, emotional, and spiritual well being.  It is brought about by a combination of equally valuable factors including a diet to which we are biologically designed, vigorous activity, rest, sleep, sunshine, pure water, clean air and emotional stability among many others. Health is a composite of all these elements and with the mastery of each comes the mastery of self and the joys of personal freedom.

Physical health is always the most immediate on everyone’s mind since we all look at ourselves in the mirror daily and can approve or disapprove of what we see.  Many people recognize that a healthy body is important for a happy life.  We want to be able to do, whether it’s walking, running, traveling, cycling, hiking, swimming, etc.  We define our life experience in part by what we enjoy doing and have done.  Freedom from common disease and a healthy athletic physique allow us to experience life in a way many people of the world cannot, full of vigor and energy.  We have the freedom to experience new activities without doubt in our physical abilities.  These activities could take us to the tops of mountains; or allow us to experience the thrill of winning a race, to enjoy a sunny afternoon canoeing on a river, or to travel to distant parts of the Earth in effort to see another perspective of our vast ecosystem.  We will be able to view the world through new eyes, the eyes of a clean and vital life force. 

One of the most neglected aspects of our bodies is our emotions.  The center of all emotion resides in the body, not the mind; it is why they are known as feelings and not thoughts.  When speaking of freedom it is impossible not to speak of the freedom to feel.  Our feelings are a center to our being and a connection to our true selves.  As we gain the ability to fully accept our feelings and become comfortable in our emotional selves we begin to free ourselves of emotional attachments and addictions to foods and activities.  We are no longer bound to habits and behaviors that can contribute to mood swings or emotional instability and that don’t serve our best interests for living.  Emotional health connects us to our center of love and peace with which we are able to live a life full of joy and compassion. The ability to freely feel allows us to stay connected to the present moment, enhancing our experience of life.

With all this activity in physical well being and emotional poise we are able to exercise our ability to live truthfully. So often we shape our lives in the shadow of other people’s opinions. When we make decisions based on what others may think of us or how they may feel about our decisions we give away a piece of ourselves.  Living truthfully is the acceptance of what is true for us in that moment and the ability to live in accordance with that truth.  It’s the freedom be our selves uninhibited in life.  We are rooted in what we believe and who we are, and we can be comfortable there.  It is not as important to us what opinions are held of us or whether we can please everyone, but we live our lives based on our personal values.  Living truthfully takes practice like anything else but is the key to inner freedom.  When we are liberated from the confines of social expectations and opinions, we are inspiring.  So many people want this same freedom, and when you have achieved it for yourself, everyone will know.  The elation of health is contagious and even the most unlikely person may desire to reach new heights because of you.  Just think of all the times you have heard, “I would love to do that but…”  People accept limitation to their personal desires far too often, and it is time we show people there is more to live for.

As the health movement takes hold we are released one by one from the disease care system currently in place.  We no longer hang on the every word of our doctor but become responsible and capable of caring for our own needs.  All the bottles, remedies and miracle potions are tossed aside in exchange for vibrant drug-free living. We free other people from having to take care of us, as health continues throughout a lifetime, if maintained.  A healthy vegan lifestyle contributes to the health of the planet and the freedom of animals from exploitation and slavery. 

With health we not only free ourselves but also contribute to freedom for everyone and everything.  Dominion is replaced with stewardship and balance, as we become caretakers of our ecosystem. It is never too late to begin making the right choices for our health and the health of the planet.  Every day is a new beginning to enjoy the freedom we all long for.  The world is our oyster and we can be the grains of sand transformed into an illustrious pearl.  As we join together in our freedom to be, we can change the world “one revolution at a time”.