Riding the roller coaster

I was never a platform stander waving at the riders, I was always a rider. I loved the thrill of the coaster, the excitement of the other passengers and my arms overhead as the coaster dove up and down. In fact the last roller coaster I rode was Thunder Terror at Silverwood, and it was wild. My husband's glasses flew out of his pocket, and the man behind us grabbed them in mid-air as we flew down the first hill, with me screaming the whole way. It was exhilarating, all that speed and action, and what a catch that man had done to save his glasses.

Now roller coasters have taken on a whole different meaning in our house. We joke that while raising teenagers, it's best to stay on the platform and cheer and wave to them as they get on the ride of life and fly high, and as they hit the bottom of the trough where life's challenges are, to learn to smile and cheer them on to keep going.

Not only can children take us on life's roller coaster ride, but often our health can as well. Sometimes you are up, and sometime you are down. Sometimes it's a thrill, and sometimes you think you might need to reevaluate your agreement. Sometimes your weight, your diabetes or your blood pressure numbers are through the roof, and other times, everything is steady like standing on the platform.

Your lifestyle choices affect your everyday health. Did you drink enough water today? Did you have enough whole foods? Did you exercise for a half hour and did you get 6 to 8 hours of sleep last night? And when was the last time you really laughed hard or had a really good time with friends just hanging out? All of these things balance our life out to keep us healthy, and when we start skimping on any one of them, we are bound to have trouble: too many highs and too many lows.

Our health is something that we need to be steady with. Consistency matters, maybe a steady platform to stand on is necessary with our health. Remember, never give up on you and your health, find a way to have the health you need. You are worth it.

Sheree DiBiase, PT, is the owner of Lake City Physical Therapy, and she and her amazing staff can be reached after any roller coaster riding in their Coeur d'Alene office at (208) 667-1988 and in their Spokane Valley office at (509) 891-2623.