A Tale of Two Cities

How much does your address affect your health? This is a question that has been on my mind quite a bit. Considering that I have lived in NYC for most of my adult life I will consider the contrast between the Big Apple and Los Angeles, the sprawling suburb. I know I may get a bit of flack from those seriously loyal to their beloved cities but I will try and take an objective stance.

There are obvious differences in lifestyles when comparing the east and west coasts. But the most obvious and the one that we have absolutely no control over is the sun. NYC winters are typically dark and grey and LA gets rain only about 10 days a year (so I was told). So, how would that affect our health for better or worse?

80% of the Vitamin D that we need is produced in our bodies like a hormone. In contrast, just 20% comes from our diet from foods like butter, eggs and fish. That 80% is made when the sun’s UV rays hit our skin directly. This vitamin/hormone is essential for many reasons but mainly for its role in calcium absorption. However, we all know that UV rays have detrimental effects on our skin and over exposure can lead to skin cancers. So, I am going to call this one a draw. In LA, you get more sun and need to be more careful of skin cancer and in NYC you get less sun but produce less Vitamin D. A word of advice for NY’ers – take a supplement that contains Vitamin D during the winter months.

The less obvious difference in lifestyle on both coasts is stress levels. Stress is the most mysterious disease producing emotion that we can have because it creeps up on you overt time and without warning. It can come in the form of upset, anger, depression, and anxiety, to name just a few. Our adrenal glands are the guys responsible for regulating most of our stress hormone levels, namely cortisol which is released by stressful triggers like an emotional outburst or intense and internalized stress. After long periods of time these adrenal glands get worn out and tired and start to rebel against you by going on strike until you start to take better care of yourself. This is called adrenal fatigue and hopefully you can catch it before it has more severe consequences. Good warning signs are constant fatigue, circles under your eyes, eye twitches, and weight gain.

So, back to our two cities, which group of inhabitants seem to lead more stressful lives? This I won’t answer just yet but I am sure you all have some great opinions. I am going to do my own research on the matter while I stay in LA for a bit. But I would love to think that ideally we all have our own ways of dealing with stress whether it be eating well, exercising, internal martial arts like those practiced in HapKiDo, T’ai Chi or Yoga, massage, acupuncture, meditation, etc. On the other side of the coin, there are also people that have ways to hang onto their issues and stress wherever they go, even on vacations. If that sounds like you try and get serious with one of the above mentioned vehicles for stress relief. It will do you and your adrenal glands loads of good!

Health Outside of the City

Do you sometimes forget what grass smells like, or how birds sound?

I just got back from my martial arts school's annual weekend retreat, somewhere upstate, in the mountains. I screeched when a chipmunk crossed my path because I thought it was a rat and I woke up to the sounds of a woodpecker, thinking that it was noise from a construction site. I guess I was overdue for a vacation from the city.

We trained outdoors and started the mornings with meditation by a lake. It was definitely a far cry from Chinatown, where I live. No awful odors of decaying fish and sewage from the grates. No crowds of tourists and no salespeople harassing you every ten feet to buy their fake Prada, Gucci and Louie handbags.

Wherever you may live, it is always great to get away, explore new territory or towns. Breathe in fresh oxygen and reconnect with nature. So take time to get away and be yourself. Your work and your worries will be home waiting for you, if you want them to be.