THRIVE! with Rachel

By Rachel Kutskill

Our town has an authentic history of resilience, work ethic, community, pride and heart.

Pueblo is so unique and culturally diverse, it is easy to see why so many of us, native and transplanted, instinctually adopted its true meaning: home.

Pueblo’s veins have connected communities, ethnicities, food, recreation, state events, music and native culture for many generations. We know this town is a layered network with each part relying on others to succeed and prosper. Not one system works independently from another; when one needs support, many arise to help. Pueblo upholds standards created uniquely for itself, and by those standards, it is prospering. It is healthy. It is constantly making forward progress.

Pueblo is strong.

As with any interconnected system of wellness, internal and external forces try to harm the whole system. But when the core foundation is strong, the system thrives.

In the last 100 years, our approach to wellness has evolved, changed, stepped forwards and backwards, made lateral shifts, recalled numerous ideas and products and ultimately, has not produced a common example of what health and happiness should look and feel like.

On the contrary, we are all too familiar with disease; dis-ease, of our town and in our own body’s systems. We have endured setbacks/floods, inflammation/crime, chronic illness/political demise, digestive issues/inefficient infrastructure, extreme fatigue/hopelessness, mental imbalances/homelessness. And yet, our accepted approaches are oftentimes, a band-aid.

We are corralled into a tunnel vision approach, treating one symptom at a time, instead of looking at the whole picture. Understanding these systems

Taking care of Pueblo in mind, body and soul: PSJ Happiness Index

do not work independently from each other, but rather as complex layers, intertwined, affecting and effecting every part of our whole selves and of our whole town.

It is time that we step into a journey of health that isn’t profound or new, that isn’t found in a smart app or on television, isn’t conveyed in one policy or person and most certainly cannot be found in a— ketogenic; gluten free; fat free; no grain; all grain; high fat; low cholesterol; no salt; no nut; only nut; egg white; no bread; all carb; no carb; no fruit— diet, power shake or pill. If any of these single approaches worked in isolation—as they are marketed and taught— we wouldn’t need to be responsible for keeping our foundation strong. We could put a bandage on it, and call it good. But healthy systems require maintenance and happiness isn’t found in a jar.

That’s where we come in.

THRIVE is a collaborative and interactive piece of Pueblo, one with a strong foundation for quality of life. We bring you ideas, outings, nourishment, replenishment, adventures, tools, movement and many parts of a thriving system that isn’t new and improved, but addresses our instinctual desires for wellness and happiness.

The Pueblo Star Journal (PSJ) Happiness Index will rate our suggestions in terms of:

Social support- Does this help connect us as a community and is it inclusive?

Healthy life expectancy- Does this potentially prolong life to a high standard of living and without harm or risk?

Freedoms making life choices - Is this free from imposition on others or ourselves?

Generosity - How cost effective is this for others and ourselves?

We will provide the community with ways to increase quality of life, our overall health and happiness index. It’s time to have fun with life, to truly live life, to thrive.

As our inaugural piece, we want to focus on something simple yet powerful and necessary for life: the sun. Pueblo receives 258 days of sunshine each year, a true gift of vitality. Let’s embrace all that comes from this life sustaining ball of nuclear energy in our sky.

Take the time to feel what the sun offers, be present and in the moment. Make sure you are without distractions for this pause. Invite your family and friends to be with you. Do it sporadically during the day. Repeat often.

PSJ Happiness Index: 3.75/4

• Social Support - 4/4 anyone is able to participate, anywhere in the world.

• Health - ¾ while the sun provides life sustaining energy, too much UVA/B exposure can be damaging to skin health. According to the National Library of Medicine, there are six listed skin types and exposure time can positively

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increase the darker our skin is. For example: Type I, the lightest color of skin, should limit unprotected exposure to 5-10 minutes while Type V and VI skin can be exposed for 60 minutes or longer.

• Freedom - 4/4 there does not seem to be any instance where we would not be allowed to partake in this practice.

• Generosity - 4/4 FREE for everyone if you just go outside and do it. Let us know what you would like to see in the THRIVE column or if you have any questions on any of the information we have provided. Please write to thrive@pueblostarjournal.org or call 719-283-3361.

References:

How much sun is too much? (Updated 2018). National Library of Medicine.

Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm. nih.gov/books/NBK321117/

THRIVE TIP:

STAND UNDER THE SUN, CLOSE YOUR EYES, TILT YOUR HEAD UPWARDS, TAKE A FEW DEEP BREATHS AND FEEL THE WARMTH ON YOUR SKIN.