SOS! Your Body is Sending Distress Signals – Are You Listening?

Do you see yourself as an unstoppable ship of business productivity? What do you use to fuel your engine? How do you ensure you are at your peak performance every day and for the long haul?

I recall years ago attending training sessions for "corporate athlete" and "productivity" while endlessly grazing at snack, coffee, and food tables. I thought I was being "healthy" by choosing the oats and honey granola bar over the cookies, the dressing-drenched salad over the fries, or the chips over the M&M's. The truth was, I was choosing between all bad options. The salt, oil, and sugar (SOS) in those foods were making me sluggish, increasing my cravings, and ultimately making me less productive. Have you ever seen an Olympic athlete eat any of those things before a competition? If you want to be at peak performance in your life, why would you consume them either?

As a child, I endured weekly allergy shots (needles have never been my thing). When I was in college, my allergies flared up so badly that I developed eczema. A doctor tested me, and my back looked like a pin cushion—sensitive to nearly everything. I was advised to go on medication and possibly restart the lovely shots. But as an engineer, I believed nothing of what I heard and only half of what I saw. So, I investigated. I tested. And then I took action.

I switched to a diet of only vegetables, eliminating all SOS, and within weeks, my symptoms disappeared. But sometimes life has a way of making you relearn the same lessons.

Fast forward to last fall—I completed a transformative 25-day water-only fast. My senses of taste and smell became so heightened that I could detect chemicals in food. It was incredible how my body automatically steered me away from poor choices, especially processed food. Now, I don’t cook with salt, avoid added sugar, and sometimes drizzle organic extra virgin olive oil for taste. The result? I’ve never had so much energy nor felt so good. I don’t miss fish, poultry, meat, eggs, or dairy at all.

And for the skeptics of plant-based nutrition, let’s talk about Vitamin B12. It’s an essential nutrient for brain and nerve health, red blood cell production, and DNA synthesis. Traditional sources include fish, shellfish, milk, cheese, and yogurt. But did you know that one serving of seaweed (nori) can contain 20 times more Vitamin B12 than beef or chicken?

Listen to your body and make intentional choices for better health. And when in doubt, remember—Nuri the engineer recommends nori.

Your body is the most important vessel you will captain in this life. The choices you make today determine whether you drift aimlessly or power forward and set sail with unstoppable momentum. What will you choose?

Vitamin B12 Foods: https://www.health.com/nutrition/vitamin-b12-foods

Salt, Oil, Sugar Interview: https://youtu.be/5RT4qIO27uw?si=uWTDadUJ7_L5V3Zr

© Nuri Dimler 2025