Welcome to the new year! 2020 and all its resolutions are underway. Each year, many of us set out to make significant life changes. Maybe we want to lose 15 pounds, pay off debt, or eat more salads. But all too soon, the excitement fizzles, and we find ourselves sliding back into old habits.

If this hits close to home, you’re not alone — some studies estimate that 80% will fail their resolutions by February.

Ralph Waldo Emerson is quoted as saying “The mind, once stretched by a new idea, never returns to its original dimensions.” And if I had to use one phrase to sum up my time in Zimbabwe, I think Mr. Emerson says it best.

Every day, our bodies are involuntarily and voluntarily exposed to millions of different chemicals! These chemicals come from pollution in our environment, food, beverages, medication, food additives, personal care products, cleaning products and a variety of other sources. The human body has a number of built-in mechanisms to help get rid of these pollutants, but it’s not able to completely remove all of them. This results in a slow accumulation of pollutants in the body which eventually affect its function. Some of the ways that toxin build-up manifests itself include fatigue, headaches, digestive issues and neurological symptoms.

Authentic community impacts literally every aspect of life, but today I wanted to focus on how community impacts our health. Here are four ways that community plays a role in our overall well-being: