Growth or decay: Which will you choose today?
There’s a powerful idea from the book Younger Next Year that’s stuck with me ever since I read it: 

Your body is always doing one of two things: growth or decay.

There’s no neutral zone. No pause button. Just a constant cellular conversation—Are we rebuilding or breaking down?

And here’s the kicker: movement is the signal.

Every time you move, you tell your body, “Let’s heal. Let’s repair. I’m choosing growth.”

Skip that signal, and your body assumes the game’s over. It starts to unravel—muscle loss, insulin resistance, inflammation, fatigue.

I remember being about eight years old when my friend broke her arm roller skating. Her cast went from her knuckles to above her elbow, and it felt like she wore it forever. I couldn’t tell you how long—at eight years old, I didn’t really track time. But I do remember what her arm looked like when the cast came off: skinny and stiff, and the skin was pale and wrikled. She couldn’t even straighten it. I thought, “How weird is that? All from wearing a cast.”

Now I know—it wasn’t weird. It was decay. Her arm hadn’t moved in weeks, so her body assumed it wasn’t needed. Muscle atrophied. Flexibility faded. That’s what happens when movement stops.

Here’s what that looks like in real life:
Growth: You start strength training. Your muscles experience tiny tears, which trigger repair. Your body responds by building stronger, denser muscle tissue.
More lean mass, better insulin sensitivity, improved glucose uptake, and a metabolic boost.

Decay: You stop moving. Without that signal, your body assumes it’s time to shut down. Muscle mass declines, insulin resistance creeps in, and inflammation rises.
→ Higher blood sugar, more fatigue, and a slower metabolism.

But you don’t need a gym membership or a perfect plan. You just need motion.

A walk after dinner. A few squats while brushing your teeth. A dance break in the kitchen.
It all counts. It all matters.

💡 Try this tomorrow:
Set a timer for 10 minutes. Walk, stretch, squat—just move.
That’s your signal to choose growth.
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This blog is dedicated to Irl Flanagan, who was my friend and grammar mentor. Over the last 20 or so years, he spent countless hours editing my manuscripts and teaching me the intricacies of sentence structure and the true meaning and the proper usage of words. 

Irl died 4 months before his 100th birthday.

Meet Peggy

Peggy Kraus is an exercise physiologist and diabetes care and education specialist. Her clients say her superpower is helping people reverse type 2 diabetes—but the impact of her work goes far beyond that.

With almost 30 years in cardiac rehab, Peggy has seen firsthand how the American diet has taken a toll on so many lives, leading to chronic disease and unnecessary suffering. She knows health isn't just about managing symptoms—it’s about reversing disease when possible, feeling strong and energized, and thriving.

She’s helped thousands of people lower blood sugar, lose weight, improve cholesterol, and reduce blood pressure—all through simple, strategic lifestyle changes rooted in science and compassion.

Her signature 6-week program, 5 to Thrive, distills the five key strategies her most successful clients use to create lasting change. And now, her newest program, Diabetes Rescue, is helping people say goodbye to type 2 diabetes for good. It’s a bold, plant-powered path to reversal—designed to give people the tools, support, and confidence to take back control of their health.

Her plant-based approach is powerful. And so are the results her clients achieve.


Photo of Peggy Kraus