More Complementary & Integrative Healthcare Articles
Small Changes For Big Success
By the time most patients walk through my clinic, they are ready and willing to do anything to change their health trajectory. Fearful of worsening chronic health conditions and frustrated with the conventional medicine approach that often addresses only the symptoms but not the root of disease and disharmony in the body, my patients want recommendations big ones with the hope of achieving a fresh start on health.
The desire to make significant changes in ones lifestyle is ultimately the only way to long-term success. However, so often we put the cart before the horse, striving for massive change while overlooking smaller, simpler, and highly effective changes that should be made first.
These smaller changes are things that we already know we should be doing. We've heard them time and time again, almost as many times as we have excuses for why we still aren't doing them. But until we can achieve the basics, we stand little chance of successfully maintaining larger changes.
Here are some small steps that can make a huge difference in your road to better health.
Drink More Water Put down the diet soda and pick up a water bottle. Chronic dehydration is one of the primary causes of inflammation and imbalance. Water is an essential substance to the proper functioning of our immune, digestive, neuromuscular, and hormonal systems. All the supplements, manual therapy, acupuncture, and pharmaceuticals in the world cannot help you if you do not give your body the essential building block of hydration.
Eat Whole, Toxin Free Foods Our bodies are inundated with toxic chemicals that mimic or interrupt our natural hormonal systems and send false messages throughout our nervous system. On top of that, the same foods that contain these toxins are often processed to the point that they deliver no nutrients to us. Processed foods starve our immune system of the very nutrients it needs to cleanse and protect against toxic chemicals. Can't afford to do all organic? The Environmental Work Group (ewg.org) puts out a list of the most toxic produce each year so you can prioritize what needs to be organic.
Restore and Rejuvenate Your body needs slow moving, restful activities like meditation and yoga just as much if not more than aerobic activity. It is during these rejuvenating activities that your autonomic systems repair and heal the cells.
