There are 9 fundamentals, keys, or strategies that we utilize in helping patients and clients to achieve optimal health and quality of life. As a doctor who practices Functional Health and Wellness, it is NOT my intent to treat medical conditions from the outside-in, but rather to restore health from the inside-out.
These are the 9 fundamental strategies we implement to help our patients and clients to enjoy optimal health and quality of life:
- Philosophy and Personal Responsibility – Someone once asked, “what’s the number one thing that a person must do to improve their health?” Well, obviously there isn’t just one thing. Certainly eliminating sugar and refined foods is essential. Exercise is important. Forgiveness is important. As a chiropractor, I would never under-value the power of a chiropractic adjustment to allow for a more optimal expression of vitality…..But if there were only one thing that I could say to answer the question, it would be that you must take personal responsibility for your own life, your own health, and your own wellness journey. Essentially, you must take the time and effort to define (and refine) your own philosophy and game plan (lifestyle) to promote optimal health and quality of life.
- Optimize Nutrition – Clearly we have made tremendous errors in judgement as a society when it comes to nutrition. The majority of the common causes of death in the western world are self-inflicted, or societally-inflicted, due to the poor choices we make regarding food and, really, anything that goes into our bodies. Pretty much everyone needs to ELIMINATE sugar, refined and processed foods, commercial dairy, soda, fruit juices, grains, and other foods that we are either sensitive to, allergic to, or addicted to.
- Fitness, Structure and Function – Chiropractic is based on the relationship between structure and function of the body. Postural, or other structural imbalances, lead to dysfunction, or dis-ease, in the various systems and structures of the body. Our goal is to optimize the function of the physical body (and mind) through various practices that will lead to a physically-ft, and structurally-sound body. We strive to help our people to get into the best shape of their lives through exercise, chiropractic, stretching, breathing, relaxation, and any other valuable tools for optimizing physical fitness and the structure of the body.
- Improve Digestion and Gut Health – It has been said that many diseases start in the gut. We see that the majority of our patients and clients are in desperate need of a complete overhaul of their gastrointestinal system. Many people have leaky gut syndrome, irritable bowel syndrome, gastric reflux, diarrhea, constipation, Crohn’s disease, Celiac disease, or any of several other gastrointestinal problems. Most of these problems result from the effects of chronic stress – mental, chemical, and physical. By restoring optimal function of the gastrointestinal system we dramatically improve the health and quality of life of our people.
- Balance Hormones – Cortisol, adrenalin, insulin, estrogen, progesterone, testosterone, growth hormone, leptin, grehlin….and the list goes on and on….. Hormones are involved in numerous functions and dysfunctions and must be balanced.
- Detox and Body Purification – Our bodies are toxic. From all of the sugar, refined and processed foods, hormones, antibiotics, pesticides, air pollution, drugs, household cleaners and chemicals….Our bodies exposed to literally hundreds of thousands of toxic chemicals every day. For instance, you’re looking for remediation equipment for the environment and industrial industry, there’s a used catalytic and thermal oxidizers at intellishare-env.com
Toxins are stored in fat cells, so if we are carrying around extra weight (even a few pounds), we know we are toxic. It is essential to help our people to create a lifestyle of detoxification and body purification. - Metabolism and Oxidative Stress – Many of our patients have low energy due to chronic stress. It’s important to support our mitochondria, optimize metabolism, and provide the body everything necessary to neutralize or minimize free-radicals and oxidative stress.
- Inflammation and Immune Support – Inflammation is an important part of the healing process, and we are lucky to have an immune system to protect us from foreign invaders, but when inflammation gets out of control, or our own immune system becomes weak, or attacks our bodies, we have a problem. Nearly every disease has a major inflammatory component, so a big part of our strategy for optimizing health is to reduce excess inflammation and support our natural defense mechanisms.
- Live in Peace, Joy, and Serenity with God, others, and ourselves – We know that stress is the cause of 90% of all of our health problems. The opposite of stress is peace, joy, and serenity. We want our people to experience these states in all areas of their lives: physical, mental and emotional, and spiritual.
These fundamentals are not linear steps. I WOULD argue that the first fundamental, Philosophy and Personal Responsibility, are primary, but the rest are more like pieces of the puzzle, or the pie….they are essential pieces of the whole or big picture.
For more information about how I might be able to help you, or a loved one, please take the Optimal Health Assessment, and give me a call at (812) 333-2501. I am only able to help you as a chiropractor in my office, but I am able to use my other resources to help people, even from a distance.