Rejuvenate
Rejuvenation…2 Simple Places to Change on the Path to Optimal Health
Keeping a broader definition of health and rejuvenation in mind, there are two areas of wellness that are simple and very cost effective, but yet the provide each of us a very powerful tool to optimize our wellness in the new year.
Each of them can help to nurture your health, provide an alternative option to prescription medication, or play a supportive role to the medications that are necessary for you to maintain your health.
1) DIET
Most of us know we need to make an improvement in our diet, but we often don’t know where to begin. Look deeper. If you are healthy, begin by asking yourself how much muscle soreness and joint pain do I experience? Do I suffer from allergies that are always bothering me? More and more medical evidence points to foods in our diet being a source of inflammation. It is this inflammation that is at the source of all chronic diseases. Eliminating sugar, processed foods, cutting down on too much alcohol and avoiding preservatives are a good way to start. Next, honestly, try adding some vegatbles in your diet without just taking a multivitamin. Dr. Andrew Weil, MD advocates eating an “Anti-Inflammatory” diet for optimal health, but maintains there are times when other diets can be beneficial. Beyond this, reviewing different diet patterns with a nutritionist or a physician well versed in holistic medicine can provide real insight into areas you can make a real difference in your health.
2) Mind-body Practices
Mind-Body practices are a very powerful way to engage your body’s own healing capabilities without taking prescription medications or herbs. Beyond massage, chiropractic, and osteopathic manipulation which most of us are familiar, there is acupuncture, healing touch therapy, yoga, and tai chi to name a few. All of these have emerging medical evidence showing a direct impact in improving various medical problems. In addition to these practices, meditation, mindfulness and progressive relaxation practices have been shown to help enrich personal states of wellness and satisfaction. Connection to spirit is also been shown to be important in health, in fact, their is evidence that a spiritual practice can have a direct positive impact on health and longevity.
I challenge you as a physician to take a long and broad view of your health and well-being. Is it possible that there is room to make a change in each of these areas as a regular part of your own wellness routine? Knowing that many chronic diseases take 10-20 years to fully develop, ask yourself, is there one small positive step positive I can take in my life that I can do today that can greatly improve my health for years to come? Once small change in 2017 is all it takes.
Dr. Sharyl Truty is an Integrative Medicine Physician and owner of Balanced Physician Care in Ponte Vedra. She also serves on the Board of Positive Focus, a national non-profit.
You can find more information about her or join her email list by going to BalancedPhysicianCare.com. Office Phone: 904-930-4774.
