Restoring Foundations of Health
LET’S GO BACK TO THE BASICS!
What does it mean to you to be “healthy”? A common answer might be, “to be free of illness”, but the absence of illness is not the same as living in optimal health, wholeness, or wellness. One of the main ways we do this is by always returning to the foundations of health. Treating symptoms as they come up can help with short-term relief, but oftentimes the deeper and longer-lasting healing happens when these foundations are brought back into balance.
Nutritional supplements can be important tools in healing, but often cannot complete the full picture of health when used as a replacement for the following foundations of health. Modern medicine has shifted towards prioritizing a pill to fix problems, and supplements can unfortunately work the same way. I often use supplements to help patients feel better faster or to correct important deficiencies more quickly, but the goal is always to shift away from supplements as lifestyle changes are added.
Wellness more easily happens when we go back to basics and address the important underlying foundation. Some of these suggestions may seem easy or obvious at first, but in these stressful and ever-changing times the basics can easily be forgotten! Here are six main foundations of health that can help you better restore balance:
WATER:
Hydration is such an important aspect of health! We often forget that we cannot go more than a few days without water, even though we can go weeks without food. Often when I ask my patients, “Are you able to get water in throughout the day?” The answer is typically, “Some, but not enough I know!” Building the habit of increasing water intake can take time but is so worth it!
Aim to drink half your body weight in ounces of water daily. If you are far from this goal, no judgement! It’s recommended to work up your water intake slowly over a few weeks. If you typically drink 3 glasses of water daily, aim for 4 glasses for a week or so, then go for five.
Pouring a pitcher of water at the beginning of the day may be helpful so you can easily track how much water you drink over the day.
Consider flavoring the water or making herbal tea to make it easier to drink
Be mindful of beverages that may be working against you! Caffeinated beverages, coffee, and non-herbal teas are known as diuretics, which cause excess fluid loss from the body
Make sure you are considering your water quality and using a home filter whenever possible. Avoid drinking from plastic water bottles to decrease exposure to environmental toxins.
NUTRITION:
Ah, what to eat! There is an overwhelming amount of information out there about how and what to eat. Fad diets keep popping up and we are all often left confused when something that used to be considered “healthy” is now…not. Although the Mediterranean diet gets the most praise in the literature, there really is no one perfect diet. The harder work is finding what the perfect diet for you is!
Eat the rainbow! Aim to eat fruits and vegetables that cover a wide range of colors, from bright red peppers to dark green kale or purple eggplant. Different nutrients are found in various plant foods, so the best chance to consume all nutrients is with a varied diet.
A good goal is to aim for eating 30 different plant varieties per week. This may seem like a lot at first, but when you think about common cooking bases like onion, garlic, and fresh spices, you might not be as far from 30 as you think!
When possible, prioritize organic and grass-fed meats, dairy, and produce. Pesticides and chemicals get compounded in the animal products we eat and can have a large impact on environmental toxin load.
When starting to make dietary changes, take the pressure off yourself! No one can eat a perfect diet 100% of the time. If you are just starting out, an easier goal may be to start with a 60/40 rule: 60% of the week you make conscious healthy food choices, and 40% of the week you release judgement and eat as you have been. If you have been making dietary changes for a while, maybe aim for 70/30 or even 80/20.
Work with your favorite healthcare partitioner to uncover any nutritional deficiencies, GI imbalances, absorption issues, or food sensitivities. Often these can be going on without any symptoms, but lab work and functional testing can help provide more answers.
SLEEP:
Creating a healthy sleep routine can take time and adjustment. There are many tips for increasing quality and quantity of sleep, and there is no one size fits all approach.
Aim towards a consistent bedtime each night. Lights out and in bed within 30 min or so nightly can help set your sleep schedule.
Keep your sleep environment dark, cool, and without electronic distraction.
Instead of using your phone or computer before bed, try reading a book or listening to music. The blue light emitted from electronics can interfere with your circadian rhythm.
If a racing mind or anxiety is keeping you up, try adding in meditation or mindfulness practices before bed
Do you snore or have been told you wake gasping for air? Make sure you have ruled out sleep apnea!
MOVEMENT:
We all know exercise is good for us, but actually finding the time and energy for movement can be challenging. Finding activities that bring you joy instead of dread can help increase motivation. Just like nutrition, there is no one perfect way to work out!
The current recommendation for movement is 150 minutes of moderate activity weekly or 75 min of vigorous activity weekly. This can be broken into smaller chunks of time, as the activity has a cumulative beneficial effect. If you can’t fit in a 30-minute workout, try breaking it up into 10-minute increments instead.
If you are consistently exercising below the “moderate” intensity level, try increasing activity level in smaller bursts. For example, if you walk frequently, alternate between normal and increased paces every few minutes.
A good tip to determine “moderate” intensity is if you can carry a conversation but not sing during exercise.
Sweating is a way of detoxifying and moving lymph fluid, which helps clear toxins from the body and helps support a healthy immune system.
STRESS:
Our bodies are designed to handle short bursts of immediate stress. The common example of this is the adrenaline that is released while preparing to run away from a tiger. In our modern time, we are exposed to chronic daily stress, which can interfere with our stress response over time.
Mindfulness is a tool to help calm your constant mind chatter and trains your awareness to the present moment. This requires practice and patience, but over time can help keep stress levels manageable.
Meditation is another great way to calm the mind and stress response. Try the Calm or Headspace apps to help you get started with guided meditation.
Yoga can be a helpful practice for stress relief and helps increase breathwork skills.
If you are struggling with severe stress or feelings of anxiety or depression, consider working with a trained therapist or counselor. Having someone on your care team dedicated to your mental health can make a huge impact in overall stress management.
CONNECTION:
Feeling connected may look different to everyone but spending time cultivating a sense of connection to something or someone outside yourself can help to round out your health journey.
Social support is so important to overall well-being. Right now, our culture is dominated by social media, but that can often be isolating and misleading. Prioritize spending time with others who light you up!
As a new mom, I felt very isolated since no one in my social circle had children. I decided to seek out connection with other moms and immediately felt so much relief seeing firsthand other moms struggling with and celebrating parenthood the exact same way I was!
Spiritual or religious connection can offer purpose and meaning beyond the daily grind. Trusting in a higher power can also provide relief during times of increased stress or illness.
Don’t forget about connection to the Earth! Spending time in nature can be very healing and grounding. An easy way to connect with the Earth is to walk barefoot in the grass.
Restoring balance and prioritizing all these foundations of health may feel overwhelming at the start! I am here to help support you on your journey towards wholeness. Click here to work together.