I saw a quote somewhere on social media the other day that said “just because you’re not sick, doesn’t mean you are healthy.” I feel like that statement should resonate with the vast majority of our population in this day and age.
While I’ve been told about a million times by peers, friends, family, and even traditional doctors “well you don’t look sick” or “well you don’t act sick” I know my body and knew something wasn’t right when my issue began to arise. I hold my health to a high standard and a lot was not adding up. I hate that it is the norm to not fix something until it’s broken, not take preventative measures, and accept mediocre health as “healthy”.
I took my health into my own hands by applying the following to my life:
– Researching and reading anything related to my health, wellness, and symptoms that I could get my hands on. This can be overwhelming, even discouraging due to all of the contradicting information and overly saturated platforms. BUT it is important to get the ball rolling by reading a book or two that may be relevant to your situation, finding a podcast or page you trust, and ultimately begin researching topics relevant to what you are going through. This helped me approach my first few doctors with a general understanding of what to expect and what I could do to stay proactive in addition to their recommendations along the way.
– Seeking care from a doctor (I struck out with my first THREE traditional doctors, my first holistic doctor, my dermatologist, and my ENT doctor.) I’ve been misdiagnosed, mislabeled, and misunderstood more than I could have ever imagined. It’s broken my motivation so much in the past I took about a year off from focusing on my health before I choose to pursue another holistic doctor. This process was discouraging and costly at times but I finally found the right doctor whose approach aligned with what I believe suits me and my situation.
While the second instance mentioned above is not attainable to all, by applying the first instance to my life I was able to learn how to do the following, which I believe can serve as a (nearly) universal plan for anyone (*anyone is a very broad statement, obviously anyone of moderate health who is not in a state of emergency condition) to begin taking their health into their own hands:
1) HYDRATE. Learn what your individual daily water intake should be and follow it. (Generally, you should aim to drink half of your body weight in ounces on a daily basis.) Struggling to stay consistent? Find a water bottle you love, set a reminder on your phone, or spice up your water with lemon juice, lime juice, mint, ginger, or even Celtic or Himalayan sea salt for absorption! It’s silly to think that so many issues people experience link directly to dehydration.
2) Find an exercise routine that suits your lifestyle. There will never be a perfect “one size fits all” routine. This can vary from running, lifting, boxing, Pilates, yoga, Cross-Fit, swimming, cycling, hiking, even just walking! If you are fortunate enough to have the ability to move your body, then do it. Learn what’s realistic for your lifestyle, make sure you enjoy it, mix it up from time to time/don’t be afraid to try new things, and apply it to your routine in an attainable way.
3) Consume a well-balanced diet. Eating an all-organic, clean, balanced diet is also not attainable for all. Costs, time, and specific dietary needs, among other things, will always get in the way. But try to be mindful and do what you can. Everybody needs different things and that’s important to take into consideration; some people consume too much of what other people may lack. We live in a day and age where so much information is available at our fingertips. Research, read, learn how to build a balanced plate, get a blood panel done, take a food sensitivity test, be mindful of how certain foods make you feel after consumption, learn the basics of what additives to stray away from, learn how to garden your own organic produce, etc., etc., etc. This may take a lot of time, effort, and even trial and error of what works for you but you may be surprised at how big of a role food can play in how you feel.
The biggest takeaway and first step for anyone should be simply: do what you can.
