One Degree of Change #40: The Choice of Health or Disease?

 

What’s the real problem and the real solution for Covid-19?

 As cases rise here in the United States, we continue to face the burning question. How do we solve this crisis and get back to life as we use to know it? Another question is will we ever get back to life as we use to know it? We can guess why cases are rising. Is it because we are doing more testing? Is it because we are coming into the time of colds  and flus where we get less fresh air, less sunlight (Cataplex D), and less exercise from outdoor activities? Is it because we let our guard down and started gathering with family and friends more? Who knows? All I do know is that the virus isn’t going away and I’d rather stand up and control what I have control over than run and hide and do nothing. Here is what I know, there are 2 things in life, things we have control over and things we don’t. Why do we (and the news media) always focus on the things for which we have no control? What we have control over is our self. What we don’t have control over is everything else.

As a read the landscape of our current situation, I realize that most people are waiting it out. Waiting to see what happens? Waiting on the vaccine? Waiting to see what the next administration is going to do? Waiting for new and better drugs to treat this virus? However, if you are in a vulnerable category, you better stop waiting and start preparing. It’s like knowing a category 5 hurricane is approaching. If you live on or near the water, don’t be a fool, get the hell out of there. Some people are much more vulnerable to this virus than others. We know that the elderly and people with co-morbidities are much more at risk of being admitted to the ICU or dying should they become infected. We NEED to protect these people. It is the right thing to do! The problem is that this represents a HUGE percentage of our population. 

Let’s face the facts, we are an old and sick nation with some of the highest percentages of older people, and some of the highest percentage of people with NCD’s (non-communicable diseases) such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, metabolic syndrome (obesity), respiratory and auto-immune diseases. So many people in this country take multiple medications for non-communicable chronic diseases they are suffering from. These people are at risk. Also, we keep people alive a lot longer than 50 years ago. People are living a lot longer because of medical technology and long-term care. However, they are NOT living healthier and these people are the ones dying in the highest order from this pandemic. We have every kind of nursing home and long-term care facility imaginable but are the people living in these facilities prepared for the likes of this virus or any other extremely virulent virus? Why do we think we can totally subvert nature's law of survival of the fittest and natural selection? 

So what’s the real problem here and what’s the real cure? If we see the problem as merely a virus that needs a cure, we are missing the bigger issue and we better wish for a miracle because that’s what it is going to take. A miracle that only a higher power can solve, not just a vaccine, I can assure you. If we see the problem as “out there” waiting to get us, we are missing a huge opportunity to look in the mirror as an individual and as a nation and take responsibility. Responsibility for the real problem, we are a sick, over-medicated, under-nourished, over-stressed, under-rested, overweight, and chronically sick nation. We not only have a chronologically older population that is more susceptible to this virus, but we also have a biologically older population. In other words, people are aging more rapidly biologically than their real age because of their lifestyle and this makes them vulnerable as well. If you are overweight and under-muscled, you are not only at risk of getting a poor outcome with this virus, but with all NCD’s (non-communicable diseases).

Mother Teresa said, "If each of us would only sweep our own doorstep, the whole world would be clean". Well, if each of us would keep ourselves as healthy as possible, we’d find the real cure to this crisis.

There is a difference between a quick, short-sighted, magic bullet approach to solving Covid and a long-term, roll up your sleeves and get-to-work solution for the real problem. Let’s not focus on winning just this battle, let’s win the whole war and it starts by winning the one inside ourselves. OUR HEALTH!

We have a choice of the foods we put in our mouths,  the type of movement we do in a day, and the type of thoughts we think.  These ideas have an integral part in our personal wellness. If you are at the place where you need a Plan of Action for your wellness and health, please reach out to me.  We can schedule a

complimentary consultation to get you on the right pathway.  Remember Health is a journey, not a destination!

One Degree of Change #39

One Degree of Change #39

Challenges to Your Health!

For twenty-six spectacular years I have had the priviledge to be part of the health and wellness team of thousands of patients.  Each patient has their own unique set of circumstances that may create health issues both good and bad.  As a physician in the alternative health care world, I have had the extrodinary opportunity to create health from the inside out.  As a chiropractic physician, I have incorporated my expansive base of knowledge on exercise physiology to guide patients by educating, motivating, and adjusting their spines to enhance their journey to wellness.

Bench Press ADFPA Nationals 1990

The pandemic effect of COVID-19 has altered life for everyone. While we are in a crisis in this moment, I see this as an extraordinary time for wellness opportunities. This situation has created a new normal, changing how we do business, education, and family from this point on. We have new possibilities to thrive by creating amazing circumstances for the future of humankind.

Over the past months, I have watched my family, friends, and patients go through three phases during this challenging event. First, there is overwhelming fear, accentuated by the unknown and the pervasive negativity on television. Second, there is learning. Eventually, they shed their needs to hoard supplies and come to grips with their personal emotions. Finally, there is growth and a potential for marvelous opportunity. Kindness is being demonstrated abundantly. People are creating and sharing ways to stay physically fit, cook healthfully, and spend quality time with their families. Everyday heroes are becoming the norm. And excitingly, many are finding their purpose.

As a Doctor of Chiropractic and a Functional Medicine Practitioner, my hope is that people will use this time to become increasingly mindful of their own health and wellness. This includes eating foods that support their immune system, exercising in order to create a more resilient body, and training the brain to adapt and grow though this experience. If this becomes habitual, it will help to reduce stress and improve overall health in the long term.

I work with patients to create a plan for each of them to thrive in these three key ways. However, there has been a critical missing component: their belief that they matter. If a patient is not emotionally ready or has unhealthy beliefs, no amount of information I provide can help them move towards improved wellness. When my patients are free of negative self-concepts, their path towards a healthier lifestyle is infinitely easier. 

Of course, this time is extremely challenging for all patients.  Let's keep it simple.  Support your immune system, eat real food (watch that sugar) and get outside to exercise during this mandatory "sabatical".  These are three of the most important things we can do for our health and well being.

If you are unsure what to do, please reach out to me @ www.thehealthfactor.net. Your wellness and health are your most important asset!