Isn’t it funny how, even after seeing the amazing diversity in everyone around you, we still hold fast to a ‘one size fits all’ stereotype for our health? We see all the time how it doesn’t really work – one person can eat 1000 calories and still lose weight while another can eat the same thing and gain 3 lbs. Body type, medical history, and DNA all factor into making us unique, and yet, when it comes to medical options, we often gloss over all areas with an ‘it works, just take it’ approach without considering a few things first. Let’s take a look.

Personal Relationship with Physician

Don’t underestimate the power of having a personal relationship with your physician. This doesn’t mean you go out to dinner and the movies, but allowing your physician to get to know you and your habits will help them better understand how to treat the very unique you. Being willing to be open and honest about your medical history, health problems, etc, isn’t always easy, but it is worth it in the long run. The more your physician knows, the better they can help you get you on the right track by knowing what your body needs.

Cause of Symptoms vs Treating Symptoms

Imagine you see a pool of water spilling over because the levee that was holding it back isn’t tall enough to stop it. Our first reaction might be to add height to the barrier. For a moment it will work, but soon it spills over again. We could continue to just repair it and wait for it to run over again, or we could do a little investigating and see that the problem isn’t the levee, but the tap that’s on and causing too much water to flow into the pool. In the same way, symptoms are often treated as the problem. We’re prescribed things to help with the symptoms, but what we really need is to find the cause of the symptoms and treat the actual problem.

Alternative Treatments, lifestyle changes, preventative care

Although some may still be uncomfortable with the word ‘alternative’ when it comes to health, they shouldn’t be. Alternative treatments can range from doing a restorative yoga session once a week to using food – good food – as a track back to good health and overall wellness. There are many treatments that don’t always involve medicine that are incredibly good for your body. It’s a good idea to check with your physician and see what might work for you.

Even simple things, such as small lifestyle changes, can give your overall health a boost. Do you work in an office where sitting at a desk for long periods is normal? Get in the habit of getting up and getting a drink from the water cooler every hour. It will help you move more, which helps with blood flow and heart health, and if you drink water each time, it will help with hydration, which is also critical to a healthy body.

Preventative care is critical when you want to be mindful of your body and keep it as primed as possible. Maybe its learning some stretches you can do in the morning to get your blood flowing, increase your flexibility and range of motion, and prevent injury. Or adding key supplements to support your body. Or drinking the proper amount of water each day. Or meditating to help with stress.

When it comes to your health, we want the best for you. Taking in the considerations that we just mentioned, we want to help you find the best path possible to your overall wellness. We truly believe that each individual is unique and that their treatments and options need to fit them personally.