Take Charge of Your Wellness
By Gloria Treister
A new wellness economy is emerging in this country. In the past, we Americans followed a reactionary, illness-driven model of health care, but now we are moving to a consumer-driven, wellness model. Cost pressures, growing employer concerns, the need to engage consumers, and the support of our government have propelled the Consumer-Driven HealthCare (CDHC) movement. While the merits of various types of consumer-driven programs are hotly debated, the reality is that CDHC is spurring a consumer “movement” toward wellness-oriented medicine as we become more financially responsible for, and involved in our health care choices. More and more, we are taking control over managing our care options, determining how we spend our healthcare dollars and selecting our preferred therapeutic regimens.
A driving force of the CDHC is the advent of high-deductible health insurance plans with health savings accounts, a factor that will force people to become increasingly more responsible for the spending of their health-care dollars. As a result, it is essential for healthcare consumers to become educated in order to make good choices. Empowering yourself with the tools of wellness is not complicated; however, it helps to have a plan for taking responsibility over your health.
Adopt a therapeutic lifestyle.
Make daily choices to live your life in a way that improves your health. Many of the chronic diseases – hypertension, cardio-vascular disease, diabetes, osteoarthritis and cancerare not inevitable outcomes of the aging process. The so-called “signs of aging” – low energy, poor memory, low libido, chronic pain and weight gain – are actually signs of poor health. Many diseases and health problems can be prevented or treated simply by making sound, healthy lifestyle choices. Seek out qualified practitioners who can lead you in the right direction to achieve a proper diet, supplementation, exercise and stress management. Utilizing a team approach in coordinating your care can be most effective.
Recognize that your body
is bio-chemically unique.
Since cracking the DNA code, modern science has learned that each of us possesses a unique family history, diet, health-risk factors and environmental influences such as pollution and work environment. The conventional healthcare approach employed disease-centered methods with therapeutic regimens to effectively suppress the signs and symptoms of illness. However, we can now choose a functional approach to wellness and illness that is integrative and science-based; one that can be applied to the unique biochemical aspects of each patient. This methodology employs interventions tailored to the individual's needs to restore physiological, psychological and structural balance.
Finding a healthcare provider that practices in this manner can be the key in guiding you on your path to wellness. A consultation with a clinically trained naturopathic physician or functional medicine specialist, for example, can steer you in the right direction and help you to zero in on your own specific needs. Incorporating a personalized approach will help you save time and money and will put you on the path to optimal health. You also will have peace of mind knowing that you are meeting your specific body needs.
Use nutrition as
the foundation.
Scientific studies have shown that our diets are deficient in many essential nutrients. This is due not only to the fact that we tend to eat foods lacking in nutritional value, but also to nutrient-depleting factors such as prescription medications, stress, intestinal problems and illness. Good foundational nutrition is needed for overall health, and a trained nutritionist can help you find the best way to integrate an individualized, workable, as well as enjoyable, nutrition plan into your life.
Start with the least
invasive program first.
Take preventative measures in order to avoid health concerns. A program of diet, exercise and nutritional supplementation can prevent many of today's diseases. Of course, if you currently have a health concern, getting to the cause of it is a priority. As a society, though, Americans tend to jump to the “magic bullet” school of thought, hoping that a special pill will offer a quick fix. But, in many cases, the use of drugs alone simply addresses the symptoms of a disease without confronting the root cause of it. Pharmaceuticals have their place in our healthcare system; however, practitioners are available who will help you explore natural, drugless therapies to use alone or as an adjunct to conventional medicine protocols
Use a holistic approach.
When you use a holistic approach, you look at the whole picture. A holistic approach recognizes that we are multi-faceted beings. Our health is affected by many factors and everything within our body, mind and spirit is connected and interdependent. For instance, if you are not sleeping well at night, a holistic approach to your insomnia will examine your lifestyle to find the cause of your insomnia rather than prescribing a sleeping pill to mask your symptoms.
Bring it all together.
It all really comes down to accepting responsibility for yourself. Staying well means feeling good every day, having the energy to do the things you want to do while performing at your best and aging healthfully. To summarize, here are some key tips:
Select healthy foods.
Determine an appropriate personalized supplementation regimen when necessary.
Remove toxins (chemicals) from your environment.
Exercise regularly, but not to excess.
End the burnout; take care to reduce stress and its effects.
Achieve good body composition including your lean-to-fat ratio.
Get educated: learn about healthy, balanced living.
Locate and use healthcare professionals with a holistic viewpoint.
Be proactive; think prevention.
The emerging science of healthy aging is amazing and really quite simple. Know your options and use your new-found choices to create a better life for yourself and your loved ones. Living a more vibrant, healthy life can help to increase your work productivity, lower your healthcare costs, build strong relationships, increase your intelligence and increase your quality of living. In addition to living longer, people with better health habits postpone disability and compress it into fewer years at the end of life. Remember, your best health insurance is to take charge of your own wellness!
An award winning 26-year veteran of the Northeast Ohio healthcare scene, Gloria Treister has always had a passion for wellness. After owning and consequently selling a successful physical therapy business, she focused her energies on bringing together a collaboration of healthcare professionals that works together in assisting clients to strategize a plan for their optimal health and beauty…naturally. She can be contacted at Gloria.Treister@MyWellnessEvolution.com or (440) 995-0303.
