Integrated health is a new buzz term. Why? Because we are learning that the methods we are currently using to treat illness aren’t helping the epidemic of chronic illness in our country.
We are walking time bombs waiting to develop signs and symptoms of chronic disease, and only when we dreadfully arrive there, will we gain access to certain drugs and modalities from the pharmaceutical and insurance industries.
Oh, and sorry, but you will have to wait 3-6 months to see a specialty physician.
But, there is hope on the horizon…
Integrated health is a model of promoting health and wellness that considers the WHOLE person, body, mind and spirit, and incorporates EVIDENCE BASED strategies to promote wellness and reduce disease risk by incorporating LIFESTYLE BEHAVIORS.
In The NY Times bestselling book, Outlive, The Science and Art of Longevity, the author, Dr. Peter Attia proposes that we go from a 2.0 model of medicine that focuses on treatment of chronic disease, to a 3.0 model, that focuses more on prevention and lifestyle behaviors.
This kind of forward thinking speaks to my soul because of my own health journey. After I gave birth to my fourth child, I was diagnosed with Rheaumatioind Arthritis, an autoimmune disorder.
I was riddled with fatigue and joint pain and there wasn’t much being offered except for strong medications that had terrible side effects.
After years of my own research and experimentation, I realized that certain lifestyle changes made me feel better and others made me feel worse.
For instance, sugary food and/or alcohol could bring on a “flare,” as would stress. Reducing those and incorporating exercise, prayer and rest improved my symptoms. I went off all meds over 10 years ago, and have been in remission ever since.
As a nurse and a Wholeness Coach, this topic has become a focus of my work. Wellness and the integration of mind, body and spirit through lifestyle behaviors is the foundation for a whole and happy life.
I implement strategies from Medieval wisdom of the first holistic practitioner and a woman I greatly admire, Hildegard von Bingen, Doctor of the church. She was a polymath, meaning knowledgable and proficient at many things, and a twelfth century nun living in a monastery.
For those times, besides being a woman, her list of talents is pretty remarkable. She was an author, a mystic (saw visions with messages from God), a composer, an artist, an herbalist, healer, exorcist, traveling speaker and more!
She received in a vision that God wants everything to be as it was in the beginning. He wants us to go back to relying on what he gave us in nature to find optimal health and become fully alive.
Her pillars of health were born out of this wisdom:
- Nutrition and Hydration
- Fasting and Detox
- Sleep Hygiene
- Immersion in nature
- Movement
- Light and Breath
- Rest and renewal
- Prayer
We don’t have time now, but in the weeks to come, we will explore all of these areas. There’s so much that amazed me, and I can’t wait to share it all with you!
I would like you to think of your current health and your lifestyle…what area do you desire to improve? Do you want to start an exercise routine? Do you need better sleep?
We can’t make many changes at once, but we can make one small one per week or even per month. It takes 4 weeks to establish and reinforce a habit.
As a coach, I would first dive into your current practices to give you awareness.
From there I would get curious about your thoughts and beliefs about your health.
Then we start to connect your behaviors and habits to those thoughts and rewire your thinking for success.
Together, we design some goals and strategies that are doable for you. (I want your success! Doable is key!)
I will be your accountability person. People are more successful at change if they are accountable to someone.
Reach out to me if you would like a complimentary 30 min. virtual coaching session to get you started.