How to Develop a Solid Health Foundation
By Dr Emily Wiggins & Dr Kelcie Rosendhal
We all have an internal terrain in our bodies. You can think of bodily terrain as being similar to the soil in your garden. A healthy terrain is vital to resilient health, just like the health of your garden soil is to the quality of the vegetables you hope to harvest.
Cultivating a healthy terrain through health foundations such as whole-foods nutrition, quality sleep, regular exercise and stress management can make you less susceptible to severe infections and the development of chronic conditions like diabetes and heart disease.
Read on below for some of our top recommendations for developing a solid health foundation.
Nutrition
What you eat becomes the building blocks for your proteins, hormones, tissues and neurotransmitters, which means it affects your skin, hormone balance, mood and so much more. Going too long without eating is interpreted as another stress on your system and we’re working to reduce stress as much as possible.
Aim for as many colors of vegetables and fruits as you can, while including fiber-rich foods like beans and lentils. Fiber has many health benefits besides improved GI health, including decreased risk of cardiovascular disease and promotion of a healthy weight. On the flip side, decreased fiber intake is correlated with a higher prevalence of obesity, diabetes, colon cancer, diverticular disease and chronic constipation.
Your diet should feel sustainable and not extreme. Aim to be 80-90% on it with your nutrition and know that it’s never going to be perfect. That’s not the goal.
Sleep
It’s during sleep that your body detoxifies and repairs itself.
It is when cortisol, produced by your adrenal glands, should be lowest and human growth hormone, which does so much of the regeneration, peaks. If you're not sleeping well, these essential activities in your body simply aren’t happening.
There are a few relatively simple practices that go a long way:
Make your room like a cave. We want it completely dark with none of those little red electronic lights. Artificial lights directly affect sleep quality, melatonin production, and hormone levels. If you're truly not able to make your room totally dark, then a sleep mask is your next best option.
Keep things cool. A cool room will help you sleep better. Ideal temperature is between 60-67 degrees Fahrenheit.
Keep it quiet. If you're sensitive to noise or your partner snores, consider ear plugs or a white noise machine to help you rest.
Movement
We all know that movement is important for your heart health and general fitness. It's also essential to move your lymph, which is considered your body’s sewer system. The lymph system doesn't have its own pump, like the cardiovascular system, and relies on the movement you do in order to circulate properly. That's one of the main reasons our sedentary lifestyle is so bad for our overall health. Especially as we're detoxifying, we want to make sure the lymph keeps moving so any toxins and hormones that need to be moved out of the system are carried out.
That being said, there is also such a thing as “too much” exercise. Especially if you're experiencing the effects of long-term stress.
If you are working with us directly, it's possible we may ask you to actually reduce your exercise level while we focus on healing. Movements that don't stress your system include walking and gentle stretching or Yin style yoga.
Your movement routine should also be fun, which is why movement doesn't have to just be activities that are considered "exercise".
Water
You're probably not surprised that we want you to drink water. We are mostly water and hydration levels determine how well your cells communicate, the health of your skin and even mental clarity. Drinking room temperature or warmer water is best (especially in the fall and winter) to make sure you're not putting out your digestive stomach fire, which is necessary to best start breaking down and absorbing your food.
Filtered water is best, especially if you live in a city or even simply because we don't always know the state of your home's piping system. Berkey water filters are a great countertop option and Multi-Pure makes both countertop and under-the-counter in-sink systems that make a huge difference in filtering out pesticides, chemicals, pharmaceuticals and even heavy metals that could be affecting your health.
Mindset
Mindset and thoughts have a significant impact on our lives and our health. We see a lot of patients who are experiencing a lot of discomfort or have been unwell for a very long time. It’s hard to maintain trust and optimism when this has been your experience.
Here are our some of favorite ways to work on mindset:
Reframe negative thoughts
We know thoughts affect our physical body and our behaviors
Start by identifying thoughts
Challenge your negative thoughts
What is the truth in this thought?
Are these thoughts helpful?
How are these thoughts affecting me?
Choose a more positive thought to help you view your situation differently
Practice Gratitude
Improves sleep
Reduces stress and anxiety
Increases satisfaction in one’s life
Start a gratitude journal
Make an effort to be more generous by donating to charities or volunteering
Acknowledge all of the hard work you have done and that you are currently doing
Be mindful
Mindfulness means bringing full awareness to what is happening in the present moment and holding curiosity and openness to what is unfolding
Use all of your senses to connect with the present moment
Vision: light, what is surrounding you
Smell: any scents
Touch: Your feet on the floor, your seat in the chair
Sound: any sounds around you
Bring your awareness to your breath rather than dwelling on stressful thoughts. Use four square breathing
Prioritize Self-Care
Make your health a priority on a regular basis. You cannot thrive with an empty cup
It’s the small things you do for yourself every day that makes the greatest impact
Move your body daily
Take breaks to sit and eat to nourish your body
Prioritize sleeping 7-9 hours each night
Make a list of a few small things you could include each day that bring you joy and make you feel cared for. Could be as simple as sitting down with a cup of tea for 5 minutes
Responsibility. Taking ownership and holding yourself accountable is an essential part of making lasting changes.
Restore Your Gut
One of the most important factors in achieving optimal health and wellness is a properly functioning gut. This is alway on our minds as we are assessing your health and putting together our patient and client plans. Any attempt to restore health without addressing the gut is missing a vital step.
Why? Poor gut health can result in nutritional deficiencies, chronic illness, sub-optimal digestion and absorption and can lead to inflammation, decreased immune function, hormone imbalance, brain function and more.
Some symptoms of a poor functioning gut include: constipation and diarrhea, bloating, gas, heartburn, reflux, food cravings, obesity, heart disease, diabetes, thyroid dysfunction, low testosterone, menstrual dysfunction, mood disorder, sleep and memory problems, just to name a few!
Castor Oil Packs
Castor oil, derived from the seeds of the Ricinus communis plant, is known for its anti-inflammatory and detoxifying properties. When applied as a pack, typically involving a cotton cloth soaked in castor oil placed on the skin and covered, it helps to enhance circulation and promote healing of tissues and organs.
Castor oil works by stimulating your lymph and liver function by increasing your lymphocyte count, which then allows the body to speed up the process of removing toxins from your tissues. Lymphatic congestion is a key factor in inflammation and disease.
Dry Brushing
Dry brushing is a self-care technique that involves using a dry, stiff-bristled brush to massage the skin in a specific pattern, usually starting from the feet and moving towards the heart.
This practice has numerous potential benefits. Dry brushing stimulates movement of lymph, which can enhance detoxification by encouraging the removal of toxins from the body.
It is vital to have health foundations such as these in place to foster an optimal internal terrain. We like to say, “you can’t out-supplement a poor diet” and similarly, “you can’t out-supplement low quality sleep”. Everyone is an individual and has unique needs when it comes to health and health optimization, but a strong health foundation is imperative for all of the humans we have the pleasure of working with!
Get Support Restoring Your Health Foundations
Do you experience any of the common symptoms discussed here like fatigue, bloating, digestive issues, hormone imbalances, and more? If so, schedule a free discovery call below and start feeling like yourself again!
Click here to find out how to become a patient. We work with people locally in Bend, Oregon and remotely throughout the country.