I can't believe it!!
It is June already!!
Middle of the year!!
And . . . I’m drawing a blank.
I can’t think of a topic for this month’s blog.
What do I do now?
So much has happened, yes.
Much has been accomplished.
But, what's truly worth telling?
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I know what I’ll do. I’ll take a break and come back to this later.
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Later . . . . on another day . . .
I was watching a health program on PBS Saturday afternoon. The presenter was a well-known doctor in the nutrition industry.
It was a bright, sunny day and I took the day off to catch up on personal things. My work schedule includes working on Saturdays, so whenever I take a Saturday off it's a big deal!
I encourage you to take a Saturday off every now and then, too. At least once a quarter. Here is one thing you can do - start a detox. No, not that kind of detox! Not a nutritional detox! Not a smoothie detox or green juice detox! Not even a fasting detox!!
That might sound a bit odd coming from a nutrition counselor and health coach, right? . . . So . . . what do I mean?
I'm talking about a busy-ness detox. Yes, B-U-S-Y ~ N-E-S-S detox. A declutter detox of sorts. You know, organizing your mind, your thoughts, your living space, and your life. A no-phone or gadget detox, and a no TV detox.
Wait a minute - I did say I was watching TV when I came across this well-known nutrition doctor. So, let's change that. TV is included - as long as it contributes to the overall outcome of the detox I am suggesting. Yes, that's much better, right? Ha Ha Ha Ha.
Not a whole day detox! Not even half a day. Out of the 24 hours in a day, maybe four hours is all that's needed. And . . . Why not schedule that right now while you're at it?
I know, you probably never thought about that kind of detox, and it's understandable. This life is hectic, it's crazy busy. There's family, friends, work, and so many fires to put out. I get it.
But, it is for those same reasons you must at least consider it. For your own mental wellbeing.
So back to the well-known doctor in nutrition.
Watching that program was like a key that opened up my imagination and ideas started flowing so that I was finally able to start this blog - which, by the way - I hope you're enjoying, and if so, please share it.
But seriously, I do hope you benefit from the information and choose to start doing something you know will help you take control of your health. Something that will make a difference by next year. Something you can measure.
Getting back to the well-known doctor . . . again.
This well-known doctor in the nutrition industry - I know I've mentioned him several times already. Who is this doctor? I can't believe this, I'm so all over the place here. So, let me get with it. Ha Ha Ha Ha.
The reason why this doctor caught my attention is that he is a different kind of doctor. Yes, he is a medical doctor, but he is a "Functional" medicine doctor and I get so excited when I talk about functional medicine these days. But, you'll find out why by the end of this article, so read on. Now, what is a "functional" medicine doctor? The Institute For Functional Medicine describes "Functional" medicine as follows:
"Functional medicine is a systems biology-based approach that focuses on identifying and addressing the root cause of disease.
A functional medicine doctor uses the functional medicine model. The functional medicine model is an individualized, patient-centered, science-based approach that empowers patients and practitioners to work together to address the underlying causes of disease and promote optimal wellness.
By addressing the root cause, rather than symptoms, practitioners become oriented to identifying the complexity of disease. They may find one condition has many different causes and one cause may result in many different conditions."
-The Institute for Functional Medicine
Doctor Mark Hyman has an interesting way of wording it when he says, it "is the science of creating health. We treat the whole system, not just the symptoms. We focus on your whole organism, not just the organ."
On the other hand, Functional Nutrition is part of the functional medicine model, that I've just described, and right along the same science-based path.
According to Andrea Nakayama, functional medicine nutritionist, educator, and speaker, "Functional Nutrition is the future of healthcare, not because it's new or fancy, but because it brings us back to the foundation of what healthcare should be - the needs of the patient." Yes, that is YOU.
I am happy to share with you that last month I received my certification and became a Functional Nutrition Counselor after completing the full body systems course in functional nutrition from Andrea Nakayama, and the Functional Nutrition Alliance.
It is my hope to work alongside doctors in functional medicine, and with functional medicine nutritionists like Andrea Nakayama, to help uncover the "why" of the many chronic conditions and symptoms that secretly disrupt the lives of many.
I found this one story very interesting. A 24 year-old woman with migraines, reflux, and gut problems; depression, anxiety, and irritable bowel went to see a functional medicine doctor. The doctor said to her. "You've seen a gastroenterologist, you've seen a migraine specialist, you've seen a neurologist, you have had many tests done, and you are still not well. Why don't we start cleaning up your diet and take it from there." At first, the woman was very skeptical but, she finally agreed to do as the functional medicine doctor suggested. A month went by and she goes back to see the doctor and tells him her migraines were gone, her reflux was gone, her anxiety and depression were also gone, plus she lost weight.
These stories are real. They are happening more and more because people are tired of feeling sick, and they are ready to do something different. I hope you are one of them.
Thank you for reading and, we'll connect in July.
In the meantime have a health-full month.
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