General Health Tips
Body ~ Mind ~ Spirit: All three aspects of our being require nourishment in order to achieve a sense of balance – the mind through learning and understanding, the body through activity and nutrition, and the spirit through pursuit of that which brings joy and purpose.
Diet: A well-balanced diet is always indicated, taking into consideration any food sensitivities/allergies and other restrictions. While no particular dietary pattern is ‘best’, limiting intake of processed foods, dairy (particularly drinking cow milk), red meats, refined sugars, and artificial colors/flavors is recommended.
Exercise: Regular activity/exercise is also always indicated, based on fitness level and upon consultation with a health professional. This activity/exercise can manifest in many different forms: cardiovascular (such as running or dancing), core strengthening (like yoga, Pilates, and similar), weight-lifting, and martial arts are all examples.
Hobbies: Hobbies are vital to improving mood and stimulating the mind. While too many to list, any hobbies that encourage a calm, yet productive state should be engaged in regularly.
Meditation: Regular meditation, which can take many forms, helps calm the mind and stimulates the parasympathetic side of the nervous system, which encourages relaxation, digestion, and organization of thoughts and ideas.
Posture & Ergonomics: To sit or to stand? Often, people wonder whether sitting or standing is better, especially when it comes to doing either for a prolonged period, such as while working at a desk. The answer is both: one should neither stand nor sit exclusively, rather it is important to balance the two positions out. Desks that can be raised and lowered are ideal for this. Beyond that, it is important to take regular breaks to walk around, stretch, and so on. Posture, weight distribution, and ergonomics are vital regardless of position and will be discussed and reviewed with every patient.
What about laying down or reclining/sitting propped up? Unless one is sleeping, taking a nap, or resting due to illness, laying down or reclining with feet up is not indicated. Tissue creep – negative structural and neuromuscular adaptation due to sustained positions – begins within 20 minutes. Aside from the destabilizing effects to core muscles, general muscle tone and activity are negatively impacted, which can lead to weakness and/or adaptive muscle shortening. Upright and balanced posture with feet planted promotes core muscle activity and lessens the effects of tissue creep.
Tobacco Cessation: If you smoke or otherwise consume tobacco products, please consider cessation. While much easier said than done, stopping use of tobacco products provides many health benefits. Beyond lung, throat, oral cancers and other respiratory problems, tobacco products damage blood vessels (potentially slowing the healing process) and can even cause seemingly unrelated issues like tooth decay.
Weight: Weight loss/gain, if indicated, can improve health in a variety of ways. While the subject of weight is indeed a sensitive one, the correlations between ill health and weight are relevant nonetheless.
Body Mass Index (BMI) may not be an entirely accurate predictor of overall health, due to limitations around muscle mass and abdominal girth, but it can serve as a starting point. BMI is calculated by dividing weight (in pounds) by height (in inches) multiplied by 703 OR by dividing weight (in kilograms) by height (in meters) squared.
Waist-to-Hip ratio is another predictor of overall health. The ratio is calculated by measuring the circumference of the waist (taken around belly button level) and dividing it by the circumference of the hips (taken at the widest part of the hip region, around the level of the greater trochanters)
Men: a ratio of 1.0 or less is considered healthy / Women: a ratio 0.8 or less is considered healthy
Waist Circumference can be a good predictor of overall health, as abdominal obesity contributes to many forms of dis-ease.
Men: a waist circumference of 40 inches or greater has a strong correlation to heart disease and diabetes
Women: a waist circumference of 35 inches or great has a strong correlation to heart disease and diabetes