Human health is not universal, linear, or consistent. It’s individualized and in a constant state of flux.
For those trying to improve their wellbeing, it’s crucial to recognize that variation and change are unavoidable. Instead of aiming for perfection, lives change when we focus on improvement, on taking small actions today that redefine the trajectory of our health tomorrow and for years to come. Here are our tips on how to improve quality of life from our holistic medicine doctor.
Shifting from the granular to the bigger picture
A patient of mine recently inquired about testing for a leaky gut. This is something I offer, but I questioned her further.
Do you eat a lot of sugar? Yes. What about processed foods? Yes. Dairy? Gluten? Yes, and yes. Are you sleeping well? Not at all.
All of the above contribute to inflammation in the body. Think of the intestinal lining like a brick wall. When you eat foods or undertake activities that lead to inflammation, it’s like taking a sledgehammer to that wall over and over again. With time and repetition, the mortar between the bricks will break down and crumble, and you’re going to end up with cracks and holes in your wall. Things are going to pass through that shouldn’t, and this is going to dimmish your wellbeing.
After speaking with my patient, it was safe to assume she did have a leaky gut. Does she need to be tested for the condition? Probably not. With more information from her functional medicine timeline, we can take the steps today to begin her healing journey. Why put my patient’s life on hold while we wait for a test result when we already know what to do? Why not take steps to address her gut today? Why get hung up on one thing when we can work to improve the bigger picture?
She agreed this approach makes sense.
Aim for progress
Health is not black and white. It’s a journey. It’s not about achieving perfection but doing our best most of the time and moving through life consciously, connected to our bodies and our choices.
Focusing on function and improving quality of life
Most of the time, I do not endorse testing for a leaky gut. It’s not productive. Instead, in the first month of my Brain Tune Up! program, my nutrition and holistic medicine doctors help patients lay the foundation for healthy food choices that heal the gut. We take both a literal and philosophical approach through movement, diet, sleep optimization, stress resilience practice, and optimizing the thought processes that guide us through our lives each day.
Again, our aim is not to achieve perfection but to move people onto the right trajectory, a pathway that enhances their quality of life. We do this by avoiding analysis paralysis.
Brain Tune Up! is about taking action and committing to small steps that bring you closer and closer to your health goals.
Measuring improvements throughout the journey
I was recently chatting to a patient with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) just three weeks into the Brain Tune Up! protocol. He was unsure whether he noticed a difference in his wellbeing. I reminded them that it’s about redirecting his health’s trajectory and reshaping his posture, his mindset. Change takes time and patience, but the benefit is a more resilient and fulfilled life when the plan is followed. That’s not to say we don’t take measurements of progress along the way. We do, measure the effectiveness of our multi-faceted approach to helping people with ALS, multiple sclerosis (MS), Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, and more. For example, we may investigate the following to track your progress:
- Your medical symptoms questionnaire
- Biomarkers in your MRI scans, potentially with MS neuro quad
- A 25-foot walk test
- A peg hole test
- A fatigue rating scale
- An Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS)
- Your food intake
- Your movement and exercise
- Your heart rate variability
- Your laboratory tests
- And more…
Our monitoring goes beyond a leaky gut test or any other one-dimensional examination. We look at the bigger picture to enable our patients to take meaningful strides in the right direction. Remember, it’s progress, not perfection, we are shooting for.
Find out more about my Brain Tune Up! protocol
If you are sick of relying on medication, if you are ready to identify and address the root causes of your disease, and if you are prepared to work to improve quality of life you deserve, my Brain Tune Up! protocol may be for you.
My team and I work through a specialized five-pillar system that gives you the answers – and solutions – you deserve.
My clinic has delivered life-changing results that billion-dollar drug companies and their experimental medications have failed to provide. If you’d like to find out more about Brain Tune Up!, schedule your free 15-minute consultation today.