by Connie Hernandez, ND
Here in the U.S. our healthcare system has become a highly efficient scheme for the pharmaceutical and surgical management of diagnoseable diseases.
And that’s very different from a true healthcare system.
We’ve been trained to trust the doctor, the diagnosis, and the drug implicitly and let the system deal with our health issues so that we can be done with them as quickly as possible.
Alas, relying too exclusively on the system doesn’t work in our long-term best interests.
While intended to offer effective, efficient care, it has actually morphed into an inordinately expensive, ineffective system with flaws that have become particularly evident during the COVID pandemic.
In a global pandemic, the health and medical resources on which we’ve come to depend may no longer be available to us. Thus it becomes urgent that we find out what lifestyle modifications we can initiate to enhance our vitality and strengthen our bodies’ resistance to disease.
In short, now more than ever, we need to take personal responsibility for our health. And that’s a good thing. Because wise lifestyle choices are the timeless foundation of lifelong health and wellness.
One of the most efficient, effective and enjoyable promoters of good health and good feelings is exercise.
It’s imperative to find ways, within the context of the pandemic, to keep exercising. Choosing to move our bodies matters. It’s one of the most powerful ways to improve our mood, our disease-resistance, and our health.
Breath movement exercises such as yoga, chi kung, tai chi and Paramhansa Yogananda’s energization exercises can be practiced indoors.
Walk around the neighborhood. Garden. Jog in place. Dance. Find ways to bring movement into your daily routine. Hop on the bike to go shopping.
What you put into your mind powerfully influences your health and well-being. Binging on repetitive negative news broadcasts will only increase your anxiety, weaken your resistance, distance you from your soul center, and leave you feeling hopeless.
Far better to find sources of inspiration and opportunities to connect with positive people, listen to uplifting music, and offer gratitude for the right and the good rather than complain about the wrong and the bad.
Take a vacation from mental worries and emotional stressors. You have inside you a calm core of calmness and energetic healing, and meditation will take you there and leave you feeling strongly and happily centered in yourself.
Countless studies have demonstrated beyond any possibility of doubt that meditation positively affects every dimension of our well-being.
Even the simplest breathing techniques, practiced throughout the day, can balance your autonomic nervous system, decrease inflammation, tone your digestion, increase your resilience in the face of stress, and change your physical constitution.
Watch what you put in your body – it matters. We’re horrified when cancer patients report that their oncologists have told them that the food they put in their bodies makes no difference.
Of course it does! We’ve written many articles reporting research that confirms the ill effects of sugar and the benefits of consuming a broad variety of fresh organic fruits and vegetables.
I won’t go into the details here, other than to suggest that these days when our favorite treats might not be as accessible are a perfect time to develop basic cooking skills and cultivate healthy (and delicious!) eating habits.
I would also note the special importance of proper hydration for detoxification and well-being. Pure drinking water is your friend!
To compensate for modern foods grown in depleted soils and sprayed with harmful chemicals, a basic preventive regimen should minimally involve a multivitamin / multi-mineral formula – and even more important, essential fatty acids.
When considering supplements to support your body’s immune system at this time of serious health challenge, you might want to add vitamins C, vitamin D, zinc (the optizinc formulation, offered by various brands, is less likely to cause nausea), and n-acetyl cysteine (NAC).
Other supplemental nutrients should be based on your individual needs.
For even higher levels of immune defense, disease prevention, and good health, it can help to identify and address any nutrient deficiencies or medical conditions, particularly of a cardiovascular, respiratory, or inflammatory nature.
In our naturopathic practice we use a number of tools to explore our patient’s individual needs, including our Wellness Panel blood test, Intracellular Nutrient Testing, Comprehensive Digestive Stool Analysis, and DNA testing (focused on modifiable genetic risk variables).
Armed with a knowledge of your body’s individual strengths and weaknesses, you’ll be able to address your own situation more accurately and prevent disease before it occurs.
Now, that would be a responsible thing to do!
Want help in optimizing your immune system?
Please phone the office to schedule with Dr. Connie: 650-961-1660