Your Body Can Only Do You So Many Favors
I have a strong career interest in lifestyle medicine, but as a patient I can tell you that it can be quite overwhelming. My perfectionism makes me feel like I either have to make all of the lifestyle changes perfectly at 100%, or that I am a total failure. Through my own wellness journey, I have found that it actually works best to leverage the lifestyle categories I am best able to and leave the other ones alone. This is quite the opposite of being perfect, yet it is where I have personally seen the most progress.
I spent a year and a half of chiro school being incredibly sick and stressed. I had recurrent episodes of gut dysbiosis in which I would lose 15 pounds over the course of a few weeks, take an antibiotic that allowed me to eat normally again, overcompensate from not being able to eat, and then gain 25 pounds back. I went through several cycles of this and tried elimination diets, herbal remedies, and strict protocols. Then I started my coursework in functional medicine and realized that there were other areas of my life that I had far more capacity to tackle than focusing on foods alone. I set a sleep schedule and learned how to incorporate relaxation time into my everyday habits. I chose to exercise daily and make time for fun fiction books. Most importantly, though, I finally chose my health over my grades. After a few months of these relatively simple changes, I can finally eat normally again! I try my best to include whole foods, and limit caffeine and alcohol but I am no longer tied to strict protocols or lists of foods that I can’t tolerate.
I’ve learned that my body could only do me so many favors at a time. I was constantly stressed, not setting boundaries, eating poorly, drinking too much, and studying more than I was sleeping. It only makes sense that my body wasn’t able to keep up with all of this, and in my case, it led to my gut health crashing. Now I nourish my body where I am able to, and my body is able to handle the remaining stress (both mental and physical). If you are struggling with your health, look into the areas where you are most able to make changes. Some areas to begin with:
Sleep. Maybe you have kids who don’t sleep through the night or a second job that makes you get home later than you’d like. Is there any aspect of sleep within your control, though, that you can improve. Can you turn off all screens in the bedroom and try meditation instead of scrolling through Facebook before bed? Can you set a specific sleep schedule where you go to bed and wake up at the same time every day, even if you aren’t getting as many hours of sleep as would be ideal?
Relaxation. You might not have time to take a bubble bath every night, or you might not have the finances to get a massage every month. Can you carve out an hour per week to paint your nails while you watch your favorite show? Can you replace an hour of social media per week with an hour of reading a book that you enjoy? Can you listen to a podcast while driving or folding the laundry?
Hydration. It sounds like the simplest thing, but most of us are going through the day dehydrated, which makes it hard for the body to keep up with other crucial processes. Aim for half of your body weight in ounces of water per day (i.e. 200 lbs body weight = 100 oz of water daily). I help myself reach my water goal by making myself drink an entire water bottle (40 oz) before I have any fun drinks, including coffee. I also sprinkle LMNT into my water for taste and some added electrolytes.
Movement. A lot of us do not move our bodies enough, and in my case, this was because I didn’t have any forms of exercise I enjoyed. I have found that I really enjoy dance workouts, yoga, and taking walks while listening to a podcast. Chronic illness related fatigue has also made it difficult to commit to the same level of intense workouts that I used to do. However, movement does not have to be a structured workout that costs a ton of time and money. It can just be simple walking and stretching breaks throughout your day!
Nutrition. This is the one I struggle with the most, especially as a picky eater. I have found nutrition through addition to be my best friend. Instead of restricting foods, I eat the foods I love but I also add the foods I need. I still enjoy pasta regularly, but I will be sure to add vegetables to it. I still eat bagels, but I add Greek yogurt on the side for extra protein. In general, try to create most meals from whole foods (fruits, vegetables, lean protein sources, etc.), but it is okay to enjoy all foods in moderation.