A Preventative Wellness Approach
My Approach
At Optimal Health Acupuncture, I believe that true wellness is wholistic, encompassing the mind, body, and spirit. I strive to empower my clients to take control of their own health and well-being. I believe that each of the seven pillars below are interdependent and that they act collectively to enhance our wellbeing. I take into consideration all seven aspects when working with my clients to help them find the path that is right for them in order to reach their personal wellness goals.
Seven Pillars of Comprehensive Wellness
Acupuncture and Preventative Wellness
Fitness and Exercise
Nutrition Counseling
Meditation and Mindfulness
Sleep, Rest and Recovery
Intuition and Body Connection
Creativity and Joy
1. Acupuncture and Preventative Wellness
Acupuncture has a profound impact on our nervous system. Our culture in the West places a constant drain on our Sympathetic Nervous System (flight and fight) and leaves little time for our Parasympathetic Nervous System to activate (rest and digest). Acupuncture can be used to help balance our energy. This in turn affords our bodies the ability to prevent disease and preserve wellness.
What Acupuncture Treatments Do
Create Balance
Clear Blockages
Strengthen Weak Qi
Drain Excess Qi
Acupuncture is a powerful wellness tool because it works on a somatic level. It allows our body to heal deeply and it accesses patterns of disharmony that we can't otherwise change.
2. Fitness and Exercise
Current research is undeniably finding exercise to be one of the most important pillars of health and plays a
vital role in quality of life and longevity.
Key Elements of a Well-Rounded Program
Stability
Mobility
Strength
Peak Output
Aerobic Efficiency
The days of one size fits all are gone and programs that are designed to enhance each individual’s need for the phase of their life are critical for maintaining health and preventing disease. There is medical evidence that exercise can decrease all-cause mortality and help protect our mitochondria which is responsible for the aging and disease process. There is consistent evidence that our bodies will positively adapt to the demands of exercise and we will benefit from these changes at any point in our lives. Yes, if you start exercising at 90 years old, you will see the benefit!
My job is to meet you with where you are at in your exercise journey, whether you are just starting out or if you are a retiring athlete wanting to shift toward a focus of health and longevity.
How I Can Help You
- I can provide a training plan that is specific to YOU.
- I can hold you accountable.
- I can educate and empower you to understand the importance of exercise.
- I can’t promise I can make you love it, but I can help you like it.
- I can lead by example.
3. Nutrition and Diet
Nutrition is finally getting the attention it deserves in research. Not only as it relates to weight and body composition but to the prevention of disease processes. We are experiencing a global health crisis in areas such as obesity, cardiovascular health, metabolic health and immunity and much can be done when having the right nutritional tools. In addition, nutrition has many links to our mental health and impacts our ability to navigate conditions such as anxiety and depression. Incorporating some simple key nutritional principles into your wellness practice can greatly improve your overall health and wellness. When combined with the seven pillars of wellness, it can be a pivotal piece that enhances your overall state of wellbeing.
Simple Key Nutritional Principles
- Drink plenty of water.
- Consume adequate amounts of protein.
- Focus on anti-inflammatory foods.
- Eat fresh, live foods.
- Limit your exposure to pesticides and chemicals.
- Eat to live, don’t live to eat.
4. Meditation and Mindfulness
While I don’t claim to be a meditation guru, I encourage my clients to incorporate mindfulness and meditation into their daily routine. This doesn’t have to be an overly time-consuming effort and can be incorporated in small bits throughout each day. These small, intentional acts can have significant impacts in the way we navigate the stressors of our daily lives. Meditation and Mindfulness not only complements your own wellness routine, but it gives you more energy and resources to give support to others.
Scientific Benefits of Meditation and Mindfulness
- Reduces Stress.
- Increases Attention Span.
- Improves Sleep.
- Decreases Anxiety.
- Helps Control Pain.
- Increases Self-Awareness.
5. Sleep, Rest and Recovery
Often, a restful night’s sleep escapes many of us. This may be due to many factors, often for reasons outside of our control. There is an abundance of research available validating the importance of sleep and how it can impact our metabolic health, cognitive function and immunity. In addition, making time for active rest and recovery is vital in-order to promote deep healing properties within ourselves. Sometimes sleep can be addressed directly, but often it can improve when incorporating a comprehensive wellness program.
Benefits of Sleep, Rest and Recovery
- Strengthens your immune system.
- Helps you maintain a healthy weight.
- Allows rest and repair of body tissues and organs.
- Increases cognitive function.
- Improves mood and reduces stress.
6. Intuition and Body Awareness
Learning to listen to our intuition and trust our bodies gut response is becoming a lost art. Research is finding more and more evidence between our gut-brain connection, with our gut earning the name of our second brain due to the fact that it can work independently of the central nervous system. Much of this material supports the notion that our gut has infinitely more impact on our body and mental health than our brain does. It takes time to connect with your intuition, learn to trust it and then use it in your daily life.
Ways to Enhance and Optimize Your Intuition
- Stay connected to nature.
- Write down/journal about anything you think may have had an intuitive connection.
- Take time to note how your body reacts to people, places and things.
- Trust your gut - there is a strong gut-brain connection that supports our intuitive decision making.
7. Creativity and Joy
In-order to balance our internal voice that pressures us to be “productive”, we need to give ourselves permission to discover and make time for what is enjoyable and brings creativity and joy into our lives. Having a creative outlet is not only enjoyable but it has a positive impact on many aspects of our health. Trying to incorporate activities that allow you to be creative and bring you joy has many health benefits.
Health Benefits of Creativity and Joy
- Reduces stress.
- Supports flexible thinking and problem solving.
- Allows self-exploration.
- Can be an emotional release
- Helps manage pain and improve our immune system.
- Strengthens resilience.
- Improves cognitive function.