I’ve never been able to pin down exactly the types of conditions I work with in my nutrition practice. People will often ask me about this wondering what sort of conditions are my clients coming in with? And the truth is, the variety is vast and wide. From autoimmune, cancer recovery, chronic pain, diabetes, digestive issues, infertility, anxiety/depression, toxic mold exposure, weight loss and more.
But, no matter the condition or current symptoms, healing begins when we rebuild the foundation. So where to begin with each and every person is the same. We have to figure out where the biggest break in the physiological foundation is and start there:
Is your blood sugar stable?
Are you pooping, daily?
Are you sleeping?
When all three of these elements are happening and happening well, then the body is in a position to support detoxification, restoration and repair. In essence, it is in a position to support healing. The foundation is strong and we can now start to build.
If there is a hiccup in any one of these areas, then healing won’t happen. And I can already hear some say that all those things are ‘fine’ for you. But, I urge you to take a deeper look.
Truthfully, there could be many different reasons as to why any one of these physiological functions aren’t happening optimally. This is where it is highly individual and different for each person. This is where the work begins to determine what creates the excess burden for you.
This can sound overwhelming, but the beauty of it is that it is also incredibly liberating. We don’t have to figure out all-of-the-whys. We just need to figure out how to reduce your particular stress burden, just enough, to create a space for healing. Once you do set that ball in motion, it really is a snowball effect and it continues to grow.
Focusing on these foundational pieces also helps you more quickly trouble-shoot where to begin when you suddenly feel a flare or symptoms creeping back in. We all indulge from time to time or get wrapped up in some form of outside stress.
My kids each had birthdays recently and I enjoyed some cake. But, almost immediately I noticed my desire for craving more sweets and the inevitable blood sugar swings to follow. It didn’t take near as long to find center afterwards as it may when I was first on this journey, but it was still there. These areas are never a ‘once and done’ scenario. They are areas to constantly tend and support.
So, let’s get personal for a moment. Are you sleeping, pooping and enjoying consistent, stable energy with zero mood swings? If the answer is yes, fantastic, if the answer is no, then stop and ask yourself where could you use a little more support to bring your body back into balance?
Food is a huge piece of this puzzle in re-building the foundation. But it isn’t the only piece. We must think of the body as a synergistic being, there are many ways to support our own health. In the coming weeks I’ll be talking more about the different areas to reduce your body’s burden and ultimately rebuild your foundation.
To your health,
Kristi