10 Areas to Optimize Your Healthy Life

10 Areas To Optimize Your Healthy Life

What does a healthy life mean to you? For most people, “healthy” means not having nagging symptoms and having energy for life’s activities. There is a lot going on in our bodies that is not on our radar, yet we can influence its function positively with our choices. Yes, your choices make a huge difference!

Did you know that the average American spends the last decade or more of their lives in what I call the 4 D’s: diseased, depressed, disabled, or demented? Americans rank 83rd globally for living a healthy life. Yikes! That’s not the “norm” that I want to live, and I’m sure you would agree. Here are 10 areas to optimize your healthy life.

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4 Pillars Of A Healthy Metabolism

4 Pillars Of a Healthy Metabolism

A healthy metabolism is essential for many aspects of your body’s function, from energy levels and moods to weight control and overall health. A sluggish metabolism can lead to fatigue, difficulty with weight loss or gain, poor digestion, and muddled thinking.

While many factors affect metabolism, there are a few key things you can do to keep yours working well. Let’s explore the four pillars of a healthy metabolism.

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4 Habits For Balancing Blood Sugar

4 Habits For Balancing Blood Sugar

You may think that balancing your blood sugar levels is a task reserved only for people with diabetes. While it is true that people with diabetes must closely monitor their blood sugar levels, the truth is that everyone should pay attention. That’s why we want to talk about 4 habits for balancing blood sugar.

Having high levels of glucose circulating in your body is damaging to blood vessels and kidneys. The body responds with insulin to escort the glucose into your cells where it can be used for fuel.

However, when there are recurring spikes of glucose throughout the day, your cells may turn down their receptivity and not accept the insulin or glucose. The alternative is for insulin to escort the glucose to be stored as fat.

I believe in being proactive with my health, so I take measures to balance my blood sugar and protect my body. Here are four tips for balancing blood sugar so that you have stable energy throughout the day.

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Move Your Lymph

Move Your Lymph

Most everyone is familiar with the cardiovascular system that helps to pump blood to the body’s tissues. Did you know there is another series of vessels that carry a clear liquid called lymph? It’s important to move your lymph to improve your health.

Move Your Lymph

While nutrients and oxygen are delivered to the body through blood, lymph has the task of collecting waste, toxins, and debris while also distributing immune cells through the body. Keeping your lymph flowing smoothly is critical for your body’s wellbeing.

Your lymphatic system is a network of vessels and lymph nodes working together to carry fluids from your tissues to your blood. It is basically your body’s inner drainage system.

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Have a heart for your heart

Have A Heart For Your Heart

If February had a symbol, it would be a red heart. While it is beneficial to raise awareness of heart health, I believe it’s an area of health that should be consistently reviewed. Heart disease is the #1 killer in the US. Do you have a heart for your heart?

Have A Heart For Your Heart

As a Functional Medicine practitioner, I look at root causes. The standard American diet and a sedentary lifestyle are key players in heart disease because they lead to the physiological issues that put us at risk. Knowing about these and making choices to correct them will put you on a better path.

Chronic Inflammation – this plays a role in almost every chronic disease people have today. Inflammation is caused by excessive oxidative stress on our cells (think rust) which hinders the function of our mitochondria (energy factories). The heart has one of the highest concentrations of mitochondria of our organs, so it suffers the effects of inflammation more quickly.

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4 Tips For Staying Healthy Through The Holidays

4 Tips to Stay Healthy Through the Holidays

While the holidays can bring out joy and excitement, there is also more stress from added demands on schedule, finances, and travel plans. Though these stressors can take a toll on your mental and physical health, I have good news! It doesn’t have to drag you down. Approach this time of year with 4 tips to stay healthy through the holidays. Read more

A student of medical history? I have appreciated reflections on the current pandemic in light of prior ones, and the missing messages.

Reflections On The Current Pandemic

Are you a student of history? I have not studied medical history extensively, yet I have followed others who have done so. I have appreciated their reflections on the current pandemic in light of prior ones.

Emerging diseases take off fast, usually because the pathogens have encountered fresh territory. If the disease is bacterial in nature, it can be countered with antibiotics, but we don’t always know right away. Treatments are explored in a rush to find a cure, but rarely are foundational changes addressed. Read more

Keep Your Body Hydrated During This Hot Summer

With the summer heat comes a lot more sweating, and we lose more water than we usually do in the colder months. This makes it even more important to vigilantly keep your body hydrated. Since this can be a challenge for some, here are some helpful tips to make sure you stay hydrated this summer. Read more

Do your summer plans include a pool or beach and sunshine? Summer sun means you need protection and not all sunscreens are good for you.

Summer Sun Means You Need Protection

We are nearing the Memorial Day holiday, which many consider the official start of summer. Do your summer plans include a pool or beach and sunshine? Summer sun means you need protection. So how do you choose a sunscreen?

Time spent in the sunshine can be enjoyable and rejuvenating. Given that our skin uses sunlight to make vitamin D, that time is important for optimal health. After all, vitamin D isn’t made in skin covered with sunscreen. Did you know that vitamin D is a nutrient that acts as a hormone? It keeps inflammation in check, supports our immune system and bone health. Read more

Know somone who has diabetes? Are they effectively supporting their body to reduce the damage, or just going along for the ride?

Know Someone Who Has Diabetes?

These days we all know someone who has diabetes, if you don’t have that diagnosis yourself. The question is – are you effectively supporting your body to reduce the damage caused by high blood sugar, or going along for the ride wherever it takes you?

A study done at Massachusetts General Hospital evaluated data on diabetes care from 2005 to 2016. They found that one in four adults with type 2 diabetes had not actually received a diagnosis, and nearly one in three was not receiving appropriate care.

Sadly, researchers found that despite advances in diabetes medication and a movement to develop innovative care delivery models, diabetes care targets had not improved in the U.S. since 2005. Read more