LIFE OVERHAUL: STRIVING TOWARDS OPTIMAL HEALTH
April 8, 2014
I
recently returned from an Integrative Medicine conference in Asheville, NC that
really confirmed for me that what we do at Insight & Restore is right on
track! It was very exciting to hear the
speakers and how the integrative medicine world is changing.
One
of the things we’ve “preached” (J) here forever is
that even a little bit of change towards a better overall healthy lifestyle can
have an exponential impact on your future health. At the conference, the research that was
presented confirmed this message. There
is a whole new field of study out there called “epigenetics” that looks at how
our lifestyle choices can actually turn on and off good and bad genes.
We
heard Dr. Dean Ornish speak on his groundbreaking research into the impact of
healthy lifestyle choices on physical health.
He has actually looked at genes and validated the good ones turning on
and the bad ones turning off with healthy changes in nutrition, exercise,
stress reduction and love/companionship.
He has proved without a shadow of doubt that there is a direct
correlation: the more a person changed the more they improved their health NO
MATTER WHAT THEIR AGE WAS.
Dr.
Ornish has proven that our genes are not our fate! We do not have to be a victim to our
genes. Our genes just pre-dispose us to
certain disease processes but our lifestyle choices actually turn those genes
on or off.
Dr.
Ornish has also researched what enables people to make sustainable lifelong health
changes. And it’s not fear of disease
and death. Fun, freedom, pleasure and
love are the key motivators for lifelong sustainable health behavior change.
It
is not just about how long we live but how well we live! I don’t want to be 80 and sick in a nursing
home. I want to be 80 and fit and
healthy and enjoying my life to the fullest.
And the lifestyle choices I make today have the power to dramatically
impact my future health goals.
Sadly,
we have had not one person sign up to attend our 4 Pillars Permanent Weight
Loss series. As I stated in previous
blogs, the entire 4 Pillars program is about making permanent changes in your
lifestyle that lead to lifelong change and health. We know that there are a lot of you out there
that need the support and encouragement that can come from this program in
order to help you make the changes that you need to make in your life.
Before
going to the conference, I had asked the person in our first series who had the
most physically measurable amount of success (i.e. lost the most weight!) to
write a testimonial about the program.
She sent me the testimonial the week after the conference and it amazed
me how much it lined up with what the purpose of the program was and with what
we learned at the conference. I’ve
posted it below and I hope and pray it will inspire some of you to make this
commitment to a true “life overhaul” that will help you in your journey towards
optimal health.
“Hello,
I
am writing this with excitement in my heart and the highest of hopes that at
least some of what I share with you will help you along your journey to achieve
what is called...“Optimal Health”. I have no idea if you are one of those folks
that struggles with being overweight; but, honestly, I have most of my life… at
least I did…..until recently!
Not
so long ago I sat at the table, clutching in my hand, the results of my blood
work…overwhelmed by what I saw, not fully comprehending the words “Critical”
but understanding that I was headed full speed ….down a slippery slope of
declining health and it was just a short matter of time before some horrible
event like a stroke or heart attack tackled and incapacitated me. I struggled to make sense of how I, a vegetarian ….for a number
of years , had become so unhealthy and so overweight……looking for comfort…..I
reached for another bite of a fresh lemon filled Krispy Cream doughnut that
just happened to be laying on the table in front of me. Soon after,
I stumbled across an email from Insight Family Health announcing the start
date and description of a brand new twelve week program “4 Pillars of Permanent
Weight Loss” I thought…hum…maybe this
is a sign! As I read about the content of the program, I decided at that moment
it was time to take that step, to move forward and make some sort of positive
change in my life. But first, I made a
phone call to my mom, and together we started a brand new chapter in our lives.
When
I started this program…I was desperate for change……I was totally depleted,
exhausted, run down with little energy left to do anything after I got off of
work. I was stressed to the max,
disappointed with my own quality of life, desperately wanting to be able to
wake up in the morning and feel energized which just seemed so far out of my
reach. I really had no idea what to expect on that first night, but I was
determined to drop it all at the door, enter as an empty slate and absorb…learn
everything that I could in the amount of time that I had. My mom by my side, my husband cheering us
on…we were determined!
Without
hesitation, I can tell you that deciding to participate in this program has
turned out to be one of the Greatest most rewarding things that I could have
ever done for myself. I really loved the
way that this program encompasses and focuses on the “whole” person, not just
the weight loss aspect. It surpasses any program that I have utilized in the
past where you just kind of get bits and pieces. This program I must say is the whole
package! Mom and I decided to take
advantage of all that was offered to us.
This included the Myer’s vitamin infusions, the B12 shots, the saunas,
the counseling sessions and the group classes…all working together to lead us
down the path of a “total lifestyle
change.” My mom, well…I’m so very proud of her, she has lost over 18
lbs and the weight is still falling off, she says she feels better than she has
in years! I must admit having a support team really helps and my husband has
also been right there with me every step of the way on this new journey. I enjoy our quality time as we both get in
the kitchen and cook healthy meals together, take walks at night and we are
working toward the same goal...”Optimal
Health!”
This
program truly has been a life saver for me.
I’m down 23 lbs and for me that is huge! I have more energy than I have
had in years. I’m actually able to sleep all night and wake up refreshed and
rested in the morning. My overall physical and mental well-being has improved
greatly. I’m finally off my blood
pressure medication that I have been on forever and my skin is clearer. I
honestly feel like I have “woken up.”
If
you are at the place in your life where you are tired of the weight gain
struggles, tired of not feeling well, really needing a life “over haul” then this program is for you! All you have to do is take the first
step….you will find all the support you need from this amazing team of folks
here at Insight Family Health & Restore Health & Wellness. They are truly a God send and an answered
prayer! A little advice, the first two
weeks will be your hardest; but, once
you make it past that marker and you start seeing results, you will no longer
want to nose dive in your co-workers lunch plate……trust me…it will be well
worth it! Stay focused, stay determined, and believe in yourself! Best of luck
to you as you start this Awesome Journey!” B.P.,
50 year old female
Space is limited for the 4 Pillars
series. Trying to make change and be
healthy in our culture is ridiculously difficult because of all the pressure we
get from media, family and friends to make unhealthy choices. I encourage you to either find a friend or
family member to sign up with or just do it yourself and make a decision TODAY
towards positive, sustainable lifestyle change.
As B.P. said in her testimonial, IT’S
NOT EASY BUT IT’S WORTH IT!
Sincerely,
Tabetha Smith, FNP-C
Fellow Traveler on the Journey
towards Optimal Health
