Empower Yourself to Vibrant Health
On my journey to healing a long list of health issues, along with episodes of depression, and chronic anxiety, one thing I never considered no matter what prescription was offered or procedure suggested- was to mask my symptoms with a pill or unnecessary surgery. Maybe I am stubborn (as some have called me) but I like to think I am just determined, and I trust my intuition. Something deep within, told me that I could heal using natural methods and I knew that some of my issues where deeper, and more emotionally based. So I ruled out anything fatal with proper testing, and decided to go it on my own, seeking out my healthcare team, and taking things into my own hands.
Based on the current research and with more new studies coming out all of the time about the adverse effects of prescription drugs, I am sure I have made the right decision for myself. Opting for a life long dependency using medications is not something I ever want to experience, and so I do all that I can to heal any condition or symptoms from the inside out.
I do want to clarify that this is the path I chosen based on my own philosophy, beliefs and understanding of healing the body, and I am not suggesting that my path it is the correct path for everyone. Please take what fits for you and use it, and discard the rest. Only you know what your body needs and what is right for you.
As I stand firm in my belief that all illness can be healed if the conditions are optimal within the body, I also realize that medications can be a saving grace for some, and are necessary in certain situations. That said, I also believe prescriptions and over the counter medications are too widely used, and abused and eventually create more issues within the body than they solve.
Doctors save lives, they preform emergency procedures to preserve life, and thankfully they exist for those purposes. But they are not trained in maintaining health, or healing the root causes of health and dis-ease, but how to manage the symptoms. And the only tools they have to offer are medications and surgery. Did you know that they only receive 1 hour of training around the subject of nutrition in medical school? Crazy, right?
What our doctors are also NOT trained in medical school for, is how our emotional-mental health directly affects our physical condition, how stress creates 90% of the symptoms we are visiting him/her for help with. They do not have the expertise of the time to address nutritional links to many health issues, are not "allowed" to recommend natural remedies that are more effective (and much safer) than prescriptions in many cases, nor will they offer up information around the negative and accumulative effects of over the counter medicines, steroid creams, and prescriptions, and how these effect our liver and entire system over the long-term. They don't have time to consider, or ask about how your stress levels are, how your marriage is going, how the kids are doing, and if you despise your job and are treated poorly at work. They don't pay any attention to the fact that toxic relationships can make a person sick and cause depression, and debilitating anxiety, and how our thoughts can either heal or create dis-ease. They are simply not trained to look deeper into the presenting issues, and find the root cause of eczema, asthma, hormone imbalances, depression, anxiety, insomnia, migraines, or weight gain. They can't offer preventative treatment options, or even recognize adrenal fatigue or slight hormonal/thyroid imbalances that could be a huge contributing factor to many symptoms one is experiencing mentally, emotionally and physically. They also follow a different reference range with their laboratory testing, and don't recognize there is a problem, oftentimes until it is too late, and perhaps medication is the only resort.
I saw it somewhere the quote "Medication is for sick care not healthcare" and can also relate this sentiment to doctors as well. They are not trained to help us live well, and embody a holistic approach to our health. If our life needs saving and we are in a health crisis, thankfully we have them to intervene.
The truth about our health from a holistic perspective, is that if one area of our being is being neglected, it leaves a huge gap for things to go wrong, and an imbalance to take over.
It is time to take our health into our own hands! If it's one thing we need to understand, it is that doctors have a limited toolkit when it comes to healing our health issues. If you want to start taking ownership of your own health and healing, this is what I suggest for you if you want to start empowering yourself to better health.
1) Know when it's time to see your doctor and when you can try other alternatives: Doctors certainly have their place, and I recommend regular routine check ups to detect any issues early on. I have been so thankful to have the option of antibiotics in cases where they are absolutely necessary for myself and my children. When my daughter had a blood strep infection, antibiotics were the only option- no amount of echinacea or essential oils were going to clear that up. Don't mess with anything you feel may be serious and need medical attention. If it's a cold, flu, allergies, migraines, anxiety or depression or digestive concerns perhaps visiting a naturopath or health-food store for some natural remedies to support the body are in order, rather than heading to the doctor or pharmacy. Always investigate further into what your symptoms are trying to tell you. It is much better to address the root cause of why you have a certain symptom or illness, rather than how to mask the symptoms with pharmaceutical drugs and quick fixes.
2) Educate yourself! Research, go to the library and find books on the subjects of holistic and alternative healing as well as emotional-physical connections to health. Stop handing your health over to others, take ownership! There is much you can do to create health, you know what your body needs to heal. Be determined to find a solution to your health concerns that will heal it at the root. All other avenues are only masking the underlying issues, and the body will manifest them elsewhere if it is not dealt with at the source. Finding the root cause is essential! One side-note: Do not Google your symptoms! Google will almost always tell you that you have cancer or have you believing the worst case scenario, believe me- I have been there many, many times.
3) Take all of your lab results to a naturopath for further assessment: This one is an essential. Every time I get anything tested- I take the results to my naturopath so she can see anything going on that the doctors overlook. And it never fails, the doctors "normal range" needs to be tweaked based on further evaluation. This is a very smart thing to do, as part of working with your family doctor and naturopathic physician.
4) Find your 'whole being' wellness tribe: Having a Naturopath, acupuncturist/Chinese medicine practitioner, massage therapist, holistic health counsellor that can assist you in healing the emotional/mental patterns that are linked to physical symptoms, an energy healing practitioner, yoga and meditation teacher, will assist you greatly in achieving healing and greater inner peace and inner balance. Find your healthcare tribe, and make sure they understand and practice holistic healing principles themselves! The greatest healers, and teachers are the ones that walk the talk in their own lives. Finding the right people that you feel comfortable with, and those that you trust understand your unique set of concerns is also essential. Keep looking until you find your perfect wellness support team.
If I can assist you in creating a wellness plan, or you would like an assessment of your concerns to receive direction, recommendations and a treatment plan about your specific mind-body health connection and symptoms, contact me to book a Breakthrough Session appointment.
I offer holistic wellness coaching sessions that will assist you in determining possible alternative avenues you could try for your current health concerns.
Mention this blog and receive $20 off your initial session.
In health,
Leanne Oaten
Holistic Counsellor- Wellness Coach
www.leanneoaten.com
250-319-3630
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