As this new year begins, we take another look at our goals — especially our health goals. We are all striving for improved health. We try different things, go different places, read different things and in the end are we still struggling?
The media is rampant with the next “new,” “best” something to improve our health, hopefully with as little effort as possible on our part. But to have good health, there is no quick fix. No one pill that will miraculously restore us to our youth and keep us there for life. We live in a world today where good health is something we have to work at. We have to schedule it into our busy lives — and if we don’t, we pay a price.
The basics are as essential as anything else — get adequate sleep. That means at least eight hours of quality sleep. If that’s not possible there are great ways of restoring quality sleep (we’ll discuss them later) without the need for taking sleep aids. Eat well. That could be a challenge. But the good news is some of the former “taboo foods” are no longer taboo (but unfortunately, there are other taboo foods that you may currently be eating).
Exercise. Not so easy. You need to schedule it in. The basics of good health also mean resolving health issues. Now that could be a challenge. After all, that stubborn health condition has been around for a long time. Lose weight. Now there’s a novel idea. We are inundated with the next best way to lose weight. But has anyone ever taught you WHY you gain weight in the first place? After all, not everyone overeats!
In Coeur d’Alene, there is a very unique facility designed to help you with your health challenges — Vital Health. Owned by Dr. Holly Carling, an integrative health center featuring acupuncture and nutrition as a means of enhancing health. Vital Health is here to serve your health care needs. Vital Health is not a medical facility, it is a health care center.
Let’s go back to those health goals! If you can’t sleep, there is a reason why. The body craves sleep and if it can’t get it we need to find the underlying mechanism preventing sleep. Acupuncture and nutrition are effective in helping resolve sleep issues. Exercise can be helpful as well. Something as simple as sleep deprivation should not be the thing that prevents you from feeling wonderful. Eating well doesn’t have to be a challenge. With common sense education you can learn to eat those things that help the body to heal itself. Instead of living to eat, you learn to eat to live — and to live healthfully. At Vital Health & Fitness the very experienced nutritionists can help you to restore health at a cellular level. Using foods as medicine gives lasting results.
Other common health goals are the desire to quit smoking and/or to quit drinking. Acupuncture is one of the most effective means for eliminating addictive behaviors. According to NADA, acupuncture is 81 percent more effective than any other treatment modality (however, counseling is close behind) for substance abuse with only a one percent recidivism rate (going back to the habit) compared to a national average of 11 percent. That’s because acupuncture can be adapted to treat associated behaviors — reduce anxiety, anger or agitation, the replacement habit of eating, balancing blood sugar (associated with alcoholism), reduce the stress response in the body and improve mood and sense of well being. This of course, is in addition to reducing the cravings.
Our health is our most important commodity. When it comes to investing in it — yes it takes money, and time and commitment — why do we save it for last? We only get one body. When it’s broken down, that’s it. We can replace our car, our home, even our dog, but not our body. Fortunately the body has the unique capacity to heal itself. But it takes the resources to do so.
Vital Health is that resource.
©2008 Holly A. Carling, O.M.D., L.Ac., Ph.D.
