Any number of educated Health Practitioners may organize key aspects of health into various arrangements and they could be right. I’m going to share my view of this subject and explain it in such a way that I hope leaves you understanding both why it is true, and how it affects the time-frame in which one heals…or doesn’t.
Here are 3 keys that MUST be in order before a chronically ill Patient can really heal, not just get some symptom relief:
1) Sleep—this is common sense to many, especially those who have gone without it for long stretches. Your body needs sleep to heal. Without it, your body barely has the resources and energy to get through the day, much less rebuild itself and restore diminished function. Quality sleep consists of approximately 6-9 hours per night of restful sleep and proper REM activity. An easy way of determining this is how you feel when you wake up about 90% of the time. Do you feel rested and ready to go or do you feel tired or exhausted in the AM?
2) Digestion and Elimination—these two are closely related so fall under one heading. They are THE most important keys, in my opinion, as they provide the necessary energy for all reactions in the body to happen. The digestive system is also the central part of the immune system (your whole body is your immune system). If the digestive system is off, chronic disease ensues.
3) Hormonal imbalance—If the endocrine system is off kilter, the body doesn’t communicate properly and, in many circumstances, that lack of proper communication is enough to slow or stop healing or disrupt immunity, sometimes even having the body attack itself (auto-immunity, which has several potential underlying causes).
When someone presents with a chronic disease, say Crohn’s, or maybe a list of long-standing complaints that haven’t responded to Western Medical care, a comprehensive look into all aspects of history, symptoms, signs and function are necessary.
Having said this, it amazes me how often this is overlooked. It is YOU who are being treated, not a disease label or symptom. An ulcerated colon in 10 different individuals with varying dysfunction, immune weakness or overactivity, endocrine imbalance, sleep issues, digestive problems, etc, will lead to different treatments.
Watch these 10 cases under the scope of the Physician and they are all on steroids and maybe maintenance anti-inflammatories. Look at the same 10 under the scope of the skilled Natural Health Practitioner and the treatment plans will show variance to reflect the specifics of that person’s patterns and root causes.
This isn’t to say there is no value in protocols. It is more about explaining why some people respond well and others, slowly or not at all. Yes, there are other variables that play into this equation, such as whether someone follows instructions to a T or whether they ignore advice, skip appointments, etc. To some, health is not a priority, but rather doing whatever they want, when they want.
These people make horrible Patients and often do not get well. They lie to their Practitioners because they often lie to themselves.
Instead of ditching the destructive behavior and facing their fears, they keep making excuses that frustrate their friends, family and Practitioners to no end…or until their end. Sorry if this sounds harsh, but it is a stark reality and one I have witnessed while working on the Western Medicine side and the Natural Medicine side.
Treating the person and the underlying causes of disease can be difficult. It can be a long, layered process. With proper expectations and setting and reaching small goals, success is often achieved. But only if both Patient and Practitioner are persistent, patient and methodical. Don’t look for the quick fix or invite too many cooks into the kitchen. And never lose sight of these 3 keys I just introduced to you. Make a body ready to heal and in all likelihood, it will, with the proper mindset. (another KEY? You bet it is!)
If you or a loved one have a difficult chronic health issue, please advocate for yourself or your loved one by taking good notes, keeping a health journal where you track diet, exercise (both movement and specific therapeutic exercises given by your healthcare practitioner), measuring symptoms, keeping blood work and other tests available, etc. Questions are also good to keep record of, along with the answers given. Some health recovery trajectories are smooth and steady in their climb, while others are bumpy and have regressions that often lead to frustration and for some, causing them to give up or jump to another Practitioner, only to do the same thing.
No matter whether your trajectory is a smooth or bumpy one, you will find that when you can say your definitively in a healthier place, your sleep, your digestion and elimination and your hormones will also be greatly improved, as it takes these latter states to lead to overall health.
Please work with an experienced and qualified healthcare Practitioner who will help you find and properly treat the roots/causes of your health issues.
Paul Gerst L.Ac. has been helping people recover from difficult chronic health issues for 23 years. He is located in Medway, MA at The Balanced Path Wellness Center. He may be reached at thebalancedpath@gmail.com or by calling 774-283-2726.