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“Food is your most important prescription” is what I often tell my patients. A pill might be necessary but should be implemented at the top rungs of the ladder climb to wellness, not as first line therapy or mono therapy. Proper nutrition, sleep, movement, and emotional and spiritual health are the key to achieving maximum wellness and quality of life. A pill is created for preventing or muting a disease process but does not guarantee wellness or improved well being. Traditional medicine focuses on treating disease while functional medicine looks at the root causes of disease and focuses on achieving maximum wellness.

The important thing is to take charge of one’s health by starting with small changes. When grocery shopping, a good rule of thumb is that if it exists in a bottle, can, box, or bag the food is automatically questionable. The best place in the grocery store to find the most nutritious foods is the outer perimeter. This is where fresh whole vegetables, fruits, meats, seafood, eggs, and dairy are generally located. 

Grocery stores with bulk food options are also a great way to save money on whole grains, nuts, and seeds that can be purchased in larger quantities. Organic, local, and non-GMO foods are always preferred but understandably these are not always options in some areas. Frozen vegetables without added ingredients can be a good affordable alternative where fresh produce may be lacking. Yes, processed foods may cost less, but the cost of healthcare continues to escalate and will likely outpace the added cost of taking healthy preventative measures now.

Daily movement is also necessary to maintain physical function, improve sleep, increase metabolism, and improve emotional health. I have my patients start with small sustainable goals, such as walking at lunch, walking the golf course, or joining a local dance class with a friend. Yoga is an alternative that can be done with an online video at home and is easily adaptable to a variety of abilities. The important thing is to move every day, starting with as little as 10 minutes and increasing from there.

Sleep is critical and a non-negotiable element of optimizing health. If sleep is difficult, improving nutrition and increasing daily physical activity is often enough for some people to discover dramatic improvement. Sleep hygiene is also critical. Sleep should occur in a relaxing environment, in a cool dark bedroom that is absent from electronic devices, televisions, and mobile phones. It’s important to establish a regular bed time and rising time. Supplements such as magnesium glyconate 350-400mg and melatonin 3-6mg taken 30-60 minutes before bed can also help promote a restful nights sleep. 

Tobacco and alcohol use can also disrupt cellular health that contributes to heart disease, chronic respiratory illnesses, heart disease, bone loss, and poor mental health. For example, tobacco cessation can often stunt or reverse the course of chronic illness, and in some cases, decrease an individual’s pill burden, while improving well being and quality of life. It’s important to ask why dependence on alcohol or tobacco has become so important and then seek guidance from a health care professional for cessation support.

At this point, many of my patients who start with these initial changes find they are losing weight, sleeping better, have increased energy, and their mental health improves dramatically. Mental, spiritual, and physical health cannot be separated. The body is a whole and must be treated as such. People will model those they spend their time around. The first goal is to engage in healthy affirming relationships, breaking off those that are toxic, and seek help from a counselor, minister, healthcare provider, and/or a trusted family member. It’s also vital to take care of one’s own mental and physical health first. 

An emotionally drained and physically compromised person can offer little benefit to someone else. This may require learning to say “no”, taking regular work breaks to breathe deeply, eating a healthy meal, or standing to stretch. Spiritual health is vital; knowing one’s purpose and worth is a key element in determining readiness for change and being able to release unhealthy control. It’s also important to recognize the signs of burnout and seek help early. 

Sometimes lifestyle changes, while the most important first step to achieving maximum wellness, may not be enough alone. A functional medicine practitioner can assist with balancing hormones, detoxification, incorporating traditional medicine when needed, and weeding out root causes of persistent health disrupters. All is required is a readiness to change and to value maximum health over simply treating disease.