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5 LIES PREVENTING YOU
FROM ACHIEVING OPTIMAL HEALTH
by Rebecca Loach

Introduction

Health is a big issue these days. Obesity, diabetes, depression, cardiovascular disease, hormonal imbalance, and cancer are all on the rise. People are becoming more aware of the health risks that are out there, and looking for solutions to improve their health. There are more gyms, weight loss clubs, medical drugs, vitamins, new medical procedures, and health food stores than ever before. There are hundreds of books, articles, seminars, and television programs about nutrition and health available

Despite all this, most people aren’t functioning at optimal health.
People are waiting too long before they seek out a health program, and then are bombarded with so many choices that they don’t know where to turn. But there is also another factor, one that may be more powerful than any of the others, and that is the power of belief. Even with all of these realities and solutions staring us in the face, it is easy to lie to ourselves…

1 - If I generally feel ok, I don’t need to do anything to improve my health.

Many people believe that health is the absence of illness or disease. They think that unless they have noticeable “symptoms” of a “disease”, they must be healthy. They ignore or explain away symptoms, such as being tired and sluggish, getting regular headaches, having gas and bloating, believing that these are a “normal”. They attribute these “symptoms” to being overworked, overstressed, and not getting enough rest. The large majority of people I meet say that they tire easily, feel sluggish, have trouble getting up in the morning, and always need more sleep. While this can be related to being overworked and getting too little sleep, it can also indicate hormonal imbalances, blood sugar issues, or other health factors that, if left unchecked, could lead to more serious health complaints, including diabetes, heart disease, or thyroid imbalance.

The truth is that many diseases and health conditions do not have noticeable outward signs and symptoms. When was the last time you had so much energy and clarity that you felt like you could just keep going without tiring; working, playing, and spending time with your friends and family?

Do you bounce out of bed in the morning ready for a new day, or do you drag yourself out and spend the day waiting to fall back into bed at night? Our bodies are amazing creations. They are highly adaptable to change and stress, and can make modifications to divert energy to where it is needed most. This leaves the non-critical functions of the body that are also important for our health lacking the nutrients and energy that they need. Reading the small signs and symptoms our body gives off can help determine which direction our health is headed before it would show up on a laboratory test.

As an example of one possible scenario, take the following test. Do any of the following “symptoms” apply to you?

Rate them according to the following scale:
0 = never 1 = rarely 2 = time to time 3 = often

__ Afternoon headaches
__ Get “shaky” if hungry
__ Faintness if meals delayed
__ Heart palpitates if meals missed or delayed
__ Eat when nervous
__ Awaken after a few hours of sleep
__ Hard to get back to sleep
__ Crave candy or coffee in the afternoon
__ Abnormal craving for sweets or snacks
__ Thirsty much of the time
__ History of diabetes
__ Excessive, frequent urination
__ Blurred vision/failing eyesight
__ Breath smells sweet
__ Tingling, numbness, prickling sensation in extremities

How did you rate? I am sure many of you will be surprised. All of these symptoms” are indicative of blood sugar handling issues. While some are more severe than others, many of these are signs and symptoms that people often ignore. It is no real surprise that diabetes is on the rise in North America. Not only do people consume a poor diet and exercise infrequently, they also ignore the little signs that could be leading down this road. The good news is that the road to diabetes is a two way street! With a good health protocol including diet and lifestyle modifications, many symptoms of sugar handling issues can be improved.

If your score was more than 10 points, you may want to start paying attention to your body. Even if you think that your symptoms are just from overwork or lack of sleep, know that these two factors themselves can lead to blood sugar imbalances.

This example is just ONE possible scenario. As I mentioned previously, there are many “sub clinical” signs that our bodies give us to indicate that an imbalance is present. These alone may not seem significant, but taken together and reviewed by a trained professional, can give a lot of insight into the nutritional and physiological functioning of the body. This type of assessment is called Nutritional Symptomatology. It is not meant to be a diagnostic tool for disease or illness, but can give valuable information – a snapshot of how your current dietary and lifestyle habits are working for you. Each section on the questionnaire relates to a separate organ, system, or nutrient. With this information, you can learn an awful lot about what might be going on inside!

If you are tired of settling for “just ok”, contact a Holistic Nutritionist who can give you a more in-depth questionnaire. Together, you can identify areas to strengthen so you can stop feeling “just ok” and start feeling great!

2 - All I have to do is eat a better diet and exercise more to get healthy

Once people determine that they need to take steps to improve their health, they often believe that just eating more vegetables, cutting out junk food, and adding a little exercise will be enough. Yes, these things are all important to your health, but they are not enough. And while this strategy sounds like a great idea, it rarely works out as planned. All the best intentions are laid, but things get in the way. You don’t have the right groceries in the house, so you eat whatever is there. You stay up too late, and decide that you want to sleep in a little rather than exercise. Then you find that there are always much better things to do after work than exercise.

Even if you were to eat a “perfect” diet, however, you would still be lacking vital nutrients. Due to constant farming without time to replenish nutrients used by the crops, the soil that our food is grown in is almost completely depleted of essential trace minerals, especially iodine, selenium, iron, zinc, and chromium. These aren’t just any old minerals; these are important building blocks for our body! Iodine is an essential mineral for proper thyroid function, selenium and zinc are important for the health of the immune system, iron is an important component of hemoglobin in the blood, and chromium is important for the production of insulin. These are certainly not minerals that we want to be without. Plants can survive and grow on fewer mineral levels than humans can. This means that we can see a beautiful, healthy looking fruit or vegetable in front of us, but it may actually contain only a fraction of the amount of nutrients that the same type of food would have contained fifty years ago, and not nearly enough to keep us running optimally.

In addition to being grown on poor soil, the majority of fruits and vegetables are sprayed with herbicides and pesticides. The wax coating applied to fruits and vegetables seals in the pesticides, so that they cannot be washed off the surface of the fruit. Once we eat the fruit or vegetables, these chemicals can get stored in our fat tissues, and stay there for long periods of time, slowly eating away our health. Produce is picked well before it has a chance to ripen. These days, instead of growing ripe and full of flavour and nutrients on a tree, produce ripens in a truck, plane, or boat, often traveling long distances from the place it was grown to your supermarket. Add to that the additional time it spends in the shipping and receiving area, before it is placed to sit on the grocery store display. That’s a lot of time from the tree to the table!

Not only does the early picking prevent the foods from attaining their optimal nutrient levels, but as soon as the produce is picked from its tree or vine, the nutrients inside start to deplete. Without sun and nourishment from the rest of the plant, the produce won’t contain nearly the amount of vitamin C or chlorophyll that it would if ripened on the tree. Studies have shown that levels of vitamin C in many oranges at our supermarkets are almost nonexistent! While organic foods are often a better option, as they have the promise of no added chemical sprays, if they have been grown on nutrient poor soils and traveled long distances, they too are lacking vital nutrients. If you are able to grow your own totally organic fruits and vegetables on mineral rich soils, and pick them right before you eat, then and only then can this lie become a truth.

We have not even gotten to one very important issue – the idea of biochemical individuality. Biochemical individuality is another way of saying that we are all unique. We digest, absorb, and assimilate food and nutrients differently from one another. This is related to genetics, our environment, how our digestive systems function, how much stress we are under, and many other factors. Taking all of these factors into account, what I am about to say next will make perfect sense to you: There is no such thing as a perfect or balanced diet. This concept is a myth. If we are all different, how can there be a one-size-fits-all solution for everyone? Yes, there are some common themes such as lots of green vegetables, complex carbohydrates instead of simple carbohydrates, animal versus vegetable proteins, etc. Not everyone will do well on a strictly vegetarian diet. Not everyone will be able to strive on a meat-containing diet.

Raw food versus cooked, blood types, metabolic types, food allergies and sensitivities… the factors go on and on. So you see, the lie of just eating well and exercising more is much more complex than you think! There is no ideal diet for everyone – your own personal and completely unique diet that works for you in your teens may be different in your twenties, and change again as you approach middle age. The checklist below gives some general dietary guidelines to help you get started, but you will need to use some trial and error. A consultation with a Holistic Nutritionist who understands the idea of biochemical individuality can help you identify your unique nutrient needs.

At least 4 cups of vegetables daily, with an emphasis on dark green leafy vegetables.
Ensure that you are getting foods from all groups – good proteins, complex carbohydrates, and essential fats.
Do not omit any one group thinking that it will help you lose weight – it will cause some weight loss, but in an imbalanced way that will also cause a risk to your health. Proteins, fats, and carbohydrates all play a very specific role in our bodies, and we cannot be without one of them.
Eat at least 2 whole proteins a day, whether they are from animal or vegetable proteins.
Stay away from artificial flavours, colours, and sugars. These are not easily recognized by the body, and no matter what the advertisements say they are not safe for human consumption. Choose natural sweeteners like stevia, agave nectar, maple syrup, and honey instead.
Minimize caffeine and alcohol – these will interfere with your blood sugar and stress out your adrenal glands, which are likely already overworked.
Drink 8-10 glasses of pure water daily to keep well hydrated. Water is the fluid in which all chemical reactions take place in the body. Without it, we cannot thrive. Simply increasing your water intake can have a huge impact on your health.
30 – 40 minutes of aerobic exercise (walking, biking, swimming, dancing, etc.) at least 3 times per week, with at least 10 minutes of exercise daily.
Resistance exercise (weights) at least 2 times per week to help maintain muscle mass and bone density.

3 - I can buy any old store brand vitamin and save lots of money

While the price per bottle on a store brand vitamin is much lower than the exclusive brands that health care practitioners carry, sometimes you get what you pay for. Next time you are out shopping for your bargains, take a look at all of the ingredients in your supplements. Most people just look at the levels of vitamins, and they ignore the “other” ingredients listed on the package. In order to offer these pills all low prices, there can be a sacrifice in the quality and quantity of the essential ingredients. Many store brand supplements have fillers, binders, chemical preservatives, artificial colours, and even sugar added.

You need to take into consideration the quality of the actual “active ingredient”. Where did they get their raw materials? What sort of testing do they do on the supplements beforehand? As for price, if you take into consideration the profit the retailer makes, the profit the manufacturer makes, cost of manufacturing, packaging, advertising, transportation, and other factors, how much of that $12.99 that you paid for a bottle of nutrients was spent on the actual quality ingredients?

As a practitioner, I do extensive research on a company and their products before I decide whether to recommend them to my clients. From my science background and various jobs working in the laboratories for manufacturing companies, I know that sometimes the ingredients are the same, and sold at different prices, based on the brand name. But sometimes there are huge differences in quality and care of materials put into a product. Companies with nothing to hide will either have information listed on their websites, or will be happy to answer questions about the sources of their raw materials and what sort of testing is done on each batch of product to ensure that it is free of chemicals, bacteria, heavy metals, and other contaminants.

This is another area where biochemical individuality comes into play. Just like there is no one ideal diet that works for everyone, there is also no one ideal supplement or “dosage” that works for everyone. We all digest, absorb, and assimilate vitamins at different rates, and what works for some people may not work for others. When I am working with a client, I generally use Electrodermal Screening or other methods to ensure that the nutritional supplements and remedies they are taking are actually helping them, and not harming them. You would be surprised to learn how many times I have taken what seems to be a great supplement only to find that it would cause more harm than good at a particular time for a client. The body is very intelligent, and it knows what it needs. There is an order and a procedure to follow when healing, and your body is the greatest teacher. I have tested many products for people. It is not always the expensive brands that test well, and it is not always the supplement that deals with the symptoms that they have that will be the best one for them at a particular time either.

The worst thing someone can do is go to a store, read all the labels and say, “this product is for Candida, I have Candida”. Even if it sounds like the product deals with your exact problem, it may not be what your body wants to deal with right now. The best way to determine what your body needs is to get tested, and to see a practitioner who can help you prioritize your particular health issues and start building a foundation on which you can build yourself up to optimal health.

I have seen many clients who come into my office with bags full of supplements that they have tried. When I look at all they have brought in, it is no wonder they haven’t gotten any better. They have just gone to the store, found something that “sounded like what I needed” and started taking it. Often these people are taking twenty things for twenty different problems, instead of focusing their efforts where the body needs it most. The body can easily become overwhelmed with all of the input it is being given.

For more information about nutritional supplements,
please see the links below:

www.nutritional-supplement-truths.com
Site providing information on what to look
for when choosing a nutritional supplement.

www.newstarget.com/012427.html
Article titled “Vitamin warning!
Some nutritional supplements use hydrogenated oils as filler”.

www.cncvitamost.com
Supplement company available to Practitioners and Customers.
Note that they put their Quality Assurance Testing on their homepage.

4 - I don’t have time to take on something new, and I never stick to anything anyway…

Believing in this lie ensures that you will not improve your health. In fact, thoughts like these can actually have a detrimental effect on your health. By not looking for time and opportunities to make improvements in your life, you are ensuring failure. One reason people often believe in this lie is a self-worth issue. “I don’t have time to take on anything for ME”. They feel guilty for taking time out of their schedule to be doing something for themselves. They feel that they should be spending this time working, doing chores, or something else. What about you? If a friend, relative, or even an acquaintance asked for time or help with an issue surrounding their health, would you find the time to help? Why won’t you direct this caring attitude towards yourself?

Another part of this lie is about prioritizing. If your health were really important to you, you would make time. Do you have time for hobbies, or sports, watching TV, chatting on the phone? Perhaps these are areas that you could work with to prioritize. If you find that these activities are not able to be rescheduled, then at least be honest with yourself – it’s not that you don’t have time, it’s that you don’t think that your health is important enough to make time.

If you were never able to stick to anything, then you wouldn’t be able to hold down a job, a relationship, your lawn would be overgrown, and your house a disaster. What about those sports, hobbies, and other traditions you might have? If you never stuck to anything, you certainly wouldn’t have any regular activities. You would be a wanderer, never settling down, never watching the same TV show, never reading a book by the same author twice, never putting gas in your car, and so on. This is definitely a lie that many people fall into, and one that just simply isn’t true. It’s an excuse, a way out. New habits do take a little getting used to, but if you are dedicated and you put your mind to it, it will become easy. Investors say pay yourself first; put a little money away each month, and make it automatic. You won’t even miss that money, but it will be certainly doing good things for you in a savings account gaining interest. Your health is also an investment. If you start taking a little time every day, and make it automatic, the investment will pay off. If you can get through the first 2-3 weeks of this new habit, it can easily become a habit for life. Not only will you have a greater sense of health and well-being, but you will also have a huge sense of accomplishment, which can be a boost to your self-esteem. You can do it!

Not making your health and well-being a priority can cost you a lot more time in the long run. Waiting until the problem is unmanageable can cost you time away from work, time away from your family and friends, and time away from the things that you enjoy doing as you struggle with aches, pains, low energy, and other symptoms that could have easily been helped with a good health program.

It takes a little time and effort to create new habits, but the rewards are definitely worth it. In fact, following a healing strategy plan that ensures you feel the top of your game can actually save you time! It can improve your overall health, give you more energy, clarity, efficiency, and the ability to make faster decisions. And a healing strategy plan doesn’t just take the physical into account. Making a few changes to improve your health affects your body, mind, and soul. A little effort can go a long way to making you feel less overwhelmed, more satisfied with your life, and more accomplished due to your newfound energy and vitality.

Take a moment to reflect on areas of your health that you would like to improve on. This can include something as simple as having more energy, clarity, and focus, or getting rid of chronic aches and pains.

What are these challenges costing you? Time away from work and family?
__________________________________________________________

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What would it feel like to not have these health issues anymore?

__________________________________________________________

What are you willing to do to make it happen?

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Write down 3 small things that you can do to make more time in your life to address the areas mentioned above.

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5 - I can do this alone

This is a lie that people buy into for many reasons. We want to believe that we can do it alone so that we don’t have to humble ourselves to ask for help, because we think that asking for help will show weakness, or maybe even because we are embarrassed by the issues we are facing. Other reasons can include thinking that working with someone else will take more time than working alone, or will cost too much. Whatever the reason, believing in this lie can lead to frustration, wasted time, and discouragement. After all, if this was true, and you could do it on your own, then why haven’t you done it already?

The truth is that even health practitioners turn to other health practitioners for guidance. It is impossible to be totally objective about yourself. It is human nature to look for the easy way out and take shortcuts. Seeing a practitioner can help you stay on track and stay focused on your particular health challenges.

Asking for guidance and support is also a sign of commitment. It is a sign that you value yourself enough to let someone else into your life, and that you think that you are worth not only your own time and effort, but also the time and effort of another individual. This is a truly great gift that you can give yourself.

Working with a professional gives you accountability, guidance, and encouragement. It also saves time. If you had to rewire your house, would you spend all of the time researching and learning how to do it, or would you hire an experienced electrician who could get the job done in half the time? Imagine the frustration when you get to the hardware store, and you don’t know which wire to buy. There are many wires and switches to choose from, but which one is the one you need? What if you did the work yourself, bought all the equipment and the parts, and realized that they didn’t work together? Or you spent all that time working on it, and when you flipped the switch, the lights didn’t go on? Health practitioners are people who have taken the time to research, learn, and study in the field of health, and have experience working with clients on these areas. A good practitioner can easily help identify issues and solutions, and direct you on the right path. This can range from simply helping you develop a good nutritional and supplement plan to address your general health, to someone who can meet with you regularly and work with you closely to guide, encourage, and support you on your way to achieving optimal health.Have you tried to make improvements to your health and been less successful than you hoped? What are some areas that an experienced and knowledgeable health practitioner could help you with?

After reading these 5 Lies, take some time to reflect on what you have read. Which lie do you relate to the most? Why?

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What have you learned about your attitudes towards improving your health?

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After thinking critically about your attitudes towards improving your health, what are some ways in which you can start turning around these lies?

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What are the “truths” for you regarding your ability to strive for and achieve optimal health?

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Rebecca Loach works with clients who are struggling to gain control over their digestive health. She is a Registered Nutritional Consultant, and the owner of Health In Your Hands Nutritional Consulting and Wellness in Waterloo, Ontario.

After graduating with a Bachelor of Science degree in Biochemistry from the University of Waterloo, Rebecca worked in a graduate research laboratory for six months until struggles with digestive issues caused her to look deeper into her own health. This directed her to the field of Holistic Health. She earned a diploma of Holistic Nutrition from the Edison Institute of Nutrition, and is registered with the International Organization of Nutritional Consultants. Rebecca’s continuing education has included studying at the International College of BioEnergetic Medicine, becoming a Reiki Master, and learning EMF Balancing Technique.

Rebecca’s background in the analytical sciences combined with her training and expertise in holistic healing modalities gives her a unique view on the ways in which the body is able to heal itself. Her caring and compassionate nature is complemented by her humour and charismatic attitude, allowing her to work with her clients to help them achieve the best overall health possible.

To find out if you are eligible for a free 20-minute Health Reality Check, please email your answers to the questions in Lie 4 and 5 to info@healthinyourhands.ca. Rebecca will review your comments and, if you are eligible, will email a time for your free session. For more information about Rebecca Loach, please visit www.healthinyourhands.ca.