Veronica Nabizadeh
In order to have a frank and honest discussion about personal healthcare, five axioms need to be understood: 1) Our state of health is our responsibility and choice. 2) Beyond healthy genetic endowments, there are no shortcuts to being healthy. 3) We need to want to be healthy. 4) We need to have some degree of belief that we can do something about it. 5) And finally, we need to know that our environments are often laden with toxicity. There is both toxicity from individuals causing undue stress, and from harmful chemicals in our air, food, and water that are sabotaging our health.
Julie, a 52-year-old female with a relatively healthy lifestyle and support system, sought holistic evaluation because she noticed her hair wasn’t as thick as it used to be, and she felt somewhat lackluster. She became a little defensive about paying out of pocket for having labs drawn in order to determine whether there was a micronutrient or hormonal imbalance. However, insurance only pays for 11th-hour medicine. Meaning, it supports reimbursable procedures, diagnostic tests, and medications when the physician is treating a disease. There are no payable diagnostic codes for a holistic, prophylactic approach.
As part of our Personal Restart protocol, we complete an extensive questionnaire and lengthy interview with our clients. With Julie, we found out that she lived in her house while it was being renovated. She had recently adopted two young toddlers. Naturally, she needed to be healthy for them. Though she loved her children, the change in itself was a source of constant stress, and living in one’s household when undergoing renovations is stressful enough, in multiple ways.
Among other things, chemicals off-gassing from the new carpet, paint, and glue were taking a toll on her thyroid. This explained why she noticed her hair thinning. She was also extremely low in Vitamin D. This was primarily due to her 40-hour week at her desk job and preferring to stay inside in order to avoid Florida’s infamous no-see-ums. Vitamin D is like a hormone, in that it supports our immune system and mental status. This explains why she felt lackluster.
Julie is a young 52 year old but was feeling old due to constantly breathing in toxic air. With Florida’s heat, most of us don’t leave our doors or windows open, despite that VOC, or volatile organic compound, concentrations are significantly higher indoors than out, according to the EPA. So, this terrible toxic air is continuously recirculating and supplying us with our oxygen intake.
Julie was shocked when we helped her find an air purifier that handles all VOCs. This too, was an expense she hadn’t anticipated, but now knowing what she learned, she decided to take action. She was willing. House plants are another great way to clean your inside air.
Julie was smart in that she called and made an appointment. She took responsibility for her own health, and after being educated, made many sustainable decisions in the best interest of herself and her family. If you are not taking any responsibility for your choices and activities, in physical, emotional and spiritual realms, you cannot blame the system for your bad or declining state of health.
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