Determinants of Health #3 Nutrition

I could probably talk about food and digestion for hours! Obviously what we put into our body all day every day has an impact on our overall health.

This determinant includes what we ingest as well as how well we digest. If you have severely compromised digestion, it does not matter how well you eat if your body cannot absorb and utilize it.

This topic is so dense that I will stick to a few basic points.

1.    What you eat matters. Period.

2.    Diet is everything you put into your mouth. I approach food in terms of sustainable lifestyle changes instead of fad, temporary or crash “diets.”

3.    There is no “best diet” for everyone – I work with patients to optimize their diet based on their individual health needs, age, activity level, cultural background and food preferences.

4.    Changing what you eat is a gradual and challenging process. Food is intertwined with our history, memories, convenience, access, knowledge and means. Be patient with the process.

5.    Keep an open mind and you may be astonished at the changes you notice. I have used dietary changes to benefit a wide array of conditions – gut health, headaches, sinus/allergy issues, menstrual pain, migraines, sleep issues, anxiety, depression, arthritis and more!

Naturopathic doctors take a comprehensive look at your health. We ask about the many factors that influence health, which we term “The determinants of health.” Taking a patient-centered approach lets us build a comprehensive plan to help patients achieve their health goals.

Are you looking for a new kind of partnership with your primary care provider? If you are ready to start or revitalize your health journey, you are in the right spot! Check out my bio to get in touch. I offer free 15-minute consultation calls to answer your initial questions. Convenient telehealth appointments are available from the comfort of your own home.

#naturalmedicine #naturopathicmedicine #healing #drjesskeating#willowclinic #telehealth #holisticmedicine #healthjourney #foodismedicine #healthylife #health #goodfood #nodiets

Determinants of Health #2 Hydration

This is such a fundamental determinant of our health that it is easy to forget about it. The body is approximately 60% water so it bears remembering! Water is essential for many of the routine day-to-day tasks that your body carries out like producing energy and disposing of waste products. Water is crucial on a macro level as well as it influences stool quality, bowel movements, skin elasticity and texture as well as ability to focus. The brain is largely water and inadequate intake is a common cause of headaches. Water is a key component of joint fluid and keeps our joints working smoothly.

 About 50% of our blood volume is water. Blood is like a superhighway that delivers oxygen and nutrients throughout the body as well as taking away waste products.  

 How much water do you consume? What other beverages do you drink throughout the day? Do you feel hydrated?

 I typically recommend about 60-80 oz of hydrating fluids for the average person. This amount goes up with increased size (height, weight, muscle mass), physical activity, climate (hot and dry) and season. Hydrating fluids include: electrolyte mix, herbal tea, coconut water, nut milks, lemonade, juice and of course pure, clean water.

Naturopathic doctors take a comprehensive look at your health. We ask about the many factors that influence health, which we term “The determinants of health.” Taking a patient-centered approach lets us build a partnership together to help patients achieve their health goals.

 Are you looking for a new kind of partnership with your primary care provider? If you are ready to start or revitalize your health journey, you are in the right spot! Check out my bio to get in touch. I offer free 15-minute consultation calls to answer your initial questions. Convenient telehealth appointments are available from the comfort of your own home.

#naturalmedicine #naturopathicmedicine #healing #drjesskeating  #willowclinic #telehealth #holisticmedicine #healthjourney #foodismedicine #healthylife #health #water #waterislife

Determinants of Health. #1 Breath

What is the thing that will kill you the fastest when deprived of it? While some of you may be tempted to say "love", physiologically it is air. When it comes to survival, there is a commonly accepted "rule of threes." You can survive for 3 minutes without oxygen, 3 hours without shelter (in harsh conditions), 3 days without water and 3 weeks without food. The point of this (beyond the fact that I love survival facts) is to highlight the importance of breath.

Some of the ways that breath gets disrupted are respiratory disorders: Asthma, COPD, pneumonia, cystic fibrosis, collapsed lung, etc. But even without lung disease, this determinant is often less than optimal. As a society, we tend to consciously or unconsciously “suck in our gut.” This means disrupting the normal movement of the diaphragm – the large muscle that drops down to open up the lungs and allow them to fully inflate. It turns us into “chest breathers” where we raise our shoulders to take a deep breath and this gives the lungs much less room to move.

A great experiment is to get a pulse oximeter – a small device that clips onto a finger and shows pulse and oxygen saturation. Our blood should maintain a 98-100% saturation of oxygen but this dips if we are not breathing well or have a lung disorder. I often have patients watch as their oxygen saturation goes from 95% to 98% with a couple of deep belly breaths. I frequently train patients how to properly breathe again. Many patients are surprised that something so fundamental like breathing could be functioning sub-optimally.

Breath affects our mood and energy levels – without enough oxygen, you may feel fatigued or un-motivated. A lack of deep breathing can also cause or worsen feelings of anxiety.

Naturopathic doctors take a comprehensive look at your health. We ask about the many factors that influence health which we term “The determinants of health.” Taking a patient-centered approach lets us build a partnership together to help patients achieve their health goals.

 Are you looking for a new kind of partnership with your primary care provider? If you are ready to start or revitalize your health journey, you are in the right spot! Check out my bio to get in touch. I offer free 15-minute consultation calls to answer your initial questions. Convenient telehealth appointments are available from the comfort of your own home.

#naturalmedicine #naturopathicmedicine #healing #drjesskeating  #willowclinic #telehealth #holisticmedicine #healthjourney #foodismedicine #healthylife #health #breath