Resilience: Physical Health

One thing the pandemic has reminded us is

that physical health is crucial to surviving change.

Dr. Graves calls this wake-up call a golden opportunity to get healthier and overcome what you have been struggling with or settling for. 

Through taking a health inventory, deciding on what type of health care provider(s) you should turn to, and then taking action, you can begin to feel better and get stronger.

1. Taking a Health Inventory

It can be difficult to know what to optimize if you don’t know where you are currently at.  This is why we recommend taking a personal health inventory as a starting point.

Although you may have an issue(s) outside of these areas, the following physical aspects play a significant role in your overall optimal health:

1. Sleep

2. Digestion

3. Heart Health

4. Brain Health

5. Hormones

6. Libido

7. Skin

8. Energy

9. Pain

10. Allergies

11. Weight

12. Diet

13. Exercise

Go ahead and rate them on a scale of 1-10 (click here to print out our PDF Inventory Form).

Do you notice any that are at or below a 7?

Then it may be time to work on getting that score up.

Start by choosing one area you’d like to focus on and answer the following:

            – Why did you rate it what you did? 

            – What issue(s) do you have in regards to that area? 

            – What do you wish could change? 

            – Why have you been settling for average rather than optimizing? 

            – What do you need to do to find relief and healing?

Taking a look at these questions can allow us to understand where we should put our efforts, what we hope to accomplish for our health, and why we may not have addressed it previously, or, to our liking.

Acknowledge what isn’t at an optimal level and commit to figuring out what the root cause is, seeking treatment with the right health care provider.

2. Deciding on Health Care Providers

Pre-COVID-19, most of us were okay being in average health – which is what traditional western medicine strives for.  Much of the current health care system wants to know if you are sick or not, desires test results in normal ranges, and treats you only if you have symptoms or disease.

But with this new virus, we can’t settle for that.  It’s vital to find your optimal test results, striving for healing as well as prevention.

What health care approach is best for you in the areas that need support?

Consider:

– what traditional western medicine can offer (such as testing, diagnosis, prescription drugs for symptoms, surgery, rehabilitation)

– what naturopathic medicine can offer (such as testing, diagnosis and healing of the root cause, acupuncture, herbal supplements, cupping and massage)

– what specialists can offer (such as testing, a specialized diagnosis, and western medicine treatment)

Sometimes, western medicine is the right choice for your issue (think an infection or serious disease), while at other times naturopathic medicine may be an option that you never knew you had (possibly for sleep, pain, anxiety or depression, hormones, as well as many diseases and illnesses).

And still, other issues may get treated best by a combination of both western and naturopathic medicine and may even include a specialist.  Dr. Graves works together with many western doctors to provide complementary treatment, allowing an individual to get holistic health care from a variety of practitioners.

Keep in mind what your area of challenge is, what you have tried in the past, and what you are searching for going forward.

3. Taking Action

So maybe you’ve been:

– dealing with back pain so you take an over-the-counter daily

– keeping in the anxiety you’ve been feeling so you’ve added an extra glass of wine to your nightly routine

– reaching for a prescription because you just need to sleep

It’s amazing how we can adapt our lives to fit our struggles rather than deal with our struggles so we can get on with our lives.

But now…it’s time to take action.

You’ve recognized what needs attention, have decided on what health care approach you want to take, so now it’s time to do it.

Think about what your next step is and then do it, considering it might be:

– researching your issue

– making an appointment with a doctor (Dr. Graves for a free 15 minute consultation, western medicine, or specialist)

– take your inventory form to Dr. Graves or your general practitioner

– getting testing done

– following through with recommended therapies, including counseling

There can be a variety of things that keep us from taking action such as fear, a busy schedule, budget, and lack of knowledge or resources so make sure to look at these things closely to see what you need to do to make your action plan happen. 

Are you ready to get better?

This time of change can inspire us to get healthier – take advantage of it.

If you are looking for a naturopathic doctor and you live in Castle Rock, Castle Pines, Lone Tree, Highlands Ranch, Parker, Centennial, Larkspur, Monument, Colorado Springs, or the greater Denver metro area, Dr. Graves may be the perfect choice.

Please call us at (303) 688-6698 or click here to schedule a complimentary 15 minute phone consultation to learn about what you’d like to optimize and for him to share guidance on what may help.