The Top 5 Mistakes People Make on the Way to Healing and What to Do Instead
1. Starting an Elimination Diet Without the Help of a Trained Practitioner
The Mistake: Following an elimination diet on your own can leave you feeling restricted, hungry, irritable, and frustrated. It also puts you at risk for nutrient insufficiencies and could worsen your condition by not addressing the cause of your health concerns.
What to Do Instead: Elimination diets certainly have their place, but there is no one-size-fits-all approach. In fact, an elimination diet may not be what you need at all! Seek the help of a trained practitioner who can guide you through a prescriptive diet safely. If an elimination diet is what you need, a trained nutritionist will help you plan balanced meals to ensure you are not missing out on essential nutrients. Professional guidance can also assist in reintroducing foods methodically to identify possible triggers.
2. Guessing Instead of Testing
The Mistake: Many people try to diagnose their health issues based on symptoms, information they find online, or by talking with friends and family, leading to inaccurate conclusions and ineffective treatments.
What to Do Instead: Get proper testing done. Functional testing like stool, hormone, nutrient, and nutrigenomic assessments (how nutrition and genes interact) are an investment in your health. Results from these tests can provide a clear picture of your health and guide effective treatment plans.
3. Trying to Supplement Your Way Out of Poor Health
The Mistake: Relying heavily on supplements to correct health problems can be tempting, but it often overlooks the root causes of your issues. Supplements can’t replace a balanced diet and healthy lifestyle and if they aren’t targeted to your specific needs and bioindividuality, they likely aren’t doing much to improve your health.
What to Do Instead: Targeted, medical-grade supplements should be personalized to your symptoms, test results, health and nutrition goals. Work with a practitioner who will provide you access to reputable dispensaries that provide third-party audits that verify ingredient sourcing. Supplements from these companies are tested for potency, purity, and contaminants like heavy metals, pesticides, and mycotoxins.
4. Not Addressing Lifestyle Factors Like Sleep, Stress, and Physical Activity
The Mistake: Ignoring the significant impact of lifestyle factors on health. Poor sleep, high stress, and lack of physical activity can derail your healing efforts, no matter how good your diet is.
What to Do Instead: Prioritize a holistic approach to health. Ensure you get adequate sleep and work to optimize your circadian rhythm, manage stress through techniques like mindfulness or therapy, and engage in regular physical activity. These lifestyle factors are foundational to healing and overall well-being.
5. Overlooking Mental and Emotional Health
The Mistake: Focusing solely on physical symptoms while neglecting mental and emotional health. Healing is often seen purely as a physical journey, but mental and emotional well-being are equally important.
What to Do Instead: Incorporate mental and emotional health practices into your healing plan. This could include therapy, mindfulness meditation, journaling, or support groups. Addressing past traumas, managing anxiety, and nurturing your emotional health through supportive and loving relationships can significantly enhance your overall healing process.
Remember, the goal isn’t perfection. Allow yourself grace and patience as the ebb and flow of life can sometimes knock us out of balance. Over time and with the right guidance and tools, it’ll be easier to get back on track.
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