What do I mean by this? On an obvious level I’m talking about not being trapped in a body that doesn’t function the way you need it to, or more importantly, how it was designed to. Optimal health is not just the absence of disease, it is also:
- falling asleep naturally and waking up feeling refreshed
- having enough energy to take charge of your life and pursue your goals (without a caffeine drip)
- making food choices based on what will nourish your body (rather than deplete it)
- being physically able to do any activity you’d like (i.e. hiking, pickleball, taking the stairs, tying your shoes)
- being able to regulate and predict your emotions (rather than being controlled by them)
- going places or traveling without worrying about what might happen with regard to your health (what if I forget my meds? or what if there isn’t a close bathroom?)
- pursuing/fostering healthy relationships and forming a mutually beneficial community
- realizing you have value as an amazing electric/energetic being (rather than just a rat in a maze)
From my perspective as a clinician, optimal health is also:
- metabolic flexibility- this means your body is able to efficiently use all different sources of energy and even supply its own when necessary
- ability to detox- this is crucial since we are living in a profoundly toxic environment
- an intact immune system- one that protects you and doesn’t work against you (autoimmunity)
- good mitochondrial function- remember from 7th grade biology? The mitochondria is the powerhouse of the cell (more on this and general cellular efficiency in a future post)
So when I say freedom I’m really talking about freedom from the time and energy it takes for doctor’s appointments, planning medication refills for your eternal meds, figuring out how you’re going to accomplish all of your responsibilities on very limited energy, google searching your condition(s), being controlled by food cravings and your appetite (hangry much?), laying in bed unable to fall asleep knowing you will (once again) be exhausted tomorrow, having uncontrollable moods (depression/anxiety) that interfere in your ability to just exist, falling asleep at the wrong time or oversleeping, desperately wanting to lose (or gain) weight without results, feeling overwhelmed by stress, skin that breaks out on just the right day, brain fog so bad you forget what you’re doing, canceling plans to socialize because you don’t feel well, periods (or bowels) that have a mind of their own… the list goes on. It’s possible to spend a ton of time and energy trying to figure out how to get it your body to just function ‘normally’.
The body is designed to heal itself and exist in optimal health. Functional medicine provides this freedom.
What would you be able to do with all your spare time and energy if you were optimally healthy? I would love to see your comments below.
