Foundations of Health- Boosting Immunity and Optimizing Health

So many people focus their attention on nutrition and exercise to accomplish their health goals. However, there are so may other facets that contribute to overall health that must be addressed and balanced. If you are enrolled in a “program”, have a “coach” selling you a “system”, or following a “plan” and foundations are missing…so is your chance for optimal health.

Life Coach Tulsa educates clients about the core values of the Foundations of Health and how each one impacts long-term health. As a Certified Functional Medicine Health Coach and a Certified Natural Health Professional, I continually see someone jumping down a rabbit hole based on a before and after picture with zero forethought to to the actual training of their leader. Don’t get me wrong…bigger smiles and smaller waistlines are fantastic victories and I get them too for my clients plus all the other victories like better sleep, better bowel movements, emotional balance, and lower toxic loads. I still see signs of health struggles with other program outcomes. The neglect of the foundational aspects of optimal health and wellness beyond nutrition and exercise cannot create sustainable results. You will experience short term positive gains with long term negative consequences unless foundations are strengthened and balanced.

What are the Foundations of Health?

1. Nutrition

2. Hydration

3. Movement

4. Sleep

5. Elimination

6. Stress/Emotional Wellness

How does each foundation impact my health?

1. Nutrition is fuel for our life processes and communication to each cell about what our body’s need. Creating mindfulness around food is a focus for Life Coach Tulsa so that clients understand how to establish a better relationship with food. “Programs” and “plans” promoting a line of pre-packaged foods, shakes, powders, or snack bars are missing a brilliant opportunity to educate their clients. Be cautious of becoming reliant on food lines because you will either become a customer for life or not achieve lasting results. You should be hearing phrases like, “Non-GMO, Organic, Grass-fed, or  Anti-inflammatory” as well as “Personalized, Unique, Diverse, Budget-friendly, Clean 15 and Dirty Dozen“. This knowledge gives you the power to carry on a lifestyle change that fits your life forever. That is powerful change!

–Does your “coach” teach you how to eat or sell you packaged food?

–Is your “coach” helping you understand the power of food or to count…points, calories, carbs?

–Is your “plan”, “program”, “system” empowering you to balance alkaline and acidic foods?

2. Hydration helps support ALL body chemical processes. Your body requires a certain level of hydration in order to carry out all the important processes to keep us balanced and healthy. We are liquid beings and must replenish the fluid as it is used up and eliminated from our bodies. You should be encouraged to “Drink half your body weight in ounces of pure water every day”. Your hydration affects the pH of your body which shows digestive health and liver function.

–Is your “coach” teaching you how to balance your pH?

-Do you discuss water filters?

3. Movement is beneficial to health in a variety of ways beyond calories burned, weight loss, or muscles bulging. Movement aids in the detoxification of the body because the lymph system requires physical movement to operate. Aside from the physical movement itself, the sweating that can occur is also an elimination pathway for toxins. Your “coach” should meet you where you are with a movement plan based on your personal needs and health status. Life Coach Tulsa hears it all the time…”Working out is my stress relief.”. Which tells me we need to check in with the adrenals to see if we are causing more harm than good with our workout style choice. You should be hearing statements like, “Exercise is not a one size fits all.”, “Cross-fit is a great choice but may not fit your current season in health.”, “Regular periods of movement throughout the day is best.”, “Recovery from exercise is more important than the activity itself.”.

–Does your current “health advisor” only advocate for one style of workout?

-Are you having conversations about toxic load with your “coach”?

-Is your “program”, “system”, or “plan” educating you about benefits of different styles of exercise?

4.  Sleep is a foundation of health because this is time used by the body to heal and recover. The body is allowed the opportunity to detoxify when we are sleeping and rebalance from the stress of the day. Life Coach Tulsa has an entire program designed to personalize sleep hygiene for each client to maximize the body’s ability to heal. You should be hearing phrases like “7-9 hours of continuous uninterrupted sleep” or “sleep allows the body to alkalize for the next day.”. Life Coach Tulsa is able to offer client education based on specific times of the night the body is waking to tailor personalized support. Designing a unique plan for evening and nighttime routines has proved incredibly successful for thousands of clients.

-Does your “program” address specific ways to create better sleep for you or just tell you to get it?

-Does your “coach” even talk to you about you sleep quality and how it is a piece of your health and wellness puzzle?

5. Elimination is addressed with every client at Life Coach Tulsa. Bowel movements as well as the other mechanisms for elimination are critical for avoiding toxic burden. These elimination pathways include:

–Bowels: Intestines, Liver, and Gallbladder

–Urinary: Kidneys and Bladder

–Lungs: Lungs and Circulation of Oxygen

–Lymphatics: Lymph and White Blood Cells

–Skin: Skin and the Coordination of the Circulatory System fro Sweating

You should be discussing ways to support and encourage opening all the above organs and systems with your “coach”. Tapping into fat stores for energy also releases fat-soluble toxins that have been stored for your protection. The ability to mobilize, neutralize, and release them safely requires effort and acknowledgement with consistency.

-Does your “health advisor” or program have resources to help you make sure your elimination pathways are open and flowing?

-Is your “coach” trained and within their scope of practice  to help you strengthen these areas?

6. Stress and Emotional Wellness are often the biggest challenge for clients on their journey to optimal health and wellness. The chemical responses to stress inside our body can impact hormones, digestion, immunity, and many other processes hindering health and immunity. Identifying the source of stress is a focus of time with clients for Life Coach Tulsa. Physical and emotional stressors are not seen differently by the body so we customize resources to become more resilient to both. Your “program” should give you access to resources and education for releasing emotion or advise lifestyle modifications to lower stress. Other discussions you should be having with your “coach” surround emotional support is other forms such as herbs, homeopathic remedies, or Bach Flowers. (ALWAYS establish their training to do so safely and within their scope of practice!).

-Is your “program leader” trained to offer other means of support such as herbs?

-Are you discussing stress resiliency, able to identify your stressors, encouraged to develop strategies to strengthen this foundation?

If you have been unable to answer yes to ALL of the above questions to consider, it may be time to reconsider the “plan”, “program”, “system”, or “coach” you are using to accomplish your goals. If you are serious about achieving sustainable results and get off the yo-yo , contact us today and let’s get started developing your new personal lifestyle that will created health from the inside out aligning mind, body, and soul.