Our nation is in a healthcare crisis. As a result, our definition of healthy is wrong.
Clients who come to me are deemed “healthy” by their doctors. And their doctors are not wrong, but the system is dysfunctional.
This is what “healthy” means in the nutrition and health coaching world:
- Being motivated to achieve goals.
- Identifying goals or health problems, seeking help and/or adjusting lifestyle habits to meet those goals.
- Being proactive about overall health and wellness.
- Reporting improvements in health goals to a practitioner.
Some other things to consider: A comprehensive study showed that “…regular physical activity, correct nutrition, tobacco cessation, and a few other common lifestyle interventions can help mitigate the progression of many noncommunicable chronic diseases and, in certain instances, even reverse existing disease.” (Gordon et al 2017).
The writing is on the wall, yet our system does not support the evidence, “preventable lifestyle-related chronic diseases remain the leading causes of death, disability, and avoidable health care costs in Westernized society and are increasing dramatically in many developing nations” (Gordon et al 2017). Our system is set up to address symptoms and keep us alive, which I am very grateful for, especially when me or my family must go to the emergency room. Without a doubt, doctors and nurses are true heroes.
Even before COVID, decades of evidence shows that cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes—“lifestyle related chronic diseases” continue to be a major cause of death in this country.
Our healthcare system does not support doctors in providing patients with lifestyle management counseling. Of course, within this system, doctors are overstressed and don’t have the time or resources to provide this for patients who need it, “physicians generally work in an intensely busy environment; typically do not have the time, infrastructure, or resources to focus, adequate attention on lifestyle management” (Gordon et al 2017). On the other hand, medications that are “relatively safe” provide a ton of support to physicians, therefore tap into this as a resource more often than not. (Gordon et al 2017).
What Does This Mean For You?
More specifically, health and lifestyle counseling does wonders for perimenopausal women. In a study of 78 perimenopausal women, researchers split women into three groups. Group A received basic health interventions, such as a gynecological checkup as well as basic health education; group B received the same as group A but were also given more education and individualized nutritional intervention; group C received the same as group B but added the dimension of resistance training.
Group C’s body fat, wait circumference were significantly reduced, and muscle significantly increased. For both groups, BMI, trunk fat ratio was significantly reduced.
To me, group A is considered “healthy.” But I consider group C to be in the optimal health range.
Which one do you want to be? “Good” health opens up your world. Optimal health redefines it.
Let’s do this together.
References
Hao, S., Tan, S., Li, J., Li, W., Li, J., Cai, X., & Hong, Z. (2022, January 27). Dietary and exercise interventions for Perimenopausal women: A health status impact study. Frontiers in nutrition. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8828936/
Peter Grinspoon, M. (2020, April 8). Health coaching is effective. should you try it?. Harvard Health. https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/health-coaching-is-effective-should-you-try-it-2020040819444
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