Wellness versus Illness

As we’re nearing the end of winter, many of us have been fighting some ailment and in many cases took prescribed medication and antibiotics.

The truth is that even though the medication we take to get back on track may work for a period of time, it’s not a long-term solution. More broad-spectrum antibiotics are prescribed than ever before, yet people constantly remain sick.

Instead of treating disease, would it not make much more sense to cultivate wellness? So instead of waiting to get sick, rather think of ways to stay healthy and in the process build up a strong immune system.

Dr. Maureen Allem, founder and medical director of the Renewal Institute shares this advice: “Prevent, prevent, prevent. Don’t wait for disease to set in. If you don’t make time for wellness today, you will have to make time for illness tomorrow.”

It is important to understand that everything we do affects our health. Nothing stands in isolation. So the impact of late nights, stress and a bad diet can’t be under-estimated.

Here are a few lifestyle choices to kick-start your journey to wellness:

* Eat a well-balanced diet, consisting mostly of unprocessed, raw food. If it’s so processed that you can’t tell what’s in it, it’s likely your body can’t either.
* Avoid sugar – it’s been dubbed the most addictive drug in the world for a reason. Our bodies aren’t designed to cope with as much sugar and because it’s so addictive, we just want more and more.
* Get enough deep, restorative sleep – really look into the habits you’ve created and make changes if necessary. Avoid all screens before bedtime and create a quiet, dark environment conducive to good sleep.
* Exercise regularly – keep the blood flowing and the muscles strong, but be careful not to over-train. Really start to listen to the body, as it will tell you when it needs a rest.
* Reduce your stress levels – create a reasonable schedule for your workday and make time to do things that are meaningful to you. In addition, practices such as meditation and yoga have a proven track record in managing stress.
* Be still – there is no way of knowing how you’re really doing if you don’t make time to find out, which requires time to shut down the constant stimulation around us and be quiet to go within.

This philosophy is to look after our health at all times and remain well, but when we find that something isn’t well within, don’t just treat the symptoms – rather find out where the problems stem from.

The following tests are available at clinics with a holistic approach, such as Health Renewal, to get to the bottom of potential disease:

* For those not getting a good night’s rest, get tested for sleep apnea.
* If symptoms like acne show up, understand that the skin is the dashboard of the body, indicating that something is not functioning well from within. Gut health is the start to most diseases and can be tested for and restored through correct treatments.
* When the body is drained and not getting all the vitamins and minerals required, getting a blood test done can assist the doctor in prescribing the correct supplements that you may be short of.
* To keep you at optimum health, especially during the winter months, an IV infusion will boost the system.

All of these treatments are specific to the individual though, and therefore a one-size fit all approach can’t work. If a friend gets amazing results with a particular supplement, for example, it’s not necessarily what you need, therefore it’s important to be individually assessed by a health care professional with a holistic approach.

To find out more about maintaining a healthy lifestyle or the tests and treatments available to maintain optimum health, visit the Health Renewal website on https://www.healthrenewal.co.za/ or contact 0861 754 672.

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