ADVERTISING: Advertorial — Don’t let this be health crisis week
Of every week of the year, this week, Christmas week, tends to have elevated health crises. Existing health challenges coupled with stress and anxiety, and exacerbated by poor eating, lack of exercise and all the other health-supportive activities that are needed, combine to sometimes catapult an otherwise unknown, or semi-controlled health condition over the edge. A health crisis.
Our cardiovascular system gets affected by stress, alcohol consumption, lack of exercise, smoking, drug use, water intake, and bad foods. In fact, the heart is one of the most sensitive organs to nutritional changes in the body. Each and every decision we make this week, and every other week for that matter, will either improve or degrade your cardiovascular health. Love your heart, especially this week.
Our immune system also takes a beating this time of year — this week especially. As we indulge in sweets, alcohol, late nights, less sleep, and food in abundance, we beat down the immune system. An immune system not functioning up to par could mean you come down with some bad bug or maybe an existing malady flares about now. Coddle your immune system this week. Be nice to it!
Let’s not forget our digestive system. That poor thing! We cram food in abundance into it — rich, sweet, heavy foods and in large quantities and wonder why it talks back! Heartburn, reflux, gas, belching, food that just sits in your stomach — poor thing wasn’t designed to put up with all we put it through. Can we blame it for getting grouchy? Our liver, as part of the digestive system, especially gets tried if alcohol is consumed. Digest this — if your digestive system isn’t working, nothing else will work well! It is the seat of many things that goes on in your body’s health. Be good to it!
I don’t want to neglect another important player — the adrenals. They help manage stress. It is part of your fight or flight mechanism, your ability to respond favorably to stress. Sugar, coffee, alcohol, inadequate sleep, toxins, trauma and stress, all negatively impact your adrenals. Since they give you the energy, sleep quality, blood pressure control, anti-inflammatory hormones, some sex hormones and more, we really want to help our adrenals out!
The emotional impacts of overwhelm, fear, anxiety, disappointment, fear of inadequacy with family or gift expectations, as well as stress, can lead to a tipping point this week. Take a deep breath and relax. Even if you disappoint someone or can’t do something you want to due to health or financial concerns, know that this too will pass.
Avert a health crisis. Take care of yourself. Eat well. Leave some food on the plate or just don’t take as much. Consider skipping the sweets and alcohol. Don’t forget to exercise and get to bed early. Time has a way of working things out. Let this be a week of peace, joy, hope and love — all the things exemplified by Christ — the reason for this season.
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Holly Carling is a Doctor of Oriental Medicine, Licensed Acupuncturist, Doctor of Naturopathy, Clinical Nutritionist and Master Herbologist with over four decades of experience. Carling is a “Health Detective.” She looks beyond your symptom picture and investigates WHY you are experiencing your symptoms in the first place. Carling is currently accepting new patients and offers natural health care services and whole food nutritional supplements in her Coeur d’Alene clinic. Visit Carling’s website at www.vitalhealthcda.com to learn more about Carling, view a list of upcoming health classes and read other informative articles. Carling can be reached at 208-765-1994 and would be happy to answer any questions regarding this topic.