FEATURE — For many people suffering from physical maladies – from just unpleasant to outright painful – the first step toward a better life could be approaching health and wellness in an entirely new way.
The traditional medical approach often involves prescription medication. Unfortunately, this is often done without identifying and addressing the root cause of the problem, and as a result, the same symptoms often return – or new ones emerge – and another temporary fix is applied.
Have a headache? Taking a pain reliever may indeed eliminate the pain, but it ignores the true cause of the headache. The more important issues that need to be addressed might be questions of dehydration, potential hormone imbalance or food sensitivities.
Taking on these root issues gets to the source of the headache and can prevent future occurrences without merely disguising the symptom of the bigger condition.
Without knowing what imbalances are present and causing the symptoms – in this case, the headaches – it is impossible to adequately address health concerns.
If you understand this concept, congratulations! You’ve already taken the first step to taking control of your health.
Determine the cause of your symptoms
The second step of achieving better health is determining what specific imbalances are causing your symptoms. Sound intimidating? It doesn’t have to be. Examining a common disorder such as thyroid imbalance is a perfect way to understand why step two is so important.
Approximately 60% of people with a thyroid disorder are undiagnosed. Despite having basic thyroid tests performed that indicate normal function, many of these people continue to suffer from thyroid disorder symptoms, which may include fatigue, foggy-headedness, unexplained weight gain, skin dryness and moodiness.
So what should these people do?
This is where a functional medicine practitioner comes in, such as those at RedRiver Health and Wellness Center. Functional medicine practitioners aim to identify the specific factors that trigger disease in each patient in order to help him or her achieve better health. They will listen to your health concerns and order the necessary testing to determine the cause of your symptoms.
Once your practitioner knows what imbalance is causing your symptoms, they can make customized recommendations that will put you firmly on the path to better health.
Follow through
The third step is to make sure to follow the recommendations of your health care or functional medicine provider.
Reaching optimal health by addressing the cause of your symptoms does not happen overnight, but it will often result in improved overall health and better physiological and psychological wellness. If you follow these three steps –understanding the relationship of symptoms and root causes, determining the cause of your symptoms and following the recommendations of your functional medicine practitioner – you will have succeeded in taking control of your health.
If you do not already have a functional medicine provider, call RedRiver Health and Wellness Center St. George at 435-767-9355, email [email protected] or visit their website.
They are happy to help, but do not discontinue medication without consulting with your prescribing physician.
Written by REBECCA HART, RedRiver Health and Wellness Center.
• S P O N S O R E D C O N T E N T •
About RedRiver Health and Wellness Center
One of the main goals at RedRiver Health and Wellness Center is to work with patients to improve their health, well-being and quality of life. The RedRiver Health and Wellness Center team is passionate about helping ailing patients achieve optimal health and we truly care about the success of each and every patient.
RedRiver chiropractic physicians are great advocates for prescribing physicians and endocrinologists. In fact, many of our patients see their prescribing physicians more frequently while under our care than they would otherwise. Our goal is not to replace our patients’ primary care physicians and specialists, but to complement their care by providing patients with nutrition, diet, lifestyle and educational support and strategies.
Resources
- RedRiver Health and Wellness Center, 2297 Santa Clara Drive, Santa Clara | Telephone: 435-767-9355 | Email: [email protected] | Website
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