Coping with Changes in your Health

It’s a sad fact of life- health changes. No matter what you eat or do, and whether you like it or not, health tends to have peaks and troughs throughout your life. How you approach and deal with it is what makes all the difference.

I have clients tell me all the time that they couldn’t possibly be reacting to a certain type of food or product as they have been using them for many years. It IS possible and happens all the time. The food or the product itself is not the thing that is changing- you are, and the reasons for this are numerous.

Most people see the connection between being run down and getting a cold. Your defenses are down and any bug hanging about can take advantage of your weakness. There are other states of your being that really attract disease, reactivity or just put your body out of whack. Stress is the major contributor to all of this unwellness and that is not just mental stress, it can by physical too. Not sure if you’re stressed? Symptoms include – fatigue, overwhelm, frustration, anxiety, busyness, racing heartbeat, aches, pains and muscle tension, headaches, digestive upsets, dizziness and more. If you’re the kind of person who says “I’m not stressed, I’m just really busy”, well guess what? I call that stress and it IS damaging to your health.

Other things that can cause changes in your health include environment (around the house, suburb, your greater region and even worldwide environmental events), increasing use of electronic devices (IPhones, Wi-Fi, cellular data), air travel (it’s amazing to get away- but don’t underestimate the pressure it puts on the body), ageing, seasonal changes in weather as well as the body’s natural desire to be more or less active or be nourished with different foods at different times of the year, and much more. A Naturopath can help you to work through all these aspects of your life and find the balance between enjoying your life and having the good health to do so.

Whilst these things may not obviously cause changes in your health, often the way they appear is as a reaction to something that was previously suiting you well. That might be food or drink sensitivities, reactions to beauty or cleaning products, inability to cope with situations that used to be ok with you (late nights, drinking sessions, long days on your feet, the heat, the cold) and much more.

Next time someone says to you, “I cut out dairy and it made all the difference for me” or similar, don’t discount it because it’s never happened before, accept that change is inevitable and anything is possible.

So, we’ve identified that pretty much anything can cause havoc in the body, what next?

Well that’s where a positive attitude can really make all the difference as well as the willingness to make compromises and small changes in your diet and lifestyle to accommodate these changes in your health. Bad spells in your health don’t have to be all negative; many people who have gone through these tough times have found that they are the catalyst for the changes in their routines that have gone on to give them the inspiration, knowledge and habits that have made their lives more fabulous than they ever have been.

One of the best ways to heal your body is to nourish it with healthy foods. Changing your diet can be overwhelming and scary, but it can also help to heal and prevent the most scary and overwhelming thing out there- disease! Through dietary changes, especially gluten free, dairy free and Raw Food eating- most of my clients have felt levels of health they have never experienced before, and the benefits far outweigh the inconveniences. Allergies, hayfever, hormonal issues, food sensitivities, weight fluctuations, digestive upsets, poor energy, frequent immunity issues, chronic pain and much more can helped with some of the simplest changes- it’s really about finding what is working for you at your particular stage of life.

For many people, new diets are like a new hobby, with new foods to try, new places to shop at, new recipes to discover and countless blogs and internet sites to excite and inspire you. For others, it’s a struggle but it doesn’t have to be.

If you’re not feeling the excitement you could, see a Naturopath to give you ideas about how to fit health into your life, go on a retreat or book into one of Amanda’s classes for inspiration, fun and to surround yourself with people who are making the change like you.

One final word from me when it comes to changes in your health and it’s an important one. We live in a Self-help world where we are told that you and nobody but you create your health, but this also indicates that when you are feeling unwell it is all your fault and you are doing things that do not serve you. There are definitely elements of this, but sometimes poor health just happens to good people. At these times, don’t blame yourself or give up. Take that chance to reach out to others and have them help and guide you along your path.

Polly Molesworth

Naturopath, Nutritionist, Herbalist

You can find Polly at:

[email protected]
www.glebenaturopath.com.au
Find me on Facebook: Polly’s Naturopathy Clinic
Instagram: pollysnaturopathy

Does this article resonate with you? Have you experienced similar issues with food or the environment where it seems like one day your body was perfectly fine then the next not? We’d love to hear from you! Post a comment and share your experience below