Why Health

“Do I really need a Blog?” That was my question to my web designer. Don’t I have enough to do? Obviously, I lost that one….

OK, my first blog. Topic…? Genetics or maybe Epigenetics? No, Nutrigenomics (I love food!). Wait – The Human Microbiome, very up and coming. Meditation? Sleep is critical. Energy/ATP! Methylation affects every cell… Nope, later for the latest in medical science.

In Functional Medicine, we’re taught to find and address the why in disease (dis-ease) or dysfunction. You see, pain, depression, weight gain, heart disease – that’s the what (that’s the ICD10 diagnostic code you get). Functional Medicine has been called root cause resolution medicine. Makes sense right! OK yes, but that’s not the why I am focused in on today. Yes, that why is vitally important, but this why is bigger. This why isn’t medical – it’s personal. Simply put, it’s why you want to be healthy. Health can take some work and expense – why would you sign up for that?

I would like in this first blog to share my whys.

 At age 16, a broken ankle was a quick and unexpected trip into pain, some loss of independence, impaired sleep (hard with a cast), and crankiness (low on sleep). I missed the school ski trip, gained some weight, lost the first month of track practice, etc. Annoying! Six years later I graduate from Physical Therapy School. I’ll help fix all those that are broken! My first hospital job quickly elevated the stakes. Now I am involved in restoring independence to amputees, spinal surgical patients, heart attack survivors, stroke victims… it’s a hospital so you name it!

Also there were those whose day of true independence were sadly behind them. My job with this group: slow down those losses and help improve quality of life as much as possible. Slow the progression of cane to walker, walker to wheelchair, wheelchair to bed, bed to _____. Help prevent the pressure sores, the infections.

These later group of patients were primarily those with neurodegenerative disorders (MS, ALS, PD, Dementias) and those with terminal illnesses and cancers. The critically ill.

More than a few times, and especially in the ICUs day after day, your heart breaks. Period. You look at your own life, your family and your close friends and hope that the suffering does not come to your doorstep. I could look around especially in the critical care units and reflect…”I don’t want that, no, h____ no, not even a little.” You begin to see health as a gift – you find gratitude. After twenty-plus-years of seeing and helping to treat just about everything, I began thinking about prevention. Nutrition seemed to have some merit, so back to school to become a nutritionist. Done with that – it’s now 2010.

Reinvigorated by returning to my own education desires, and at the suggestion of a close personal friend, next I found The Institute For Functional Medicine. I applied (maybe begged a little) and was excepted into the program. IFM only accepts those with a strong existing medical background and clinical experience. Here I found some of the most dedicated and credentialed medical minds all seeking the why in health and disease. Most had also been practicing in our standard “health care” system for some time. I now know it is predominately a disease care system. In 2015 I graduated from the Institute For Functional Medicine, in their third graduating class!

Being in the “health care” system and being a face-to-face witness to the breakdown of the human body and too often the human spirit, it has been easy for me to find the why in my everyday health decisions. In fact, at age 52, I now have a new list, a want list. I want to still ski, hike, travel etc. into my 80’s. I want my mind to remain sharp to communicate and witness the generations with and under me as they experience their own life paths. I want to partner with patients who have found or are looking for their own whys and wants. I want to share all I have learned with those who are seeking both the work and joy of health.

With Gratitude and Appreciation,

Debra