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Health Tips, Natural Medicine Updates and Naturopathic Philosophy
The first installment of a 4-part Microbiome 101 series. To start our exploration of the microbiome, we first delve into some of the myriad ways in which the microbes living within us play an integral in our health (and even our happiness!), so you can get an idea of just how important these little cohabitants are for humans.
In naturopathic medicine, at the base of our therapeutic order, is supporting the foundations of health, one of which includes exercise. I will address other foundations of health as they relate to supporting your immune system and mental health, in the coming weeks, but I wanted to start with focusing on exercise, as April’s health challenge is to move your body! I’m focusing on the immune system, for obvious reasons, but also mental health because we could all use a little extra support right now.
This month I encourage you to consciously practice gratitude. It’s not always easy, but ultimately choosing to focus on gratitude, rather than self-pity, is so important for mental and physical health. People who have a generally more grateful disposition report higher levels of physical health, and taking note of what you are grateful for on a regular basis improves sense of well-being and mood. So, this month, I encourage you to practice gratitude every day.
For the past 8 months, each Roots Monthly Health Challenge has been pretty focused. If you participated in any of the health challenges, have you continued on with any of the health habits? If not, I invite you to think about picking up some of those health habits again. This is a great month to do it, as this month's health challenge is 30 Days of Self-Care.
For most of human history we have lived in close connection with nature, but our connection to nature is dwindling. The conveniences of living in cities comes at a price; we are removed from our deep seated need to be connected to nature. And this disconnection can lead to health problems like mood changes and attention problems. So why spend more time in nature? Well, there is increasing research that it is good for your mind and body. Spending time in nature can lower inflammation, improve cardiovascular health, balance your autonomic nervous system, lower stress and improve mood. So this month, how about we all spend more time in nature?
All material provided on this website is solely for educational purposes and is not intended to diagnose or treat any specific person or condition or take the place of advice from your physician. All supplements, botanicals, and diet and lifestyle changes should be discussed with your primary healthcare provider before incorporating them into your daily life.
