The Path To The Good Road Is A 12 Month Journey
Published Jan 9, 2008 in the North Island Weekender
This time of year I get patients coming in asking for help with a health plan in their effort to make their New Years resolutions come true.
Simone, age 50, came in with such a request. She had just turned 50 and wanted to combine the goals for her life with her health goals for the coming year. She was hoping that any planning she did would rub off on her workaholic husband in the hopes of keeping him healthy as he aged as well! He was 8 years older than her.
She wanted a full health assessment as well as a workable plan. I suggested that we break it down into twelve steps, one for every month and that she come into the office once per month all year long for coaching in order to help her realize her goals. Attaining lofty goals starts with a single step.
January: A complete health assessment including comprehensive blood, salivary hormone testing, EAV Organ testing, allergy testing and a physical exam. Simone’s mother died of breast cancer a few years ago so I also suggested she book a breast thermogram in a Victoria clinic for a more comprehensive breast evaluation. (Thermography is widely used in Europe to detect breast inflammation 7 years before cancer develops). This complete assessment gave me the tools to provide her with an easy to follow anti-aging supplement plan as well as a plan to optimize her health concerns.
February: Cleansing and detoxification is recommended at least 2-3 times per year and February is a good month to start such a program. The New Years celebrations are over and some of the bills of Christmas have been paid. I suggested combining several infrared saunas and at least 3 detox foot baths during a two week period to optimize the detoxification process. I also wrote into Simone’s plan to repeat this process in October and possibly April of each year. In her long range goals Simone expressed an interest in trying a fasting health spa for 7 days for a more intense cleanse.
March: Establishing an activity program for Simone was the most difficult as it is for most everyone. The trick I said was not to call it exercise but “movement” and to schedule it in the same way she brushes her teeth, ie without thinking about it! She expressed an interest in getting a basic knowledge of pilates and combining it with her desire to get back into yoga. Simone also had some weight training equipment at home that she considered herself disciplined enough to do on her own.
With the gym fees she was saving she decided to take pilates classes once per week instead. So weight training 3 times per week, yoga and pilates on alternate days and walking on the treadmill or outside for at least 10 minutes per day was the plan. “Just do it” was the key and to start with 5 minutes a day and work up from there. Getting a pedometer would help Simone reach the eventual goal of walking 10,000 steps per day.
April: Taking time out for a yearly healing retreat is a missing link in most people’s lives. Holidays for Simone were not relaxing. She often came home more tired that when she left! I recommended that she take 3-7 days and go somewhere alone and use this time to organize her life and continue this planning process. This retreat should be far and away from the normal hustle and bustle of daily living with no deadlines except to plan the next 12 months for all areas of her life: physical, emotional, mental and spiritual. Sleep is an important part of healing and during the retreat Simone came up with ways to schedule her life to get the 8 hours that she needed.
May: Meal planning is always a daunting task. Starting with the recipes on my website I suggested meal plans for both summer and winter and then during her yearly retreats she could build upon this initial menu plan. She was getting my biweekly emails to keep up with the additions to the recipes that I create. The allergy testing we did in January outlined the foods better for her overall. Simone also learned the most cost effective way to make her diet more organic.
June: Dental health is a critical part of anti-aging. The health of the gums and teeth very much contribute to the health of the entire body, including preventing heart problems and wrinkles. Removing the remaining mercury amalgam fillings was still on Simone’s list while she had a good dental plan. She had been remiss in getting regularly teeth cleaning and she had some gum disease to attend to.
July and August: These summer months are excellent for stirring up the creative juices with music and creative arts. Simone loved to lay at the beach (in moderation) and catch up on some easy reading of novels and magazines that stirred her creative juices. She often did her best planning during these times, energized by the long days of the bright vitamin D activating sun! It was also a time for family fun which she loved to plan for!
September: Structural support of Simone’s body requires an assessment by a chiropractor, the Nucca and Activator technique being my favorite non force techniques to recommend. Simone also loved her monthly acupuncture and massage treatments that she had started before seeing me. Her extended medical coverage helped to pay for this so she was taking advantage of this anti-aging tool.
October: Simone’s love of music took her to the symphony or opera at least once per year. This year she and her husband had friends in Toronto, so she planned on combining a visit with an opera. She also received an iPod for her 50th birthday and she planned on creating “healing music” play lists to help her through those rough days that we all have.
November: Simone was planning on retiring at the age of 55 but she dreamed of a second less stressful yet more creative career. She committed to seeing her financial advisor regularly to help realize both of these goals as well as planning financially for the costs of her twelve month health care program!
December: Living spiritual principles has always been part of Simone’s life. She was involved with a church, but she committed to take more time for her faith, and was considering a pilgrimage in the next few years. She also wanted to commit to meditating 20 minutes per day, so she purchased some meditation tapes by Jon Kabat Zinn to get her started.
Simone and I had fun with this program! By the time the year was up she had lost those few inches around her waist, she had more energy because she was moving her body more regularly and she was thrilled with all of the dreams she was manifesting! She certainly had her fair share of stresses but she was better able to handle them and get back on track after she was derailed.
Happy New Year and best of health to you all from the team at Dr. Pincott’s office!