The Path to Optimal Health
Dr Kyle Christensen
Health need not be as elusive as you may think. Last month we discussed Pottenger's cats and how due to poor health choices successive generations may become less healthy and more inclined to degenerative health problems. But Pottenger's research also demonstrated that health can be restored or regenerated - albeit with some effort. Many of us are facing a decline in health that may not be totally of our own making. But just because something is not your fault, does not mean it is not your responsibility. You may have inherited a predisposition to obesity, heart disease, arthritis, you name it - it doesn't give you free license to bemoan your fate and not do anything to improve your circumstance. I believe that because God loves each of us, He allows hardships to befall us. Trials and hardships can make us better and stronger.
Years ago as a Christian missionary I met a woman in a very affluent area. She invited us into her home proudly showing us her original artwork, her fine made European furniture and the opulence of her lifestyle. Then she sat down at her Steinway Grand Piano and played an intricate piece of music. She turned to us and defiantly proclaimed - "I have everything I could want. I don't need God". While at this moment she believed she did not need God in her life, most of us definitely can feel otherwise. Difficult times and trials cause us to ponder and evaluate our lives, often urging us to God. In this contemplation you have a choice to make - Will you become bitter or better?
The revered Christian saint, Mother Teresa in her private writings detail her crisis of faith that lasted over 40 years - roughly during the same period of time she was rescuing the diseased and dying poor in Calcutta. Although she publicly proclaimed that her heart belonged "entirely to the Heart of Jesus", she wrote to the Rev Michael Van Der Peet, a spiritual confidant, in September 1979 that "Jesus has a very special love for you. As for me, the silence and emptiness is so great that I look and do not see, listen and do not hear. The tongue moves [in prayer] but does not speak."
The lesson here is not of her quiet and personal despair, but that she never ceased serving and helping those in need. Despite her personal challenges, she made life better for those around her and as a result for herself.
So for us the choice is clear - do you choose to make life better for others and in doing so for yourself or are you willing to play the victim and settle into the introspective plight of disheartened degenerative disease.
Our goal here is always to help those we serve to get well as quickly and economically as possible. We understand that optimal health will be different for each of us. Not everyone will be able to return to full athletic function. But each of us can and I hope will improve our station in life. The results of better health will be more energy, better sleep, clearer cognition (that's brain function) and improved relationships. We truly live as Dickens wrote "in the best of times and in the worst of times". We live in a land of perpetual feasting, entertainment and luxury. It is far too easy to become self-centered and self serving. This is not the path to long term joy and happiness.
So are you interested in better health? If so, roll up your sleeves with me and let's get to work.
Always begin where you are, right here, right now. First, there must be an accurate assessment. Fortunately there are several wonderful tools to assist us.
Functional Blood Chemistry Analysis (FBCA)
We have the ability to examine blood lab results in a way like never before. The old model was to look at each number as an isolated finding. If it is out of the established "normal" range, we pay attention to it. If it lies within the widespread range of normal, it gets skipped over. You must understand what dictates normal. Medically speaking, normal means no drug prescription is necessary. Outside of normal - too high or too low - means the prescription pad is pulled out and off to the pharmacist you go.
What Functional Blood Chemistry Analysis does is examine patterns and trends of health, not analyzing normal values, but optimal values.
Health history demonstrates that you don't suddenly develop heart disease, diabetes or an autoimmune disease, but you often slowly (over years) degenerate into the condition until finally you fall outside of "normal" and are given a diagnosis and a prescription. You must also understand the goal of most drugs is to manage your disease, not to return you to health.
FBCA not only can give us the percentage of the probability of dysfunction as it relates to various health conditions, but also gives us direction on how to return to optimal health. It is much easier to turn a health condition around sooner rather than later. But even if you are in the decline of degenerative disease, you can definitely improve.
Heart Sound Recording
There is an old saying; "The Heart eats First". This means that the nutrition that we take into our body will feed or help the heart first. Or in other words, if there is a nutritional deficiency, then it will show up in the heart function before other parts of the body. By listening and recording the sounds (the vibrations) of the heart into a graph, we can determine nutritional deficiencies. The exciting part of this test is that when nutritional recommendations are followed, we see significant improvements with a follow up Heart Sound.
Observational Analysis
Many are aware of changes in fingernails, tongue, hair and skin. White spots on the nails, cracks in the tongue or specific wrinkles are all indicators of nutritional deficiencies. Those skilled in observational analysis can quickly determine issues that most are not aware of.
Stress Assessment
One of the keys to health is how well you handle stress and distress. We live in a highly stressful culture that often leads to adrenal fatigue that can be followed for thyroid and hormonal problems. By simply rating yourself in response to various questions, you can rate your stress levels.
Through the performance of simple tests, we can determine what may be necessary to get you on the path to optimal health.
By studying the lives of those who have lived long, healthy and happy lives we can set forth a plan that can be followed. This path can be summarized in the Laws of Health.
Laws of Health
- Nutrition - Eat wholesome natural foods. Plant-based, but not plant exclusive. Don't overeat.
- Avoid Toxins & Enhance Detoxification - It is not only what we eat, but what we don't eat or expose ourselves to that is important. You can eat a super healthy diet and then sabotage your health with an unhealthy addiction (like smoking or sugar).
- Stay Hydrated - Drink water - avoid sugary and stimulating drinks (soda pop, caffeine, alcohol & fruit juices). Clean pure water really is the best beverage.
- Breathe - every hour or two breathe deeply - full belly breaths. This is a great stress reliever.
- Exercise & Movement - Walk, garden, bike, enjoy a physically active life.
- Get enough Sunshine - Vitamin D created by sunshine exposure is vital, just avoid getting burned. Sunshine is healing. Most Vitamin D supplements don't work so get out in the sun.
- Sleep and Restoration - Sleep 7.5 to 9 hours each night. Good sleep heals body, mind and spirit. Enjoy quiet, meditative and ponderous times each day.
- Temperance - Strive to achieve balance. Avoid over-work, over-eating, over-sleeping, addictions. Balance your work, relaxation, play, study and service.
- Connect through Community- Social connections heal. Isolation is a major risk factor for a shorter life. It's all about loving and being loved. Relax and laugh. Serving and blessing the lives of others is the key to joy and happiness in your life. Warning: Social connection is direct personal interaction. Not Social Media. Science has demonstrated that too much social media is associated with depression.
- Spiritual Life - Develop your inner life and connection to God, Spirit and others. Be congruent with your inner life (be of one heart and mind) as you find peace and solace.
We invite you to get on the Path to Optimal Health.
Begin with an assessment. If you are local to us (Payson, UT) schedule a time to come in. If not, contact us for what blood work test would be best for you. We will soon have up our webinar on Observational Analysis so that you can check yourself and others for signs of nutritional deficiency. We can mail or email the stress test.
Then once we have gathered the information, a personalized program can be designed for you. It is important that you experience observable results both in your physical appearance as well as how you feel. If you don't get results, it is because something is being missed or you are not doing your part. Our goal really is to help you achieve your optimal health as quickly and economically as possible.
When it comes to taking supplements, I have found that when you take a few key whole food supplements, you do far better than taking handfuls of supplements. Also Diet Determines Dosage. This means that if you are willing to eat a healthy diet, you will need even fewer supplements. We do understand that not everyone is willing to eat the foods that contain the highest nutritional content. (Yes, Liver is the highest source of many vitamins). Understand this - We take a supplement, so that we don't have to take supplements. A proper whole food supplement (such as those grown and produced by Standard Process) contain the nutritional active ingredients as well as the co-factors, synergists and buffers. Nearly all other vitamin supplements on the market are synthetically made by the pharmaceutical (drug) companies and sold to the vitamin manufacturers to be packaged and sold to the consumer. Take a look at the label of your supplements - if you see chemical names (ascorbic acid, tocopherols, thiamin, niacin, beta carotene, etc.) you can be certain these are synthetic and may stimulate your body for a short time, but will not heal and nourish you for the long haul.
Herbs are concentrated whole foods. That is why we love herbal supplements. But as with any whole food supplement, it must come from a quality source.
So, are you ready to get on the path to optimal health? Tired of crazy diets that promise quick results? Sadly, quick results often lead to long-term disaster. Give us a call and let us help you.
Blessings,
Dr Kyle Christensen
March 2019
Our Mission
We are dedicated to helping you get well
as quickly and as economically as possible.
