08/27/2025
I love my imperfect, human life ❤️
I am going to put this post here for some clarity.
It seems that some people who come to see me think that we expect perfection, and everything needs to be implemented to see success and improvement. Anything short of this is failure, or that we are somehow disappointed with the progress or efforts. Nothing could be further from the truth.
Healing is a journey. This journey is a process. There are hurdles and potholes along the way. We all stumble and fall. It is what we do after that matters most.
I am not free of symptoms, and I have had my share of "conditions" through my life that have shaped my own journey, including the way I eat and live.
Conditions I have lived with in the past include IBS, Migraines, High Blood Pressure, Reflux, Gastritis, Seasonal Allergies, Chronic Sinusitis, Anxiety, Depression, Insomnia, Elevated blood sugars, abnormal cholesterol profiles, nutrient deficiencies, and elevated homocysteine.
I have been on medications for several of these conditions in the past. I was treated with countless antibiotics, nasal steroids, antihistamines, BP medication, Reflux medication, and anxiety medication. I am now off all medications, have not needed an antibiotic in over 10 years, and no longer take medications for allergies, reflux, or any other condition.
I still get occasional headaches, usually from high stress, and I will take ibuprofen for them. But they are now infrequent rather than 10 days out of a month.
I do not have perfect labs, and there are issues I am actively addressing through dietary and lifestyle approaches and supportive supplementation.
I do not exercise consistently because I have a busy, hectic schedule, running a business, providing medical consultations, addressing patient concerns, having a family, and multiple excuses that get in the way.
I have sustained injuries through the years that still plague me to this day and that limit my ability to perform certain activities or occasionally flare up and cause me pain. This will not go away, and I have needed to adapt to the circumstances.
I do not always eat as I should. I sometimes have corn tortillas or potato chips. I may have an ice cream on occasion. Sometimes, I do not pass up on a good gluten-free dessert. These may be infrequent indulgences, but I do not need them; they do not benefit me, but I have them anyway.
I do not always go to bed at a reasonable time. There may be a series I am binging on, or catching up on some work, or simply cannot fall asleep.
I do not always manage my stress well. There are the challenges of business ownership, running a team, caring for others' medical concerns, raising a teenager, finances, and health concerns. I often neglect to breathe deeply, ground, or disconnect from my stress environment.
I do not take my supplements consistently. I often fast, so it is hard to take them in the morning; I often rush through lunch, so I forget to take them; I do not take them in the evening because they may disrupt my sleep. Blah, blah, blah.
I am not sick and am far healthier today than I was just 10 years ago, probably delaying several conditions by years or decades, and I have resolved several conditions and have no need for medications at this time. However,...
I am not perfect. I am not the shining example of health and well-being. I may not even be the best role model to follow. I have patients who do far better than I do at following through on my recommendations. This does not affect my ability to guide my patients on what needs to be done and how we can move forward to achieve improvements.
We do not expect perfection and 100% compliance. We are here to support and guide; make adjustments as circumstances evolve; identify when changes are occurring and adapt to these with modifications in our treatment recommendations. There is no judgement. If you ever feel like we are being challenging or hard on you, please realize it is because we care about you and want to help you achieve the goals you set out to accomplish -- improved health.
We are here to support you on your journey, but we are all on a journey, and we all stumble, fall, and have to get back up. It is knowing how to support you, what to do when labs are changing, symptoms are changing, or life is changing that distinguishes us from other practices.
