If you're looking to start or are currently on a health journey and feel overwhelmed, just know that it's normal. With conflicting information everywhere you look and different ideas all pulling you in different directions, I was in the same boat. I just didn't know how to make sense of it all. 

 

After 20 years of navigating the different layers of health and wellness, I finally have some idea of how to make sense of it all, and I wanted to share some tips and ideas that have helped me greatly. These are things I've learned along the way, and are fundamental principles that have helped me regardless of how confusing and chaotic things got. It's essentially a list of things I wish I knew. Hopefully, they will help you as you make this journey.

 

Please note that some of them will be philosophical in nature, and if it doesn't resonate with you or conflicts with your beliefs, that's ok. Simply take what works for you and discard the rest. Or simply keep them in the back of your mind for now-  perhaps they might make more sense one day. 

 

In either case, I'm not here to push my values or philosophies. Rather, I just want to give you things to consider from all perspectives, so you have the tools necessary to make the best decisions for health and for yourself. Nonetheless, it is my greatest hope that some of them will help you!

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Some key lessons I learned along the way:

 

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The Body Is A Whole

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I had a very conventional perspective of health and wellness, but everything changed once I came to the realization that the body is actually one big system that is interrelated. Once I was able to see health and wellness from a holistic perspective, I no longer tried to continue breaking everything down by components, and isolating variables to test and address like an experiment. 

 

And that's when everything changed. I realized that the body is one integrated system, and that any part of this system can have an effect on any other part of the system, even if they seem completely unrelated. Headaches can be caused by stomach imbalances, and neck pain can absolutely be caused by back issues (more on these topics in other articles). 

 

 

 

Symptoms Are a Signal From the Body

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Many of us are conditioned to think that symptoms are an undesirable thing, and that the best course of action is to make them stop as quickly, and as simply as possible. However, symptoms themselves are actually helpful. Symptoms are a sign from your body that something is wrong, and that there is an issue that needs to be taken care of. Oftentimes however, the solution is to simply prescribe some sort of medication or treatment that simply relieves the symptom, rather than the problem it is trying to tell us about. 

 

For example, for a person dealing with headaches (like I was for a long time), the most common remedy is to take some sort of pain reliever like Acetaminophen or Ibuprofen. If that doesn't really help or the problem is more complex, then more powerful medication (and narcotics) may be used to try and eliminate or remove the headaches. 

 

What this approach fails to realize is that headaches can be caused by any number of things- structural imbalances, stomach imbalances, nutritional deficiencies or sensitivities, vision problems, TMJ Dysfunction, and a lot more. Simply chasing the symptom itself and trying to eliminate the headache without eliminating the cause of the headache only covers up the problem. Over time, this can and will lead to a worsening of the symptoms (and your overall health). 

 

Here's another way to look at it- Let's say your hand is placed on top of a hot stove. As a result of this, you feel pain and it's really uncomfortable. In response, you try to make the pain (symptom) stop by taking medication. That doesn't work, so you start trying more outrageous things. Perhaps you take something that decreases the sensitivity of your nerves and pain receptors, so the pain is not as intense, and is more manageable. However, the pain was there the whole time to tell you that something is wrong. All you had to do was turn off the stove, or remove your hand. 

 

Unfortunately, a lot of us have been conditioned to remedy the symptom, rather than address the root cause. 

 

 

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Understanding and Finding the Root Cause

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Understanding the root cause of your problems is a very powerful tool for your health, but it can oftentimes be extremely difficult and confusing to figure out. Things we believe may be the root cause may actually turn out to be a symptom itself, and figuring out the root cause can take some real detective work to figure out. 

 

One litmus test that can be helpful in determining whether an issue is the root cause, is to first see if the issues experienced can be reasonably explained by the potential cause. If so, the second question is to ask if that potential cause itself can be explained by something else. If it can be explained by something else, then it may very well not be the root cause. Or more simply, ask why until you are able to explain it down to its most fundamental levels. 

 

For example, if you have a sharp pain and numbness down your arm, a pinched nerve may be diagnosed as the cause. While the pinched nerve is causing the actual pain, it's not the cause. It's a byproduct of the real issue. Nerves don't just automatically become pinched, so what is causing it to become pinched? Or put differently, why is it pinched? As you investigate, it may be determined that tight muscles are contributing to the problem. But again, tight muscles are just a symptom. Rather than taking muscle relaxants, what is causing the tight muscles? Why is this happening? Are the tight muscles because of poor posture? Poor movement patterns? Are these the cause? Or just a symptom of something else? 

 

As you dig deeper and deeper, you may eventually discover that your poor posture and poor movements may be caused by a structural issue that can be corrected with a chiropractic adjustment. Asking why and investigating the different nuances can be a great help in helping you differentiate between the cause and a byproduct. 

 

 

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Root Causes Can Be Deceiving

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No matter how diligent and attentive you are in trying to identify the root cause, it's sometimes impossible to know at the moment, and can only be understood in hindsight or with further analysis. 

 

A good example of this is when I went vegan. One of the issues I dealt with was digestion issues, so I finally decided to give up all animal protein and go vegan to see if it would help. After going vegan, I immediately noticed that I felt much lighter, clearer, and no longer felt like I had the itis after every single time I ate. It quickly became apparent that my body did not tolerate animal protein well. 

 

After about 6 months however, I noticed I was weaker and more lethargic than I already was- even though I was making sure I was getting sufficient nutrients from my diet, and supplementing with B12, fatty acids, etc. Even stranger, I was craving meat. Not the nostalgic I miss chicken kind of craving, but a carnal need for meat. 

 

I fought it for as long as I could because of the improvements I felt, but the weakness was starting to become very concerning. I began consuming a small amount of animal protein, and instantly felt better. Strangely enough, I did not feel weighed down and uncomfortable the way I did before. 

 

As I started to eat animal protein consistently again and really listened to my body, I realized that eating animal protein wasn't the problem. The problem was the amount of protein I was eating before. I was consuming cheese, milk, steaks, fried chicken, and vast amounts of protein, and it was overwhelming my body. Now that I was eating smaller portions, it was not an issue. What I thought was the root cause turned out not to be the issue at all. 

 

Root causes can be very deceiving, so just remember to be diligent, and above all, keep an open mind. 

 

 

 

Be Careful Of The Rabbit Hole

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The rabbit hole is deep, and the scary part is that it doesn't end. I've been down there, and it gets pretty crazy. When looking into alternative health and wellness, there is an endless barrage of things that you will inevitably encounter. On one hand, you may feel empowered by all this new information you've previously been unaware of, and on the other hand, you may find yourself quickly overwhelmed by this very same information. It'll be hard to figure out what's true, and you may find yourself wanting to try everything, because they all seem to be so amazing. 

 

I'm not sure what the right answer is, because it was nearly impossible for me to figure out as well. While many things did ultimately end up being crazy or not a match for me, there were also a few things I thought were crazy- and would have never previously considered- that helped me tremendously. 

 

I think the biggest thing to keep in mind is that this rabbit hole does exist, and to always try to approach it without getting too excited or too attached to the outcome. Always take everything you encounter (even on this site) with a grain of salt, and take the time to think it through. 

 

It may also help to periodically take some time away from any research, or thinking about anything health related. Go somewhere for a few days, or try to keep yourself occupied with other things for a short period of time so you can regroup. It may be tough if you're dealing with issues that are really bothersome, and I've definitely been there, but I've also been able to gain some of the best insight after taking a step back. 

 

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The Body is Dynamic and Changes Over Time

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One mistake a lot of people make is adopting the idea that the body is static, and that it is the same and won't change much over time. They believe that if you've always had allergies, you will always have allergies. Or if eating a certain food bothers you, it will always be like that. 

 

That couldn't be further from the truth. The body is actually very dynamic and is constantly changing and adapting. Whatever you're dealing with now is simply a reflection of the current landscape of your body. Things can and often will change as you continue on your wellness journey. 

 

The most important thing is to pay attention, and to be aware of changes and things that might be happening to your body. If you tried something in the past with no or undesirable results, it might just be that your body wasn't ready for it at the time. As your body changes and heals however, it might finally be in the right state for whatever previously failed. 

 

Being aware of this possibility can be invaluable, as something you might have discounted forever may actually prove to be beneficial. 

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There Is No Such Thing As Ideal

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One of the most important concepts I learned after all these years is that every body is different, and that every body has different needs. There is no ideal or one size fits all for everyone- whether it be diet, treatments, therapies, anything. Different people will respond differently to different things. Going vegan will be life changing for some, while adopting a carnivore only diet will immensely help others. While eating spinach is awesome for most people, it is an Achilles Heel for others. 

 

Everything you come across will tout itself as the best, but this is only true for you if it helps you. If not, all of the claims and all of the people trying to convince you otherwise is just irrelevant. It's hard, but try not to get caught up in the hype. Oftentimes, the only real way to know is to try- which you should. Just remember to keep a level head, and be armed with the knowledge that it may very well not be for you. And if so, you can pivot. It's not the end of the world. 

 

Understanding this really allowed me to cut through all the noise, and really focus on what was best for me. I was able to base my decisions and actions on what I was able to objectively observe and what I actually felt, rather than what "should" or "shouldn't" be happening, or what was happening for others. 

 

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The Mind Is a Powerful Thing

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"The mind believes what the thinker thinks." I don't remember exactly who I heard this from, but this is a quote that has really stuck with me, even though it has taken me a long time to fully appreciate it. It's often very hard to see something when you're actually doing it, and it took a lot of concerted effort to actually realize I was doing this. It also allowed me to understand just how significant of an impact it was having on me. 

 

Now this isn't to say you're crazy, or that what you're experiencing is in your head. Rather, it simply means that the things we think about (and tell ourselves), and our thought patterns can oftentimes play an integral part in what we ultimately end up gravitating towards and even believing. Trying to be more mindful of the thoughts you have (especially negative thoughts or thoughts of worry) can have a profound impact even if the circumstances themselves don't change much. 

 

Another thing to be mindful of is that it can be very easy for us to believe certain things based on what we perceive to be the facts- even though they may actually mean something else entirely. 

 

An example of this was when I had constant pain in my liver. I was experiencing a constant sharp pain under my right rib cage area where my liver is, and was also experiencing a pain under my right shoulder blade. Upon looking it up, I found out that right shoulder blade pain was a hallmark sign of liver issues. My blood work was normal, so I figured it was probably more of a toxicity issue and tried to address it naturally. I took Schizandra Berries, Milk Thistle, various liver supplements, got colonics, did liver and gallbladder flushes, all with no success. 

 

It wasn't until I started getting structural work done that I realized the sharp pain in my side was actually a referred pain from an issue in my back. I could actually feel the pain getting worse when the spot was stimulated. Either way, the pain felt so deep and matched what I was reading so much that I completely believed that I had a liver issue. The pain went away after I got my back issue resolved. As for the shoulder blade pain, it turned out to be something structural as well, which was unrelated to my liver at all.   

 

 

 

People Are Limited to What They Know (And Believe)

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One thing to remember is that people are people, and as a result, they can be wrong. No matter how knowledgeable or an expert someone is, they are ultimately limited by their experiences, what they've been exposed to, their biases, and their beliefs. As a result, what they have to say may not always be right or the best for you. 

 

Now this isn't to say we know everything. It simply means to take everything with a grain of salt, not to be afraid to consider second, third, or even fourth opinions, and to pivot when necessary. Seeing the flaws and humanity that exists in all of us will make it much easier to realize that everyone is simply trying to make the best decision based on what they know to be true. 

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