Holistic Health

Holistic medicine is an ancient system of health care that dates back over thousands of years. The basic idea from 5,000 years ago is that medicine is most effective when you consider the whole person, rather than focusing on specific illnesses, body parts, or symptoms. Now a days, most people consider it in a more modern sense. To us, holistic health just means taking care of every part of yourself—physically, mentally, emotionally, spiritually—all of it.

Jeff Johnson with Johnson Chiropractic & Acupuncture gave us a deeper look into the four main pillars of holistic health: “Holistic health encompasses proactive habits in a variety of areas of your life that promote optimal health and well-being, which is the opposite of doing nothing and hoping you don’t get sick. Thousands of years ago, Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) promoted the four pillars of health, each one important to staying healthy and not getting sick. They are Structural, Chemical, Electrical, and Mind/Spiritual.”

Structural refers to the alignment of the spine and extremities. Treatment was Tui Na, which is an ancient method of massage and chiropractic adjustments to repair the body after injuries or to maintain health. If you ever notice people who look old beyond their years, part of that view is the stiffness they have in the body. Healthy people are very flexible and nimble.

Chemical refers to herbal medicine but now includes vitamins and nutrition. This all begins with eating the right foods, in the right amounts, at the right times. TCM teaches that if you eat properly, you should not need to take herbs, but our food supply is different than it was thousands of years ago. We eat much more processed and refined foods than our ancestors.

Electrical refers to acupuncture. The body is electrical in nature, you can measure the heart with EKG, and muscle contractions transmits electrical impulses from the nerves to make them contract. Acupuncture points have electromagnetic properties, and the channels of flow can be measured. Treatment can be to increase or decrease the flow of energy through the body.

Mind/Spirit refers to your mental state. It is not enough to be healthy in the above three ways, but not have mental peace. Some people can never turn off their thoughts, don’t sleep, or have recurring negative thoughts that can impair their level of health and should address that with a professional.

“Working on improving these four areas of life will improve your health, but you may have to work on one area more than another,” Dr. Jeff explained. “Chiropractic care can offer the missing pieces to achieve your body’s wellness potential. A chiropractic adjustment can increase your energy, vitality, and improve your sleep. Most importantly, chiropractic care and acupuncture care give people with chronic pain an option other than strong pain medicine that can negatively affect the body.”

The avoidance of drugs and surgery is what draws many people to chiropractic care. Despite declines, opioid use is still high yet inconsistent across the United States with over 10 million people regularly misusing them. While opioids are generally safe for short-term use, they can become addictive due to the feeling of well-being or euphoria after use. Even if taken correctly, it’s possible to become addicted. This risk has turned many people away from standard medicine for pain and towards new solutions. Even the Center for Disease Control has begun urging people to pursue safe, nondrug alternatives to manage pain for non-cancer-related pain treatment.

CBD American Shaman has been working for years to spread the benefits of CBD oil in Lincoln to give people another health solution apart from taking harmful prescription drugs. CBD oil is made from a cannabis compound called cannabidiol (CBD) that is found in all cannabis plants. This compound interacts with our body through the endocannabinoid system, which is the system in your body that regulates the normal homeostasis. As the environment around people automatically effects the normal state of balance, the endocannabinoid system keeps our bodies leveled.

“We all have an endocannabinoid system in our body,” Nicole McCoy from CBD American Shaman informed us. “It’s the system that keeps our body in balance. They call it homeostasis. What the CBD does is it gets our receptors in the body working properly so that the body can put itself back into balance (homeostasis) and the body can take care of itself naturally. Our products are also nine times more bio available to the body due to our proprietary nanotechnology and water soluble.”

“To me, holistic health means finding clean, natural, organic ways to help my body and mind get resolutions to conditions I’m dealing with—not using any chemicals in my body.” Nicole shared. “Businesses can benefit from our offerings with employees being more productive because they won’t have as many outside distractions and more mental awareness. I’ve also had customers tell me that CBD has reduced inflammation, pain, sleep, and anxiety. With fall/winter and cold weather approaching, we get more customers in with aches, pains, and arthritis. During the holiday season, we have more customers coming in with stress and anxiety.”

Making your health a top priority going into winter and the holiday season is very important. There are many people who suffer from seasonal affective disorder (SAD), a type of depression that relates to the changing seasons. Symptoms specific to winter-onset SAD, sometimes called winter depression, may include oversleeping, appetite changes (especially a craving for foods high in carbohydrates), weight gain, and tiredness or low energy. Don’t brush off these negative behaviors as simply a case of the “winter blues” that you have to tough out on your own. Take steps to keep your mood and motivation steady throughout the year.

According to Jennifer Amend with EMRIS International, one step to take is integrating Synergy by EMRIS into your life.

“Our basic Synergy – Broad Spectrum Hemp Extract is perfect for people who don’t really know where to start with CBD,” Jennifer said. “It’s also the perfect product for CBD veterans as well. Unlike CBD-isolate products that only offer CBD itself, our full spectrum proprietary blend is rich in powerful terpenes and cannabinoids from American-grown hemp plants to help you experience the ‘entourage effect’ and the true power of hemp oil extract, minus the THC. Synergy by EMRIS is easy to integrate into your daily routine. Its recommended use is 1–2 times per day, using a dropper to apply under the tongue. The main benefits recorded from taking Synergy by EMRIS are improved sleep patterns, relaxation, and managing discomfort.”

“Another blend we have is our Vitality Plus,” Jennifer continued. “This premium herbal complex is designed for maximum vitality! It’s meant to help holistic wellness with its immune boosting, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant rich properties. It supports healthy blood sugar, aids digestion, fights anxiety and stress, and promotes total well-being.”

EMRIS International is committed to strict testing, superior results, innovation, and excellence. Their vision is to elevate the human experience through premium, naturally-based health and wellness products and the power of social commerce done the right way. EMRIS is not a company, it’s a movement.

As we keep hearing more about CBD products, it’s interesting to see that science is revealing some astonishing truths about the human body and how it interacts with CBD. According to a report from the World Health Organization, CBD exhibits no effects in humans that are indicative of any abuse or dependence potential. To date, there is no evidence of public health related problems associated with the use of pure CBD. Many chiropractors, holistic physicians, acupuncturists, and other holistic practitioners recommend CBD products to their clients.

“Scientists are still picking apart the hemp plant and finding other parts of the plant that are producing holistic results in many other uses yet to be revealed,” confirmed Patricia Kramer with Sacred Leaf Lincoln. “Pain relief, combating depression and anxiety, treating autoimmune disorders, providing relief from cancer symptoms, reducing epileptic seizures in children, lowering high blood pressure, promoting healthy skin, preventing diabetes, treating insomnia and sleep disorders, and reducing psychotic effects in Schizophrenic patients are just a few of the health issues being addressed in the CBD industry. CBD oil is a good choice for people suffering with any of these symptoms or those who just want overall better health without taking more aggressive prescriptions that have other side effects. However, it is still highly recommended that people still speak to their doctors before using CBD so they can monitor any ailments.”

Holistic health is a way of life and means being of the whole. It requires that mind, body, and spirit act as a whole and that one cannot be without the other. At Express Life Chiropractic, they understand how all things are connected, and that is why Drs. Troy and Ashley Hayes will address your health at its core: the nervous system. Literally every body part is controlled by the brain, spinal cord, and nerves; therefore, directly affecting the nervous system helps to find the root cause of health concerns and find relief.

“Our mission is to help people in the community achieve optimal health naturally and restore hope through principled chiropractic care and encouraging everyone to embrace their non-interfered, God-given, true health potential,” Dr. Troy Hayes stated. “Our neurologically-based chiropractic corrective care can create optimum function of the central nervous system to correct ailments far removed from the spine.”

“Ashley and I have seen our chiropractic care help with pain, anxiety, headaches, migraines, and other symptoms,” Dr. Troy continued. “Sadly, there are a lot of people who put so much money and energy into their health through invasive methods or powerful medications, with little results. Expensive and side-effect heavy medications aren’t always the best option when trying to decide on a pain management plan. In many cases, people can live symptom free lives without any pesky side effects or chemicals. Our bodies are completely controlled by our central nervous system, or our brain and spinal cord, and nerve interference can cause a variety of problems in the body if it’s put under stress. We use the Torque Release Technique to identify where and if there is any nerve interference down to the vertebral level. Then, we can decide which adjustments need to be done in order to align the spine and remove the interference. The specificity of our technique allows for longer lasting, better effects.”

Mental health and physical health go hand in hand. In fact, mental health effects virtually every aspect of a person’s life. Considering the average adult spends many of their waking hours at work, it’s important to consider how the workplace effects our mental health. According to the World Health Organization, our working environments have changed in ways that would have been difficult to imagine a generation ago. New communications technologies and expanding access to the internet enable us to work outside the workplace at pretty much any time of the day or night, and increasing competition on the “corporate ladder” has led to increasing pressure for cost efficiencies and higher productivity. It has also become more common for people, especially the millennial generation, to frequently move between organizations and even industries. These pressure and changes can lead to a variety of physical and mental health problems and lost productivity. It was reported that the lost productivity resulting from depression and anxiety, two of the most common mental disorders, is estimated to cost the global economy 1 trillion U.S. dollars each year.

One way to try and tackle this problem is to start having those conversations about mental health in the workplace and implementing programs that reduce stress. A new trend in this area is pet therapy. Your office doesn’t have to get a dog to reap all the benefits animals have on our well-being. Shepherd’s Rest Goat and Sheep Rescue will host a goat yoga session for your team or they will bring a goat to your office through their Cubicle Cuddles program.

Jen Schurman with Shepherd’s Rest Goat and Sheep Rescue is passionate about goats and the positive impact they can bring to us humans: “I think one aspect of holistic health that is the most important to me is a connection with nature. Being able to get away from the constant buzzing and chiming of computers and phones is accompanied by a freeing feeling. That’s why I’m so passionate about goat yoga. It allows people to facilitate a real feeling of connectedness with a nurturing soul, not a screen. Nature has a big impact on mental health, at least in my experience. When it starts getting cold outside, that’s when I feel like most people lose that connection with nature. It can be hard to feel happy when you’re stuck inside all day. That’s why we also host winter goat yoga sessions located inside of a heated barn just down the road from the rescue farm. This is a great way for companies to bond during a corporate retreat!”

“Another thing we do to increase happiness in the workplace is our Cubicle Cuddles program,” Jen added. “We will bring one or a few goats to your business for a fun little visit! We’ll take the goats around the office and say hi to your whole team. The goats are very clean, friendly, and guaranteed to improve employee morale.”

Shepherd’s Rest’s mission is to rescue, rehabilitate, adopt, and provide sanctuary for goats and sheep in need. They also aim to educate the public about goats and train goats and humans as therapy teams. In addition, they also seek to mend the connection between people and nature.

What needs to continue to be more accepted in society is that mental illness is common. In fact, one in four people will experience a mental health problem at some point in their lives. In addition to stress in the workplace, mental illness can strike in many different ways and areas of our lives. Whether it’s an addiction or a post traumatic stress disorder, any condition that affects mood, thinking, and behavior is considered a mental illness. Those struggling with a mental illness will often seek out counseling, but unfortunately there are many who don’t because of the stigma associated with therapy. Stigma and discrimination can worsen someone’s mental health, and delay or impede them from getting help and treatment, and ultimately discourage their recovery. Social isolation, poor housing, unemployment, and poverty are all linked to mental illness.

Most people who experience mental health problems recover fully, or are able to live with and manage them, especially if they get help early on. Seeing a trained mental health professional can offer you relief if you’re suffering from anxiety, depressions, or stress. Ultimately, seeking out psychological attention can be liberating because knowledge is power—if you understand how and why your mind operates in a certain way, you feel more in control. How different would your life look if you had better self-control?

Self-control or self-discipline affects a person’s overall health and well-being in more ways than one, including stronger relationships and improved financial success. An example of how self-control impacts health is nutrition and fitness. Without self-control, it could be easy to just constantly eat junk food all day long. Choosing to eat junk food is an easy decision while it takes self-discipline to avoid it and make healthier choices. This same mentality is true with things like staying in an unhealthy relationship or choosing to watch Netflix all day instead of making time to exercise.

“We want to help you gain more self-discipline so you can establish a healthy baseline for your life, both in terms of activity and nutrition,” said Jeff Madsen, owner and ACE certified personal trainer at Right Foot Forward Fitness. “When you build a healthy foundation to stand on, then that single piece of pumpkin pie during the holidays will not derail your plan to stay healthy. It’s not the pie that gets you, it’s your daily Monday through Sunday routine. Make it a healthy one, and you will be successful in achieving your goals year round.”

“To me, holistic health means focusing on your everyday life, not just when you’re at the gym,” Jeff added. “What do your daily activities look like? How many steps a day do you take? What types of foods are you eating and in what amount? How can we add in more positive things that are enjoyable to you and will benefit you from a health and wellness perspective? We want to help you address the issues that are standing between where you are now and where you want to be.”

Right Foot Forward Fitness understands that it’s not simply a good gym session that makes a person healthy, it’s the day-to-day grind of trying to become your best self. That’s why they focus on nutrition, fitness, and overall well-being in and outside of the gym. Right Foot Forward Fitness also hosts boot camps for small group fitness. This way, you have built-in support system of people who will help you stay on track and motivated to reach all your goals. Your health journey is not one you have to make alone!

If you’re someone who feels like the thought of achieving the life you want seems too overwhelming, the best advice is to take things one baby step at a time. If you’ve picked up some unhealthy habits, you’re not just going to wake up one day with all new healthy habits. Focus on one area of your overall health to improve and go from there.

One little thing you can do is drink more water. When we’re not hydrated enough, our cells work poorly, causing brain fog. Water acts as a natural detox, and drinking more of it will improve your ability to flush out toxins from your body. If you suffer from low energy, moodiness, or other health issues, water can make a positive impact in these areas.

Health is so much more than simply diet and exercise. You must listen to your whole body, which includes your mental and social well-being, and do whatever it takes to keep it all in balance. When we take care of our bodies, our bodies will take care of us.