If you know me, you know I’m long winded and get way too into stories. I’m going to try my best to KISS - Keep It Simple, Stupid. A year ago, I didn’t know what functional medicine was. I thought people who drank kombucha were trendy, and buying soaps without “toxins” was a stupid task. Oh, young Katie Joy, how little you knew.
Here is a culmination of what I’ve learned over the last year.
I’m going to dive deeper into each topic as we move forward together, but I wanted to share with you the 7 areas in which I believe we need to find balance. (These practices are based on Functional Medicine and the Oola way of life)
Functional Wellness - Nutrition, Hormones, Nerve System, Detoxification, and Fitness
Family
Friends
Finance
Field (career)
Faith
Fun
It can seem overwhelming when you look at each one of these, however, you don’t need to be a master at each one. The whole idea is awareness. Instead of going about each day and just existing, it’s about actively living your life with intention.
Where do you start?
I started with a need to change. I think that’s where we all start when we’re searching for something. My anxiety was keeping me from living and I had to get out of it. I had to find an answer. I started by finding a doctor that would listen, but I know not everyone has that option.
Step 1. Here’s where I suggest starting. Take inventory. Evaluate your life. Make a list in every area above. This is what mine looked like in January:
Functional Wellness:
Nutrition: I eat mostly fast food, LOTS of sugar and drink coffee. Some days I don’t eat at all.
Hormones: I don’t really understand my cycle, I just know I have bad cramps and birth control made me anxious
Nerve System: I don’t sleep well, but I’m tired all the time and I’m always stressed
Detoxification: idk how to detox. Is that like a cleanse?
Fitness: When I exercise, I feel sick and have a headache. I don’t know where to start or how to push past that.
Family: Just ended the holidays, lots of family stress.
Friends: I’ve got wonderful friends. I wish I felt better to spend more time with them.
Finance: My anxiety has kept me from working which puts it all on my boyfriend.
Field: Literally can’t get to my job because of panic.
Faith: Does screaming at God in my car count?
Fun: What. Is. That?
Here’s something I want you to keep in mind (please stay with me, I know I start to sound a little crunchy): Humanity has existed long before processed foods, enhanced products, synthetic hormones and chemicals, etc. I am NOT against modern medicine, technology, or any advances we’ve made. However, I do believe that we have overused them to an extent. Our world has provided us with foods, natural cycles, and natural remedies to live a basic day to day life. Sometimes the best thing to do is to KISS. Go back to basics. Keep. It. Simple. Stupid.
Follow through to Part II for steps 2 & 3!