The Elements of Healing
My practice members often as me what they can do to heal faster.
When we become sick or injured our focus shifts from going about our daily life to trying to recovery from our illness or damaged body part. When we are limited by our bodies most of us become impatient to hurry up & heal so we can continue on with our lives.
So, what are the elements of healing? What can we do to support ourselves through to the other side?
Hydration is key. Water is an essential component of our body and necessary for us to function at any given time. When our bodies are in healing mode this becomes even more important! So drinks lots of clean, filtered water. Fizzy water doesn’t count. Neither does tea, juice or any other beverage. Pure, reverse osmosis, remineralized water is the best!
Eat nutritious foods to support the healing process. Inflammatory foods such as sugar and highly processed foods (ex: chips, crackers, bread, ready-to-eat meals and deli meat) cause your body more stress and interfere with your ability to heal. Conversely, nutrient dense foods empower your body with important micronutrients to enable healing. Some foods packed with nutrients are bone broth, eggs, salmon, meat, blueberries, sweet potatoes and organ meat.
Side note: sometimes when you are sick we don’t want to eat and that is totally fine. It takes a lot of energy to digest food so losing your appetite might be your bodies way of conserving energy.
Rest. It takes a lot of cellular energy for your body to really kick into healing mode. Take it easy and get plenty of sleep. If you’re sick, he laundry can wait. If you’re injured, focus on restorative exercises.
Herbs & supplements are your best friends! Which specific ones to take vary depending on what you are trying to heal. For a common cold I always recommend echinacea, vitamin C, vitamin D, zinc and green tea. Ginger is great for an upset stomach and peppermint can be soothing for headaches. Magnesium helps with muscle aches and aids in sleep. Some people respond well to CBD as well.
Mindset matters! The cells in your body are listening to your thoughts at all times. Choosing to be optimistic about your healing process literally tells your body to heal. It also creates an elevated mood which releases helpful hormones & neurotransmitters. I know it can be frustrating and discouraging to feel under-the-weather but try to keep your mind focused on healing rather than dwelling on the negative.
Patience & acceptance are the best way to get healthy with less stress & struggle. Maybe this is your body telling you to slow down. Maybe there is a divine lesson in the experience you are having. Maybe you are being asked to listen to your body more closely so you don’t end up sick or injured again.
Pay attention. Notice what makes you feel better and what makes you feel worse. Notice how your body responds to different stimuli. Notice what’s going on inside of you. Being sick is a unique challenge that offers us insight into how we think, how we manage stress, how we relate to our bodies, and potentially, how we need to change our habits & behaviors to better support our overall health. (Hint: chiropractic care enhances immune system functioning and improves balance, coordination and brain-body communication, thereby, helping to prevent illness & injury).
Give it time. If there was a magic formula to recovering quickly I promise I would give it to you! The truth is that healing takes time. But, given the right environment and resources, the body always heals. It is healing in every moment.