I have to be honest. I am very grateful to some of the well-known practitioners, gurus and doctors in the functional health space who are laying it all out on the table. I’ve recently listened to some full disclosure podcasts and read very honest and revealing blogs, that all share a common message which I think is extremely important. It’s a message I’ve personally struggled with as I begin my transition into Functional Health Consulting. Do I have full disclosure or not?
The message reminds me of the old saying, “The son of the shoemaker has no shoes”.
The shoemaker is always too busy making shoes for other people to make a pair for his own child. In other words, we often get so tied up in our work and providing for others that we forget to take care of our own children.
But this also applies to ourselves and here are some examples:
Messy homes of people who make their living cleaning.
People who are in charge of huge assets and financial accountability, but have bad personal credit.
And yes, people in the functional health space that sometimes give into stressful times and old habits that don’t promote healing.
Just because they’re teaching their patients, clients and readers about healthy lifestyle habits to heal one’s body, it doesn’t mean they are 100% compliant at every moment or 100% perfectly healthy all the time. Life happens. Stress happens. We’re ALL human.
I too know how to help my clients get well, but this doesn’t mean I’m 100% perfect either. I’m still on my own personal journey, and sometimes that means I give into things I know don’t support my health goals, that I still struggle from time to time with how I deal with stress and I also experience stress induced physical issues from time to time. For the most part I do follow my own advice when it comes to healthy habits. But when I do give in, I jump right back on the health train since I know my body well now and know what feeds it and depletes it.
When the time feels right to make lifestyle changes to improve your overall health, the “non-supportive” (or better know as “bad”) habit overhaul might feel a bit overwhelming and restrictive at first, but this is just the entry point to the bigger reward that lies ahead. It’s so important to think about what you are gaining, not what you are giving up.
Initially it does take work to restore your body but over time doing the tough work, your body heals and there will be room to occasionally challenge the new “supportive” habits you’ve created.
To be human is to accept we’re imperfect. To be mindful is to not judge ourselves for it. This work is about being the best you, you want to be.
