There has been so much conversation lately around topics like gut microbiome and holistic health among healthcare professionals. Amidst the many interesting researchers in this space, I came across Dr.Zach Bush, a specialist in endocrinology and internal medicine. His areas of focus seem to be gut health, inflammation and chronic diseases and how they should be understood at a cellular level. This makes sense because a lot of chronic illnesses are said to be related to the gut health. But gut health is something we normally take for granted. In one of his interviews, I was surprised to hear him say something along the lines of ‘Trust your instinct when it comes to your health’. It is a far cry from what doctors usually say. Intrigued I looked further ahead and discovered his ‘Journey of Intrinsic Health’ program. Before we try to know what that is, we need to understand some fundamentals.
What is intrinsic health?
One important research defines intrinsic health as a field-like state emerging from the dynamic interplay of energy, communication and structure within the organism which enables robustness, resilience, adaptability and performance. It is the ability of an organism to maintain its internal dynamic equilibrium.
What is a holistic approach?
The traditional medical model relies on detecting what is wrong with the body and what should be prescribed to overcome it. Much of it is reactive instead of being proactive. Preventive care is somewhere on the side-lines. In fact, I read a comment beneath one of the videos saying ‘most doctors know diseases, they do not know health‘. In the holistic health model, there is emphasis on looking at the person as a whole and identifying root cause of symptoms or illness, instead of directly jumping to prescribing medicines. For that to happen, our physiology has to be understood at both the macro and micro levels.
Human body’s natural ability
We are underestimating our body’s natural capacity to heal. It is believed that we have generations of evolutionary knowledge about our health and survival encoded in our genes. We literally have to trust the gut when our body tries to communicate with us. This communication could be a signal of excess (too much sugar or salt), needing something (deficiency of vitamins) or signalling an injury. We must create the mental space to listen to the body and figuring out its signals.
Learn from nature
Nature has a harmonious way of doing things. Nature is a complex web of biodiversity and interconnectedness with perfect balance and vitality. Our human body is pretty much similar. Our irresponsible habits or stressful thoughts can easily disrupt this balance thereby significantly reducing vitality. So it is essential to focus on not just nutrition but also on the environment and lifestyle.
Do not forget your roots
In our modern society we have become so disjointed with our food sources. For example, if we ask our children about where we get our vegetables from (do they grow above or below ground?), we might get some very interesting answers. We have lost touch with the original practices of agriculture, instead adopting to a mass food culture ridden with pesticides. Knowing what we consume and how we consume it, will help us make us informed food choices. It is good to know at least the basics of reading a food label.
Watch what you eat – Are you inadvertently consuming loads of sugar? Are you consuming a balanced diet? Do you eat a lot of outside food? All of these will have both short term and long term impact on your wellness. Here are a few ideas :
- Make the effort to connect with your food and know your food better.
- Go for locally grown foods.
- Teach your children about the different types of food and their nutrition.
- Connect with the soil. Take a walk barefoot.
- Embrace the healing energy of nature. Relax in the lap of a natural surrounding.
Healthy transformation
Though we are equipped with sufficient general knowledge about health and wellness, the actual acceptance about reality and what needs to change is an uphill task. By embracing change, we can transform our lives into something much bigger than what it is right now. Change is scary. It takes time and a lot of wilful effort. But the transformation journey itself is a beautiful process even before arriving at the desired change. So change is necessary to uplift ourselves and be better. Change can be physical (building muscles or weight loss), mental (time management or mindfulness) or spiritual (trying to connect with something bigger than yourself- Divinity or Nature).
Letting go of past attachments will lead to new self-discovery.
Live better
- Make conscious healthy choices in everyday situations
- Do not ignore inflammations. It is the body’s warning system about an injury.
- Focus on physical, mental and spiritual health
- Beware of toxins in your environment
- Reduce the consumption of refined sugar and fats.
- Move away from a sedentary lifestyle.
- Be mindful of your stressors and nourishers.
- Be compassionate towards yourself and others.
If you are ready to change for the better , here are the individual elements you can take note of.
Elements of intrinsic health – How to build health?
These are the eight things that build up physiology. In fact these are designed as an 8 step program towards intrinsic health. They revolve around changing our mindset when it comes to wellness and other basic lifestyle interventions.
Identity
Understand the complexity and beauty of our physiology. For that to happen, first you have to get rid of the anxiety and fear associated with health. As Dr.Bush mentions, “Its not a 1000 diseases against humans. It is one health waiting to emerge.”
Water
Water is the elixir of life. It regulates all bodily functions. How water is retained and utilised in the body is a complex process. If sufficient water is not taken everyday, the body cannot function smoothly. So monitor your water intake. It is important to drink clean, mineral rich water for the body to be healthy.
Food
Look beyond the fads in food and health. Our digestion relies on our metabolism and the gut microbiome. Our gut has trillions of bacteria, simply known as good bacteria and bad bacteria. What you eat determines the proportions to which these bacteria exist. Similar to nature, the gut bacteria has to be diverse instead of a monoculture. Good gut health ensures good overall health.
Movement
Movement through exercise or walking is a power boost enabling better communication networks within the body. Choose a comfortable workout and maintain it at least 30 minutes a day. Simply sitting for prolonged hours is more dangerous than the effects of smoking.
Breathing practices
Closely recalled during meditative practices, breathing right is a powerful technique to keep the body functioning smoothly. Deep breathing not only relaxes you but also keeps the oxygen-carbon dioxide cycle at healthy levels. Mindfulness techniques encourage deep breathing.
Rest/Sleep
Getting even seven hours of quality sleep is a challenge these days. Managing house, work, children, chores, shopping, social obligations…the list is endless. We are expected to multi task more and more as we advance in years. The ‘hustle’ culture is doing more damage to our quality of life. This is exactly why sleep is important – to release unwanted stress and to replenish lost energy.
If rest is compromised you are voluntarily inviting multiple stressors into your life.
Play
This indeed surprised me on the list. You do not normally associate the word ‘play’ and ‘fun’ with an average adult’s intrinsic health. But play can foster creativity, relaxation and a great mindset. As the popular saying goes ‘You do not stop having fun because you are growing old. You are growing old because you stopped having fun!’ Think about the last time you thought about the word – fun?! Devise your idea of a healthy ‘fun’!
Connection
Meaningful social relationships are time and again shown to improve overall physical and mental health. All the studies on the Blue Zones (where people live healthily for more than 100 years) show that community fosters well being. Ask yourself – Are you making time to connect with people in a constructive way?
Conclusion
A lot of what Dr. Zach Bush says is familiar. (We may not know the subject’s depth, but we all certainly have a broad idea when it comes to health.) Along with following these broad guidelines, monitor your progress every month. The easiest way to do this would be to notice your body and mind – Are you feeling better, happier, lighter? All are indicators of progress in health. Keep building on your small improvements.
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