Understanding your health means that you are going to be able to take better care of yourself. The more you know, the more powerful you are, and that is especially true when it comes to health.
The answer is often diet
We often overlook poor diet when we are trying to find the cause of our symptoms but 70% of our immune system is actually located in our gut.
“Seventy percent of the immune system is located in the gut,” says David Heber, MD, PhD, professor emeritus of medicine at UCLA Health. “Nutrition is a key modulator of immune function.”
Immune cells in the gut interact with the microbiome (the diverse array of bacteria and fungi that live in the gastrointestinal tract) and are directly influenced by an individual’s diet and lifestyle.
The foods we eat affect the diversity and composition of bacteria in the gut, which in turn affect immune cells. Those gut bugs are healthiest and support strong immunity when their hosts (that’s us) consume plant foods that are high in fibre.
Do Your Research
First, you should do your research into health as a whole.
If you have had a diagnosis of a condition, you need to be as informed as is possible. You can research by looking at books and articles that medical professionals have published, or you can meet friends on social media who have been through the same thing: sometimes it’s nice to hear from someone who has been in your shoes- their insights might be invaluable.
Ask friends for recommendations if you are, for example, looking for a nutritionist as often, word of mouth is one of the best recommendations you can get! I’ve actually got to know some wonderful ladies on Instagram who have so much knowledge and I wouldn’t hesitate to go and see them if I needed some advice!
Know Your Own Body
It will always help to understand your health if you know your own body. You need to take the time to get to know your body inside and out, body and mind. Ideally, you can use something like meditation to achieve this goal. The Calm app is particularly good.
Consult Professional Advice Where Needed
In some cases, you may want to consult a professional in order to best understand your health. For example, there are times when you are going to need to see a doctor, and times where you are not. It’s important that you know the difference between the two so that you are not constantly going back and forth between your home and the doctor’s office. However, this does not mean that you should not consult professional medical advice when you feel it’s necessary.
You are also able to get legal representation if there is a health problem that has been caused by someone else: for example, health problems associated with Camp Lejeune water – you could check the symptoms and then get legal advice if necessary.
