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The Factors Of Increased Immunity

The Factors Of Increased Immunity

With everything that is going on in today’s world immunity is especially important. Without a properly functioning immune system, our bodies can become inflamed and more susceptible to viruses. Inflammation can cause a weakened immune system, joint pain, headaches, fatigue and more!

So what can we do to build up our immunity and help give our bodies a fighting chance? First off, washing your hands is highly important. Not just now, but always. Be sure to wash your hands with warm water and scrub everywhere. Second, get plenty of sleep. Rest is how the body recovers. If you do not give your body adequate sleep, the strength you’re cells have to fight off infection lessens. Third, eat healthy food, hydrate, and exercise. Finally, last but not least help kick up your immune system by supplementing the body with all-natural supplements.

There are many supplements that will be beneficial to the body. However, two of the most important are NAC and Glutamine.

 

What Are They?

 

NAC stands for N-acetyl-Cystine. NAC is an amino acid that the body can produce but the body can also greatly benefit from taking additional NAC in supplemental form. NAC plays an important role in helping the liver to detox. In addition to this, NAC helps to replenish the glutathione levels in the lungs and can help to reduce the inflammation. This is highly beneficial in helping to relieve the symptoms of a respiratory infection.

NAC is also greatly beneficial in boosting brain health. NAC helps to regulate glutamate levels and replenish glutathione. However, one of the most important factors of NAC is its ability to boost Glutathione levels.

Glutamine is an amino acid that helps the body perform many functions. Glutamine plays a crucial part in the immune system.

 

The Connection & How It Impacts Immunity

 

However, one of the most important factors of NAC is its ability to booze Glutathione levels. NAC and glutathione can help to boost an individual’s immune health. In research studies shown, NAC has been shown to lessen the effects of a virus and its ability to replicate. When it comes to immunity NAC and Glutamine are powerful molecules. Stoping the replication of a virus can help reduce the spread and the length of the virus in an individual.

Many infections and diseases have been linked to low glutathione levels. When the glutathione levels are low this is typically due to enhanced oxygen radicals. Studies have been done and show that when supplementing NAC to those who have low glutathione levels, it directly boosts their levels and helps with infection.

Especially with everything happening today, we want to increase our immunity and decrease the inflammation in the body.� Essentially, think of the body as a road trip. For this trip we need two main things: the gas for the car, and the car to take you to the end destination.� NAC is the gas that drives the car. We need the gas to get to our end destination. Our end destination is being healthy and giving our body the best chance to fight off infection (increased Glutathione). So by giving our body gas (NAC) we provide it with what it needs to take us to where we want to go (increased Glutathione, leading to increased immunity).

 

How Can I Benefit?

 

Overall, NAC is great to decrease inflammation. Inflammation is an extremely common underlying issue relating to other health conditions individuals suffer from. By providing your body with additional supplements, you can help increase your immunity and decrease your chances of contracting a virus and/or the length of the virus. Always discuss supplements with your primary care doctor before you begin them, but consider adding these into your daily routine!

I always recommend talking to your primary care provider and taking supplements daily. Supplements, in general, are a great way to help provide the body with the essential vitamins and minerals you may be missing. However, now more than ever supplementation is key. By building up and providing the body with the nutrients it needs for proper function, it will help prepare your body to fight off an infection. Supplementation like NAC is great to have already running in your system to help combat an infection if you were to catch one. Remember to be smart, talk to a primary care doctor before beginning supplementation, and keep in mind that not all supplements are created equal.� -Kenna Vaughn, Senior Health Coach��

The scope of our information is limited to chiropractic, musculoskeletal, and nervous health issues or functional medicine articles, topics, and discussions. We use functional health protocols to treat injuries or disorders of the musculoskeletal system. Our office has made a reasonable attempt to provide supportive citations and has identified the relevant research study or studies supporting our posts. We also make copies of supporting research studies available to the board and or the public upon request. To further discuss the subject matter above, please feel free to ask Dr. Alex Jimenez or contact us at 915-850-0900.�

References:
Dinicola S, De Grazia S, Carlomagno G, Pintucci JP. N-acetylcysteine as powerful molecule to destroy bacterial biofilms. A systematic review.�Eur Rev Med Pharmacol Sci. 2014;18(19):2942�2948.
Goodson, Amy. �Top 9 Benefits of NAC (N-Acetyl Cysteine).� Healthline, 2018, www.healthline.com/nutrition/nac-benefits#section3.
Wessner B, Strasser EM, Spittler A, Roth E. Effect of single and combined supply of glutamine, glycine, N-acetylcysteine, and R,S-alpha-lipoic acid on glutathione content of myelomonocytic cells.�Clin Nutr. 2003;22(6):515�522. doi:10.1016/s0261-5614(03)00053-0

Health Coaching in El Paso: Part 2

Health Coaching in El Paso: Part 2

Health Coaching is a recent position that is being utilized by doctor offices around the country. Many doctors have realized that their patients are needing more one on one guidance but they are unable to provide this due to their hectic schedule. This is where they have created and utilized health coaches.

Health coaching is extremely beneficial for patients and can help them achieve their health goals. For more information about health coaches and a general overview of the essential role they play in the healthcare field, please see last week’s article linked here.

Health coaches use many different techniques depending on the patient they are working with, but the core values of their methods remain the same. These core values can be broken down into 6 different steps, with each individual step having smaller more detailed steps of their own. These steps can be identified as:

Identifying values and vision

Determining goals

Building a plan for action

Tracking progress

Visualizing one’s best self

Creating a plan for resiliency

 

Step 1: Identify Values

Identify Values Photo

With this step being the first, it is one of the most crucial. When a patient comes to a physician or a health coach, it is usually because they have been recently diagnosed or are unhappy with their current health status. However, this does not mean that the patient is fully ready to accept their condition or understands it fully.

The patient will be asked to write down inventory in the categories of physical, emotional, spiritual, social, recreational, intellectual, and environmental. The purpose of this is so the patient is able to search and reflect on where they’re currently at and where they would like to be.

From here, there are different techniques and models that a coach may use. One being the transtheoretical model, in which the patient will use stages to move through a behavior change.

At this point, the conversation is less about treatment and more about obtaining an awareness of their health risks, experience with a current illness or any symptoms they�re experiencing. The patient is welcome and encouraged to express their emotions openly. The health coach will move through these next 6 steps to help outline the patient’s treatment and see what stage they are at.

1. Precontemplation: the patient does not intend to take action in the foreseeable future

2. Contemplation: intending to start introducing healthy behaviors within the next 6 months

3. Preparation: patients are ready to take action in the next 30 days

4. Action: the patient has recently changed their behavior and intends to keep moving forward

5. Maintenance: the patient has sustained their behavior change for 6 months and intends to maintain the behavior change for more than six months

6. Termination: the patient has grown and is now self-aware of their behaviors and has no desire to return to their previously unhealthy behaviors

As we all know, values are formed starting in early childhood. These values are then later consciously re-evaluated and may change. It is important for the patient to work with the health coach so they properly understand their personal values. This allows the patient to get clarity and build self-awareness to make intelligent decisions and keep a balance in life.

Actually sitting down identifying values might be difficult, as many individuals do not think about them often. If this is the case, the health coach might help by asking questions like:

What is more important in your life: Beyond basic human needs, what must you have in your life to experience fulfillment?

Take this time and consider a meaningful moment: What was happening to you and what values were you honoring?

Consider a time when you were angry or upset: What were you feeling and, if you flip those feelings around, what value is being suppressed?

These questions aid in triggering times that the patient might not have been connecting to values. After the patient has identifies values, the health coach will work with the patient to select between 5-10 of their core values and then rank them in order of importance. From here, the patient is able to evaluate their values and proceed to determining goals.

Step 2: Determine Goals

goal setting.jpeg

Once a patient has identified their values, the health coach will shift their focus and have them brainstorm what they would like to focus on in their healing plan. This step is important because it will determine what they specifically want to change or improve. Some patients may feel unsure or are apprehensive, but allowing the patient time to journal or write out everything they want to accomplish, big or small, as well as the known steps or tasks, will help the patient get there.

When determining goals, the health coach will encourage the patient to create goals for multiple areas in their life. Some of these areas may include, health, family, relationships, and recreation. The health coach will encourage the patient’s goals by having them consider the following questions:

What do I want to achieve?

How will I achieve this goal?

Why do I want to reach this goal?

Who will I need to work with to achieve this goal?

What are the conditions and limitations to achieving this goal?

Based on the core areas and goals, the health coach will work with the patient to determine SMART goals. A SMART goal is a goal-setting technique that brings structure and trackability to goals. SMART goals stand for Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Timely. These create a verifiable trajectory towards a specific objective with clear milestones. By determining SMART goals, it clarifies how and when the goal will be achieved, rather than just stating a desire.

A health coach will help patients turn “I want to lose weight” into ” I want to lose 20 pounds to have more energy to play with my grandchildren. I will do so by exercising four times a week and eating less processed foods, and more fruits and vegetables. I will lose an average of two pounds every week for 10 weeks.”

By doing this, the health coach is working on a goal that immediately interests the patient and puts it into a way that is more attainable. The health coach can help the patient stay encouraged and motivated as they work together to achieve small successes, eventually leading to the patient being more willing to take on bigger challenges.

Using health coaching can be more beneficial than one might originally think. As one can see, they really go deep into one’s life and can help them in ways they might not have planned on originally. In the next article, the steps of building a plan for action and tracking progress and results will be discussed in great detail.

 

Changing your lifestyle can be difficult and does not happen overnight. Those who work with a coach to reach their goals are more successful and less likely to give up when things get difficult. Coaches are amazing for accountability, advice, health help, goal setting, and organizing expectations in a realistic timeline. Look at it this way: People use a wedding coordinator to help them oragnize food, timelines, expectations, etc. and that is for an event that lasts 1 day. So why are you not using a health coach to help you organize all of these same things for something that will last a lifetime? In addition you’re getting to help decide your future and gain a deeper undestanding of what lies ahead. Investing in yourself is one of the best things you can do for yourself. – Kenna Vaughn, Senior Health Coach

The scope of our information is limited to chiropractic, musculoskeletal and nervous health issues as well as functional medicine articles, topics, and discussions. We use functional health protocols to treat injuries or chronic disorders of the musculoskeletal system. To further discuss the subject matter above, please feel free to ask Dr. Alex Jimenez or contact us at 915-850-0900.

The information from this article was found in an article written by Integrative Practioner. The sources can be found listed below.
Resources:
American Psychological Association (2019). The Road to Resilience. Retrieved from: www.apa.org/helpcenter/road-resilience
Jonas, W. (2019). Empowering patients with chronic diseases to live healthier through health coaching: Integrative primary care case study. Samueli Integrative Health Programs.Retrieved from: www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/give-yourself-a-health-self-assessment
Miller, W. and Rose, G. (1991). Motivational Interviewing: Preparing People to Change Addictive Behavior. Guilford Publications.
Pecoraro, Wendy. �A Six-Step Approach To Health And Wellness Coaching: A Toolkit for Practice Implementation.� Integrative Practitioner.Com, 2019.
Trzeciak, S. and Mazzarelli, A. (2019). Compassionomics. Studer Group. Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. The Stages of Change.�Retrieved from: www.cpe.vt.edu/gttc/presentations/8eStagesofChange.pdf
Your Coach (2009). SMART goals. Retrieved from: www.yourcoach.be/en/coaching-tools/
Health Coaching in El Paso: Part 1

Health Coaching in El Paso: Part 1

Let’s be honest, making a change to your lifestyle is hard. Whether that is due to lack of time, motivation, or not knowing where to begin, there is one thing that makes it easier: accountability. This is where health coaching comes into play. Going through the process with someone and having another individual to talk about it with,� makes the change seem more achievable. The bottom line is that people need support. When it comes to changing one’s lifestyle and adapting new healthy behaviors, individuals who have support are more successful.

 

What Is A Health Coach?�

 

A health coach can be defined by The Institute for Integrative Nutrition as, ” a wellness authority and supportive mentor who motivates individuals to cultivate positive health choices. Health coaches educate and support clients to achieve their health goals through lifestyle and behavior adjustments.�

Health coaches are becoming more and more essential as modern medicine continues to improve. Now more than ever, the medical field is advancing at high rate speeds and practitioners do not always have the available time some patients need. Here is where health coaches come into play. Essentially, the position of a health coach was created to fill the void in many doctor offices.� Many doctors contribute but do not have the time or resources to help each patient build healthy habits on a day to day basis. However, health coaches are available to be a supportive mentor who help and guide patients in making healthy lifestyle changes.

 

 

 

What Does A Health Coach Do?�

Health coaches play a vital role in modern medicine. Health coaches can work in multiple settings including for a doctor, a spa, a gym, wellness centers, or even have their own private practice. Health coaches help individuals make lasting changes and keep patients on track to feel their best. In addition to this, health coaches motivate, push, encourage, and create plans with patients to optimize energy and decrease stress and fatigue.

Health coaches are not just for diet and exercise help, but for other aspects of life as well. Health coaches are able to help with stress, sleep, relationships, habits, and even one’s career.

Related image

 

Health coaches work with individuals to go through the problem areas in their life and give them tools to improve their lifestyles. By working with a health coach, the individual begins to learn and create habits that will affect and improve their lives while also giving them the essential life skills they can use for a lifetime.� One of the main things that coaches do is aid patients in setting goals. For many, goals are set but are not attainable, healthy, nor realistic. Health coaches work to break down these goals with patients into smaller, more reachable goals. This helps patients push themselves and not get discouraged because they are hitting these smaller marks along the way.

Aside from setting goals, health coaches also prepare the patient for the emotional fallout that can occur. As mentioned earlier, lifestyle changes are not easy and do not occur overnight. This being said, it is normal to have negative emotions regarding the subject along the way. Health coaches are prepared for this and will help you to not only work through them but learn to adapt to these situations and how to overcome the barriers.

 

How Can You Benefit?�

 

In the United States, over half of the adult population is affected by at least one chronic disease, many having to do with joint inflammation (Pecoraro, 2019).� Integrative health coaching allows patients to visualize their goals and work with their health coach to properly identify their values and create action steps to achieve optimal health and wellbeing.

People can utilize health coaches at any moment in time. However, many people choose to have a health coach help them after they receive a diagnosis or are overall unhappy in their health and lifestyle choices.

Health coaches are respectful of the personal knowledge one has of their own life and body. Thus, letting the patient have a say in their plan and protocol. This is beneficial because if a patient is included in the creation of their health plan, they are more likely to comply and make it attainable. Not only does this build trust in the professional relationship, but it allows a health coach to consider all areas in the patient’s life.

Individuals can benefit by learning to lessen health issues, problem solve, and gain a new perspective on their life.

A health coach can do a lot more than just aid in diet and exercise. As one can see, health coaches are helpful in many different aspects of one’s life. The qualifications for a health coach can vary. Personally, I have a bachelors degree in Exercise Science with an emphasis in Health Education from Grand Canyon University. In addition to this, I gained my Exercise Physiologist Certification through the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM). With this background, I am knowledgeable in the pillars of health and how to successfully guide an individual. Almost every person can benefit from a health coach in at least one way. – Kenna Vaughn, Senior Health Coach

The scope of our information is limited to chiropractic, musculoskeletal and nervous health issues as well as functional medicine articles, topics, and discussions. We use functional health protocols to treat injuries or chronic disorders of the musculoskeletal system. To further discuss the subject matter above, please feel free to ask Dr. Alex Jimenez or contact us at 915-850-0900.