HEALTH AND WELLNESS CHOICES
Understand the “Why”
One thing I always tell my PT patients is about their rights when it comes to surgeries, testing, etc. It’s very important to me that they feel comfortable talking and asking questions to understand the “why” behind something. Whether it’s with me or their health care providers, I want them to be confident learning more about what’s going on with their own health and wellness.
I recall a conversation with an 86-year-old patient about her upcoming mammogram and colonoscopy. She shared how stressed out they made her because of the discomfort and prep, and at her age she wouldn’t do anything about what they found anyway. She was amazed when I shared with her that she had the right to decline those tests if she wanted to. She truly didn’t understand she had the right to choose!
I’m grateful for all the freedoms I have, and like most of us, I’d like to hang on to them. That’s one thing I seldom talk about — choice. One of my favorite quotes is from Austrian neurologist and psychiatrist, Viktor E. Frank who said “Between stimulus and response, there is space. In that space is our power to choose our response. In our response lies our growth and our freedom.” If you want to preserve the opportunities to eat healthy foods, use nutritional supplements, homeopathic and herbal remedies, we may have to speak up, before it’s too late.
Here are just a few self-care freedoms we can do right now:
Take a deep breath and let it go.
Move, stretch, and enjoy what your body can do.
Support and build up our immune systems.
Choose organic, GMO free, local, seasonal foods to nourish your body.
Stay hydrated by drinking pure or filtered water.
Feel grateful for what’s good in your life.
Put healthy boundaries between yourself and negative influences
Share kindness with others and the people you love.
Close your eyes and reach within, to find your center, and your strength.
Enjoy a deeper restful sleep, to nourish mind, body and spirit.
You Do Have Choices
If you’re concerned about an issue, see if you can dig up some factual information. That’s the thing about freedom, you do have choices. You can choose to act in fear. Or you can choose to speak up, calmly, serenely, to those who will listen. It’s all right to speak up for yourself and those you love.
Healthy self-care is always within your reach. At Carpenter Physical Therapy and COR Health Solutions, we are dedicated to helping you live a healthy, active life. Ready to feel good about yourself? Join us for an upcoming online class HERE.