What Do You Need To Do To Be Healthy?

This is a question that I ask each of my patients. It is also has an answer that is different for each person. It's all about balance.

Good health can be broken down into basic categories, and a balance is needed within and between each group for our body to work at its optimum.

1. Food. Some people choose veganism or vegitarianism while others are avid carnivores. That's fine as long as we have a balance of the different food groups needed to stay healthy. We all have food sensitivities, allergies, likes and dislikes which alter our choices, but we need to keep a balance in our diet. The same can be said of the amount of food that we eat. I love chocolate but I know too much will make me sick. Too much of a good thing becomes a bad thing. 
 
2. Water. Our bodies are 50-70% water. If we are not taking in water, then we will keep the water we have and that is not a good thing. I have many patients who tell me they do not like water. Then drink it medicinally. You CANNOT live without water and you do not get enough water in other foods to avoid problems later.

3. Exercise. We are made to move. It is essential and every part of our body needs exercise. Activity can be exercise but few activities or exercises cover everything our bodies need. We need to challenge our balance, flexibility, strength and our circulation for optimum health. I will outline my "rules" for exercise and activity in another post.

4. Rest and Stress. Good stress. Bad stress. A little bit is healthy. Too much or too long is not. We have to balance relaxation and rest with stress.

5. Manage physical and mental conditions. We all have things wrong with us. Some have arthritic conditions while some have depression. Most of us have multiple conditions that have to be managed with medications, special diets, or other precautions. The key word in dealing with conditions is Manage. Very few conditions are "cured", but if we manage the condition, then there are fewer problems associated with the illness or injury. If we don't take care of the condition, the condition could control our lives and that's not what we want.

One of the first things I recommend is to take a hard look at each of these areas and see what needs improvement. Then set priorities and small goals to create a better balance. In the water example above, I ask that the patient set a goal of 64oz per day and gradually replace a soda or coffee with water until the goal is achieved. For some, that make take a couple of weeks. Others take months to reach that goal. The time frame is not as important as the effort made to improve health. The body appreciates any efforts to help it work more efficiently.

So, what do you need to do to be healthy?

April is Occupational Therapy Month!

Welcome to my newest blog! Even though it is April Fool's Day, April is also National Occupational Therapy month. I thought it appropriate to start my new blog today in honor of the profession.

First, a little about me. I have been an occupational therapist since 1992 and I have worked with a variety of patients in many settings. I am currently working with adults in outpatient and home health throughout the Dallas area.

Many people are unaware of what occupational therapy is so my first task is to attempt an explanation. I get asked all the time if I can help find someone a job. The term Occupational Therapy was coined around 1917 and referred to the use of "occupations" as therapy modalities. In that era, occupation did not simply refer to work or a job, but all aspects of life including dressing, bathing, cooking, laundry, hobbies, and, of course, work. If someone injured their hand, they might be given some leather to tool or wood to carve to increase motion, strength and function.

During and after WWII, reconstruction aides were utilized to get wounded soldiers back into the service or home. The disciplines of Occupational and Physical Therapy ultimately emerged from those reconstruction aides. So PT and OT have basically the same origins, just different areas of focus. PTs became known for strengthening and walking with use of exercise and modalities like ultrasound and electrical stimulation, while OT used traditional crafts to develop fine motor skills and cognitive components of function. OTs initially developed a strong presence in the field of mental health.

Over the years, OT began to be seen as "the craft ladies" and without any scientific credibility despite tremendous research and evidence supporting our methods. As a result, many OTs shifted to use of exercise and modalities to replace the use of "crafts" in our practice, but we maintained our emphasis on relating our purpose to everyday function. OTs tend to see a patient or client as a whole person rather than a back injury or a stroke victim.

Today, you will find OTs in hospitals, home health, schools and community settings treating all ages with a wide variety of disorders. We are often confused as nurses or physical therapists, but we are a unique field that continues to evolve despite many challenges in today's healthcare.

While there are several vague definitions for occupational therapy, the one I use most is-physical therapy teaches you to move again, while occupational therapy teaches you to live again. My goal for this blog is to educate about occupational therapy and to promote how OT can be beneficial healthly living and function.