A Quick Fix Doesn't Cure What Ails Ya

It's common to look for a quick fix.  The first sign of a sniffle or ache and most of us start rummaging in the medicine cabinet for an over -the- counter remedy  or leftover prescription to take the pain away.


If the symptoms persist, we seek the advice of a doctor and, in most cases, a drug  is prescribed to alleviate the issue. If you're lucky it's one of the super drugs like a Z-Pack that really starts acting quickly, getting you up and functioning within a day or two. When I feel awful, there is nothing more frustrating than the doctor delivering the dreaded news, "it's a virus," which translates to no fast acting antibiotic to give me relief.

My father was in medicine, so our normal household reaction was to go to the doctor, take the medication and move on. After all, science  had all the answers.  I never looked past the obvious to what may have caused the ailment in the first place. And that is the issue, the symptoms are treated but not the root cause. Working with people in holistic health has made me realize that everything in our bodies is interrelated, therefore you have to treat the entire organism. Could it be a food sensitivity or caused by stress, both conditions that affect the total system? It is reported that 75% of all doctor's office visits are stress related.

This past month I have been visiting an allergist to figure out why I felt tired, sluggish, achy and generally lousy.  I had been working with a health coach for six months and felt like my diet was cleaned up and my awareness level  and education regarding nutrition was excellent; no gmos, whole grains, vegan diet, etc.  I was in the process of working with an elimination diet to determine the culprit of my distress, which I felt might be caused by a food allergy.

In our first session, Dr. Mike immediately zeroed in on my stress levels. Getting out of corporate should have afforded me a lot less angst in my life, but was replaced with concern over developing a new career, business and the related financial concerns. All I saw on the exterior was a more laid back lifestyle, what I didn't see was the underlying tension apparently eating away at my body. My adrenals had been working overtime producing cortisol to effectively allow me to flee situations -think of the adrenaline cavemen needed in the flight or fight response. Stressed adrenals cause weight gain, sluggishness, depression, illness, etc.  He also detected a corn allergy.  Anyone who has seen the movie "King Corn,"  knows that high fructose corn syrup is in just about everything on the market.  After working on those two issues through holistic methods for several weeks I felt decidedly better and know my health will continue to improve.

There is so much information available regarding exactly how our adrenals work and how stress affects the body that I am not going to give any further information. My intent in this blog is to share my recent experience and urge you to look closer for the core issue when any part of your health is not functioning to its optimum. 

Popping pills is such a short-term quick fix.  As our bodies begin to build up resistance to medication, even that remedy has a reduced life span. Learning how to minimize stress, eat healthy and lead a more balanced life on every level is key to developing a long term plan that will sustain longevity. Sure it is more of a tortoise approach as opposed to the hare, but "slow and steady wins the race" and keeps you healthier.

Becky Arrington guides individuals and businesses to discover their purpose and live authentically. Whether you’re a company looking for innovative ways to lead and engage employees or an individual trying to prioritize, reduce stress or decide what you want to be when you grow up, learning to accept and thrive in change is key.

Dear Reader,
I love feedback and welcome yours. This site can be a bit particular when adding comments on my blog, please use these easy instructions to post yours. Thanks, Becky

• Click on the small word "comments" at the bottom of my post
• Post your comments, you may sign or not sign, your choice
• Select profile "Anonymous"
• Click "Publish"
• Complete the security question, then click "Publish" again
• If you have a Google account and want to publish via that, you are welcome to