Martina Bouchard, ND.A.
January 2024
It is easy to get swept up into the faced paced, and ever evolving world around us. And it is even easier to get caught up in the expectations or lifestyles that others have set upon us. Why it is important to talk about getting back to the basics - shedding the excess and turning towards your natural everyday needs.
There are moments in life where we need to do an honest check-in with ourselves to see how we feel right now and evaluate if this is the road we want to be going down or not. Does this fit the lifestyle you are trying to create? When you take the time to acknowledge yourself, your values, and your priorities, most times you are also (re)connecting with a life that is rooted in basic living.
The Basics in Naturopathic Care
Far too often we get caught up in herbs, supplements, complex protocols, and forget the basics of Naturopathy. We become so caught up in what herb or supplement is healthy and forget that there may be a simpler, and more effective option that is better suited to your needs. Many times, I find clients are taking far too many herbs and/or supplements because they are said to be healthy, but they have nothing to do with the client’s actual needs. We are all unique, and there is no one size fits all – even with herbs, supplements, and protocols.
Don’t get me wrong, there is a time and place for everything, including herbs, supplements, and complex protocols; what I’m trying to say is that in certain cases you might not need to go there if the foundations are set. In some cases, we might even see the herbs and supplements achieve better results once the basics are in place.
So, what are the basics? They include, nourishment, hydration, physical activity, sleep, mental wellbeing. It could be argued that some extras could fit in this list, but let’s start here.
Nourishment
To be clear, we are talking nourishment, NOT dieting. Dieting has so many negative connotations, it implies restriction, and classifying foods as either good or bad. Nourishment means foods that provide nutrients needed for growth, health, and overall well-being. Nourishment is a basic, and often overlooked pillar of health.
Ensuring your body is properly fuelled protects you against many chronic noncommunicable diseases, such as heart disease, diabetes, and cancer¹. It provides the necessary nutrients that your body needs to create new cells, clear out toxins, improve gut health and mood, and to simply function the way it was made to². There are only good things that happen when the body receives proper nourishment.
It is important to note here that we are all made different, so what works for one person does not necessarily mean it works for another. One person might be able to strive off eating tons of fruit daily, while this may irritate other people. Why it is important to work with a Naturopath to figure out what works for YOU.
Of course, there is a broad range of beliefs when it comes to nourishment and the type of foods that we should be consuming (e.g., plant-based diets, keto diets, eating organ meats, ancestral lifestyle, etc.). The best advice I can give you is to take some time to reflect on what resonates with you when you are faced with information about nourishing foods. Who is giving you this information? What is their goal? What is the cost? What are the benefits? Are there any risks? And go with your gut feeling! Try to steer away from trends or movements as you and your needs are not at the foreground in any of these circumstances.
Hydration
Did you know that up to 60% of the human adult body is water?³ Water serves several essential functions to keep our bodies running. It is a vital nutrient of life to every cell in our bodies, it regulates our internal body temperature, it flushes toxins from our bodies, it acts as a shock absorber for our brain, spinal cord, and for the developing fetus, it maintains blood pressure, and lubricates the joints among many other roles³. Water is also important for digestion and absorption of the foods we eat⁵.
In an online survey, over 70% of Canadians admit they do not drink enough water⁴. A study from Harvard University found that most kids and teens didn’t drink enough water, leading them mildly dehydrated⁶. This study also found that boys were 76% more likely than girls to be inadequately hydrated⁶. On the flip side, thirst tends to diminish after the age of 65 years, and people are more unlikely to drink without consciously thinking about it⁵. In fact, dehydration is one of the most frequent causes of hospitalizations in elderly people⁵.
So how much water should you be drinking? The amount of water you need to drink per day depends on a variety of factors, such as your age, your activity level, your weight, your environment (if it’s hot out), caffeine intake, and your overall health. The Dietician of Canada Association states that the average healthy adult woman should have about 9 cups of water per day, and men should aim for about 12⁴. If you are exercising, I suggest following the Galpin Equation as it is the guideline for the additional fluid you should consume depending on your needs.
Water Filters
A special note on water filers. Due to the scale and limitation of standard municipal filtration systems, most tap water does contain contaminants, which in high concentrations, negatively affect health⁷. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) outlines that arsenic, copper, lead, nitrate, and radon are the chemicals that most often contaminate tap water⁸. Other contaminants include, disinfection by-products (DBPs), fluoride, and other endocrine disruptors⁷.
It is beneficial to filter your tap water, many pitcher filters can filter some disinfectant by-products, but to not trap smaller particles such as fluoride. There are no federal regulations that exist for residential water filters; however, the National Sanitation Foundation (NSF) has developed standards for residential water treatment devices to ensure that the devices are composed of nontoxic materials and/or that they reliably and adequately remove certain contaminants⁹. Contact me if you would like more information on this and which NSF certifications I recommend.
Physical Activity
Our bodies were made to move. Everyone talks about physical activity, everyone knows we should do more of it, and everyone knows it’s good for you – but many of us still choose to avoid it. It is well known that a sedentary lifestyle is a risk factor for a wide range of chronic illnesses, and increased level of physical activity and fitness are correlated with a lower risk of mortality from any cause¹⁰.
What is impressive about exercising, is the amount of research on the number of conditions exercise seems to prevent, ameliorate, or delay, independent of any other health pillars¹¹. Meaning exercise alone can change your condition or prevent something from happening.
What is even better is that exercise also impacts the other basic health pillars, for instance, physical activity helps you sleep better, improves mood¹⁰, and motivates you to eat more nourishing foods, and sometimes drink more water. So alone, physical exercise is incredible, but it also is a gateway into ensuring the other basic pillars at met as well.
Sleep
Sleep if often overlooked, and with the evolving use of technology, our quality of sleep is on the decline. It is estimated that we sleep 25% less than humans did 100 years ago¹⁰. The optimal amount of sleep per night is around 8 hour of sleep per night, and one out of five adults sleep less than 6.5 hours a night¹⁰. So, what’s the big deal about missing a few hours of sleep?
Sleep is essential for survival and is when your body and brain repairs itself. During sleep your brain sends waste and toxins out of the cells and brings in nutrients, which then replenish the cells¹⁰. Poor sleep also is associated with a lower cortisol awakening response (CAR), which leads you tired and can increase inflammation¹⁰. Not getting enough quality sleep regularly raises the risk of many diseases and disorders which range from heart disease and stroke to obesity and dementia¹².
Like the other bases, if sleep is not optimal, your condition or issue might not be resolved through herbs and supplements alone. If you have sleep troubles, please contact me so we can work together to improve your sleep.
Mental Well-Being
I think as a generation we are more aware of mental health than ever before, however, at the same time, in Canada as well as other countries, there have been large increases in symptoms of depression and anxiety¹³. These increases were found to increase especially since 2020, and were found to be more pronounced among women, and younger people¹³.
Mental well-being is important for overall health and is actually equally as important as physical health. Poor mental health is a risk factor for chronic physical conditions, and people with serious mental health conditions are at high risk of experiencing chronic physical conditions¹⁴.
So how can you improve your mental health? Make time to connect to yourself, take time to do things you love, and do self-care rituals. Examples can be coherent breathing, meditation, going for a walk, doing a face mask and a foot soak, or even just taking time to celebrate silence. No one can tell you the exact method that is right for you, it comes down to you trying different things to find what brings you mental well-being. Don’t forget that you can always get help, and you should seek out a professional if you feel stuck.
Again, there is a time and place for everything. I do believe that when the basic health pillars are integrated correctly there can be miraculous positive health changes that may even enhance the way herbs and supplements heal the body. I encourage you to take this time to reflect and see if there are any “basics” you need to come back to.
References available upon request