There are many theories out there about what approach is best when it comes to healthier living. What is “healthy”? Does it mean an absence of disease? Should we be counting every calorie we consume? Or does it mean supporting our bodies to function at their optimal capacity? That is, doing what we can to help prevent disease, keep functioning the best we can while treating ourselves with a little kindness instead of trying to live up to unrealistic ideals. We all come from different backgrounds and have our own health and life challenges, so no one rule or approach is suited to all. With this in mind, Feel Amazing has decided to make it our mission this October to debunk some of the most common myths, hopefully separating fact from fiction for you and supporting you to look after your unique wellness.
3 myths about health and wellness
- Can you believe everything you read on Google
Having information at your fingertips is often helpful and it’s important to do some research, you can then make informed decisions and choices. But knowing its context and source is relevant. Not all websites, articles or posts are written by health professionals or backed by medical research that is scientifically based, and it can be more about promoting a lifestyle or point of view, while for some it’s aiming to get the most hits on their site. Google has parameters to make the most popular sites just that (sorry Google, don’t break up with me). So, take your time to consider where that information is coming from and what is right for you and your situation. Making a self-diagnosis or making changes to medications or health regimes without appropriate professional consultation can end up being detrimental to your health.
- Health influencers have accurate information
Related to the first point but more obvious on social media, are these people trained or qualified in what they are talking about? Is it their status that is adding weight to their convictions? Is it a quick fix they are offering? What goes on behind the scenes and after photo shoots? Half-truths and misconceptions can become popular media. While some people even go to great lengths for the best photo, at the ultimate risk of life. These days most of us are aware of the behind the scenes efforts and publicity used to create and disseminate attractive images. There are some poignant sayings that remind us that appearances can be deceiving… the grass isn’t always greener… and you don’t see what goes on behind closed doors… So, let’s not compare ourselves and instead be inspired by true health and beauty in its many forms.
- Natural remedies are the same as taking vitamins
Is there a difference between supermarket vitamins and practitioner only products? Yes!
What is a practitioner-only product? Products that by law only an allied health professional (Naturopath, Chinese medicine practitioner, Chiro etc) or Doctor can dispense.
Practitioner-only products undergo rigorous quality assurance testing and clinical trials to ensure all the ingredients are both effective and safe. This ensures the quality of the ingredients is higher and much more effective. This can mean that practitioner-only products can be more expensive, but on the flip side, you’re guaranteed results.
Over the counter products often only contain the smallest amount of active ingredient that they can get away with, present in its cheapest form. This is then often diluted with other ingredients to keep costs down. This can often affect absorption as the synergy of the ingredients is important to the body’s ability to use the active ingredients, leading to the products passing through us inertly. In a practitioner-only product lots of research is done to ensure each ingredient works synergistically to increase absorption and effectiveness.
This can mean that you need to take an excessive amount of an inferior product to get the result required. All practitioner-only products, on the other hand, have been specifically formulated to maximise their absorption and further promote the uptake of all key ingredients. Practitioner-only products require much smaller doses and are much more effective.
One real-world example we see in the clinic:
- We often hear of people taking magnesium capsules or tablets but still experiencing muscle cramps. Why? Because not all supplements are created equal (see above) but also scientific research shows that magnesium is more effective when in powder form and so the product we recommended has been tested to ensure optimal absorption. There is also the benefit of other ingredients that can treat magnesium deficiency and support the body to overcome other related symptoms.
Even from these 3 myths, we can see the importance of having access to information that is factual, especially when it comes to looking after our health and wellbeing.
What makes Feel Amazing different?
We are a team of health professionals who have qualifications, training and experience in our fields of expertise. We have wellness in our business name, so we are obviously interested in your health and wellbeing. What we won’t do is offer you a fad treatment, herbal remedies that aren’t backed by research, or follow popular trends that we know aren’t proven or relevant or good for you. At Feel Amazing we are committed to making sure that we are up to date with our knowledge and treatment practices. We try to make our website look good and we are posting on social media, but you can see we aren’t marketing experts and would rather offer you good advice and a high standard of care, than just look good.
We do love to catch up, see your updates and hear how you are doing. We are here to help you improve your health, manage chronic conditions and feel the best you can after seeing us. So, ask us about those wellness myths that you’re not sure about, talk to us about any concerns you may have about your health and let’s work together to feel better.