Self Love’s Journey to wellness
“Do not fold the corners of your being to fit into spaces that no longer hold meaning...work to become, WHOLE.” – the real life co
Becoming whole rather than allowing our environment or challenges to dissect us into pieces, fosters a person’s fundamental ability to add a deep sense of compassion to oneself and others. Becoming whole makes it easier to cope with trials, to see oneself positively while being aware of one’s weaknesses. When we work to become whole, our journey to Self-Love can lead to Wellness.
So, what is wellness?
Wellness is “the act of practicing healthy habits on a daily basis to attain better physical and mental health outcomes, so that instead of just surviving, you're thriving” as defined by Pfizer, one of the world’s premier biopharmaceutical companies.
Self Love is Scientifically proven…
Research indicates there is also a science behind the act of Self-Love and Wellness. An excerpt taken from the article, The science of self-love: the evidence-based benefits of loving yourself, by Dr. Andleeb Asghar, states,
“The scientific term for self-love is self-positivity bias, which is defined as the way people rate themselves as possessing more positive personality traits and displaying more positive behaviors than the average population.”
The benefits of high self-esteem
Is it true then, that when wellness enters our being, our way of life over time and the practicing of actions that promote self-love can help both our physical and psychological well-being?
According to the American Psychological Association, having high self-esteem is key to positive mental health and well-being. High self-esteem matters because it helps you develop coping skills, handle adversity, and put the negative into perspective.
And so it’s becoming apparent, focusing on wellness as a whole will upgrade your Self-Love journey to one of wellness and well-being.
“One day I took a step and it hurt less than standing still. This is what healing looks like...” the real life co
To help our members gain a full understanding of how to add the appropriate wellness practices into their lives, the real life co, proverbially, sat down with Dr. Will Cole, a leading functional medicine expert who consults people around the globe. Dr. Cole started one of the first functional medicine telehealth centers in the world over a decade ago and was named one of the top 50 functional and integrative doctors in the nation.
With such credentials, we asked Dr. Cole to help us understand his ranking, wellness, gut health and how to keep going and growing your Self-Love journey.
trlc : You are ranked toped 50 in 'Functional Medicine', can you explain what this ranking is and the importance to you?
Dr. Cole: There are many people who practice functional and holistic medicine in America and this list rounds out the most impactful practitioners on a wide-spread scale. While I am extremely honored, I am ultimately the most honored every day when I talk to my patients and help them get to another level of their wellness journey. This ranking just puts my name and my clinic in front of more people who I am able to help.
trlc: Here at the real life co we support women who have endured various amounts of trauma, as a Doctor that focuses on wellness, why is it important to you that women in particular, look at their entire wellbeing as a way to heal?
Dr. Cole: Research has linked past trauma and stress to inflammation, hormone imbalances, autoimmune conditions and various other health problems. In functional medicine we look at a person's health case in its entirety and take into account the mind-body connection. Instead of looking at lab work alone, we look at a person's lifestyle and past experiences to make correlations as to why their lab work looks the way that it does and why they are experiencing the symptoms that they are. This helps us make lifestyle recommendations in addition to dietary changes and supplements.
trlc : We hear a lot about gut health and the importance of what we put into our bodies, how does or can gut health affect the aftermath of trauma?
Dr. Cole: Your gut and brain are inextricably linked through the gut-brain axis and what happens to one affects the other. For example, the proteins that control gut permeability also control your blood brain barrier. Therefore, when there is inflammation in your gut, there is also likely inflammation in your brain. This can lead to increased stress, anxiety, and depression which impacts the way we process and work through past and current trauma.
trlc: On your social media we find that you recommend alternatives in eating as a practical way to heal, what advice would you give someone who is new to wellness?
Dr. Cole: Give yourself grace, no one is going to be perfect when they start on their wellness journey. There is also no “one-size-fits-all” approach to healing, so listen to your body and adopt the wellness practices that work for you. And don’t try to do too much all at once. Start off slowly and incorporate new wellness tools and practices over time.
trlc: What does wellness mean to you?
Dr. Cole: Wellness means loving myself enough to seek health and healing. You can't heal a body you hate. It all comes back to showing love to yourself with the choices you make - diet, lifestyle, etc. - Dr. Will Cole, leading functional medicine expert, IFMCP, DNM, DC, host of The Art Of Being Well, and author of Ketotarian, The Inflammation Spectrum, and the NYT-bestseller Fasting.
Dr. Will Cole specializes in clinically investigating underlying factors of chronic disease and customizing a functional medicine approach for thyroid issues, autoimmune conditions, hormonal imbalances, digestive disorders, and brain problems. He is also the host of the popular The Art Of Being Well podcast and was the co-host of Gwyneth Paltrow's lifestyle brand goop's first spinoff podcast ,the goopfellas podcast.
Dr. Will Cole is the bestselling author of Ketotarian, The Inflammation Spectrum, and the New York Times bestseller Intuitive Fasting.
