why do we need health coaching?
Did you know that nearly 80% of preventable disease risk factors are influenced by behaviors such as smoking, chronic stress, poor diet or lack of exercise? Even in knowing this data and the continued research supporting healthy lifestyle alterations, we tend to be unsuccessful at developing sustainable changes.
The current traditional healthcare and medical model lends itself more to disease treatment than disease prevention. While this is changing, the traditional model fails to serve lasting healthy lifestyle changes.
Physicians, nurses, dietitians, and other healthcare professionals serve crucial functions. They offer a multitude of well-intentioned and essential recommendations. However, they may not have the time or the tools to help their patients make the continual changes they need or desire. Health Coaching fills this void.
Ever heard of the saying that “we are what we eat”? They were not wrong! Good health depends upon a healthy diet, and as such, learning and understanding basic concepts in dietary nutrition is a large part of Health Coach training.
Overall, Health Coaches enact basic, health-supportive modifications and habits. They help clients develop targeted goals and a viable plan for carrying out regimens prescribed by their medical professionals.
why does health coaching work?
By supporting real-world lifestyle and behavioral changes.
Health Coaches play a crucial role in health maintenance, disease prevention, and even disease reversal – supporting the concerted mission of all healthcare professionals to increase health and quality of life.
Health Coaches do not diagnose or treat; but rather, assess a client’s overall well-being while still allowing the client to lead their own journey in getting to “well”. In addition to helping outline paths to specific goals, Health Coaching focuses on teaching clients to eventually be self-sufficient.
They teach the client to learn to observe the body’s responses to various lifestyle modifications and ultimately coach them in choosing health-promoting behaviors that work for their everyday life.
Diets are a short-term prescription not a long-term solution. They work for a bit and then ultimately prove to be ineffective. They are usually not sustainable because they do not address the underlying, everyday “life” that can tend to get in the way for an individual.
Health and even weight is not only about food, it is related to stress, work, relationships, taking care of yourself, and most importantly, happiness. Diets and fads, however, usually only address the food.
Health Coaches help you manage it all!
. . . but don't just take my word for it!
“I’ll never forget the day I had whipped myself into a frenzy about lab test results I received. I was scheduled to go into a work meeting and knew I had to get a grip.
Fortunately, Becky provided much needed context for the test results, reminded me to use my 4-7-8 breathing (ask her about it . . . very useful), and dug into researching my questions. I was able to calm down, focus during my meeting, and was very relieved by her resulting research.
There’s a lot to like about Becky’s coaching. In particular, I like her broad view of health and nutrition. She focuses on the physical body (and, as a pharmacist, brings a unique talent to doing so), but she also recognizes your mindset, beliefs, and attitude are a significant component to achieving your health and nutrition goals.
I’d recommend Becky to anyone who needs help making a plan to manage their whole health!”
“Becky’s coaching has improved my life in many ways. Thanks to her advice I have stopped taking prescription medication for acid reflux and replaced it with apple cider vinegar. The vinegar very quickly alleviated my reflux whereas the medication did not.
I also learned the benefits of gluten-free eating. It has increased my energy level and helped me lose a few pounds.”
“I had trouble with hip pain and leg cramps. I did not sleep well and I took naps frequently. I don’t like to take medication. Becky suggested I try magnesium oil and the MELT Method Hand and Foot Treatments. Becky showed me how to do the hand and foot treatments and then I used the video to practice. It is a little confusing at first but once you get the routine down it is easy. It takes about 20 minutes.
After about two weeks applying magnesium oil twice daily, my hip pain decreased substantially and nightly leg cramps were nonexistent. I now apply the oil just once a day.
The MELT balls have definitely been a great benefit. I use MELT every other day. I am now able to get up from a stooping position without holding on to anything. I previously had hip pain getting in and out of the car, it has disappeared. My balance is greatly improved. I do not feel the need for a nap in the afternoon, therefore I have more energy.
I highly recommend both treatments. My quality of life would suffer if I would have to do without Mag Oil and MELT. I highly recommend Becky too, but that is biased. I am her mother. ”