Continuing with the series of 15 areas of wellness that is assessed in the WICO questionnaire, today's area of health to consider is one that approximately 1/3 of US adults take into consideration daily because they have symptoms or take medication to help them with this (but really, 100% should...)

​DIGESTION and it's evil cousin, ABSORPTION.

​I would go out on a limb here and say that YOUR DIGESTION PROBABLY SUCKS. (Sorry. Keeping it real, people....)

​Seriously, this is so critical to health but SO many of you are doing it wrong!! If it is common for you to have days that remind you of the ol' Pepto-Bismol jingle, digestion is a weak link in your chain of health, my friend.

Take my unofficial quiz for digestion:
1. Do you get heart burn or take anything for heart burn? (It's the 3rd most-common class of medications.)
​2. Do you burp, or feel gassy or bloated after eating?
​3. If you burp, do you re-taste your meal? (sometimes still counts...)
4. Do you still have your gallbladder?
​5. Have you taken antibiotics?
​6. Did you take probiotics afterward?
​7. Do you chew your food about 20 times per bite? (really, take a count next time! Your bite should be like liquid when you swallow.)
​8. Do you DRINK a lot of fluids DURING your meal?
​9. Do you have a bowel movement EVERY day?
​10. Do you lose at least 12" of stool per day? (Yes, 1 foot!)
​11. Do you take anything to help you go to the bathroom?

If you answered "Yes" to #1, 2, 3, 5, 8, or 11... or "No" to #4, 6, 7, 9 or 10, your digestion is probably poor.
​Any 1 of those on that short list (depending on how you answered) is a sign of bad digestion.

​If you can't DIGEST your food, you make it so much harder on your body to ABSORB nutrients from your food. You could be eating "right" and still have poor nutrition because your digestion just isn't working.

To see how you would score in 15 areas of health, check out the WICO score. I also offer free 10 minute phone consultations if you would like to talk.

 Wellness.... What does that mean to you? For me, there are many areas of health to address when assessing one's health condition, and some of them take a higher priority than others. Often times what brings someone to contact me is just a piece of their actual health issues.

One of the tools I can use in my office is the WICO® score assessment, which is a comprehensive, 294 question survey that you can take online and it gives you a "wellness" score, sort of like you get a FICO® score for your credit.

​There are 15 areas that the WICO score assesses, and I wanted to take some time to go through each of these.

Interested in how YOU score in these areas? You can take the WICO® assessment here.

Ah, Good Ol' Glucose. The FUEL of your body.

If you are feeling fatigue, fatigue between meals, or if eating RELIEVES your fatigue, you may have problems regulating your blood sugar....

If you have trouble sleeping, don't get enough exercise, are overweight, or need to use caffeine to make it through your day...you might have problems regulating your blood sugar....

​If you eat a lot of refined carbs, or not enough protein (among many, many other items too numerous to list), you guessed it, you might have problems regulating your blood sugar!

Contrary to what you might believe, you do NOT need to be obese to be pre-diabetic or even full-blown diabetic. In our high-stressed, fast-food, caffeine-rich, nutrient-poor average American population, I find pre-diabetes all the time in persons who "look healthy".  (By the way, ANYONE with a chronic condition will tell you that LOOKS have little to do with HEALTH.)

​And sometimes we find LOW blood sugar contributing to fatigue, headaches and other symptoms.

​TRUTH #1:  this is an area often OVERLOOKED by your primary doctor. Fasting glucose, which is typically run at your annual physical, is NOT enough. When was the last time your HbA1c was assessed? If you are like 95% of my patients the answer is NEVER, (unless you are known to have diabetes).

(Seriously, I find glucose problems ALL THE TIME in people who have been told they are "healthy".)

TRUTH #2: If you do have glucose handling problems, this is a main priority for the body. It's how your body gets fuel.... Too little is bad, and too much is like gas on a fire.  You will NOT have lasting health if you don't get this under control. Hormone balance, S-E-X functions, reproduction, etc. all take a back seat to GLUCOSE metabolism. Got it?

​If you want to assess your own wellness status further, I suggest that you take the WICO® assessment and get your baseline in all 15 area of health, or you can schedule a complimentary phone consultation with me.
​
​To your health,
​Dr. Jennifer

Hello!

​It's that time of year again when coughs and congestion runs high. I have a home-made recipe that I have used for years to clear out the crud and help restore breathing freely..... Made with items you probably have in your pantry, this concoction will help clear your sinuses and throat in no time!

​Dr. Welch's Cough/Congestion remedy
2 Tablespoons honey (from a local source is best - the honey is then made from plants in your area!)
​2 Tablespoons Apple Cider Vinegar
​2 Tablespoons water
​1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (brings in the heat! be careful or omit if on blood thinners...)
​1/4 tsp ginger
--------------------------- that's it!
​Take 1 Tablespoon and keep tissues handy for the outcome..... May repeat every 30 minutes as needed.

Variations:
​For a little extra "boost" I sometimes add 1/4 tsp of turmeric and 1 tsp of lemon juice.

You could also add 1/2 tsp crushed garlic to this to give it even more antibiotic power (but I do find that this works well as-is, too.)

​If you try it, let me know what you think!


​*Please note this is not intended to be used as medical advice. If your symptoms do not get better, seek the help of a qualified health professional. If you are on medications, please check with your doctor or pharmacist to ensure none of the ingredients interact with your medications.