The 4 Pillars to Create Optimal Health NOW!

Use the 4 Pillars For Optimal Health

At Bay Wellness Centre, a naturopathic clinic in downtown Vancouver, BC, our naturopathic doctors strive to treat the whole person so that we can get to the root cause of the issue and improve your overall health. We develop all of our programs and treatments by considering the four pillars of health and our goal is always optimal health for our patients. For us, the four pillars of health are the foundation for good preventive care and how we treat acute and chronic conditions.

We develop treatment plans, implementing the four pillars of health to address concerns such as:

• Hormonal imbalances – infertility, painful periods, PCOS, endometriosis, acne, PMS, peri-menopause, menopause, low libido
• Digestive health – bloating, pain, cramping, diarrhea, constipation, IBS, weight loss, food sensitivities, candida infection, SIBO
• Skin health – eczema, psoriasis, dry skin, rashes, acne, hair loss

The 4 Pillars of Health are Nutrition, Detoxification, Hormones and Lifestyle.

Pillar 1: Nutrition

Nutrition is the bread and butter of naturopathic medicine. We believe that if we fuel our bodies with the correct macro and micro-nutrients, our body will have the ability to heal itself and provide you with optimal health. We strive to remove the barriers or obstacles that are causing the disease or illness and provide the body with the elements to allow for natural healing and the ability to live in a state of optimal health.

Pillar 2: Detoxification

Detoxification is another pillar of health that we always address with our patients. Our bodies are designed to be able to detoxify the chemicals and other influences that we encounter daily. However, the burden can become too much. We have four primary emunctories that our bodies use to excrete and remove toxins and waste from – the skin, kidneys, colon and lungs.

Normal function at the cellular level is capable of removing all of the toxins and wastes that are produced from cells, as well as exogenous sources of toxins. The metabolic wastes and toxins are processed and metabolized in the liver and removed from the body.

The primary processes of elimination are sweating through the skin, solid waste through the intestines, liquid waste through the kidneys and bladder, and gaseous waste through the lungs. When these processes are interrupted or over-burdened the toxins can build up in the body and result in many different symptoms.

Some pathologic ways of elimination that the body attempts are, diarrhea with blood and mucus, sputum, genital infections, urinary tract infections and eczema. Our goal with detoxification is to remove the burden from the body so that it can eliminate toxic build up and heal the symptoms and diseases it causes.

Pillar 3: Hormones

Hormones are something else that we are very careful to test and manage to optimize the way the body is functioning and how our patients are feeling. There are over 600 hormones in the body, each with their own role and all very important. Furthermore, all of the body’s processes are intricately intertwined so we know that one system out of balance can cause symptoms in another very easily.

Pillar 4: Lifestyle

Lastly, we always address lifestyle factors with our patients. Lifestyle includes exercise, sleep and mental/emotional habits.

Not only does exercise (like hiking, jogging, running) improve cardiovascular health, but it also improves detoxification, circulation and increases feel-good endorphins in the brain. There is no shortage of information on the benefits of exercise for the physical body and mental health.

We always also make sure to address sleep concerns, such as onset insomnia and maintenance insomnia. We will find the cause of the sleep disturbance and work with our patients to address it. That may mean we are treating hormones involved or working to change sleep hygiene habits.

Why the 4 Pillars Are So Important

It is our passion and mission to determine what is causing symptoms and why; whether it be deficiencies in micronutrients, imbalanced hormones or toxic overload. We pride ourselves on treating the whole person and addressing the cause of the symptom while removing barriers to heal. We’ve developed a systematic approach to addressing patients’ health and find great success in our step-wise programs, all while including the four pillars of health.