001 Why You Need a Health Coach
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Hey, Sparkling One. Are you tired of cookie-cutter advice that doesn't suit your unique wellness story? Ever felt overwhelmed by the maze of wellness advice? What if I told you that there's a way to turn this maze into a guided journey with your own wellness compass? Or maybe you feel like your doctor's visits are a sprint.
What if you had someone dedicated to your wellness journey, offering personalized care and ample time? In this episode, we'll delve into why health coaches could be the missing piece in your health puzzle. We'll explore how a health coach can be your ultimate wellness companion. Join me as we unlock the transformative power of health coaching.
I'm Dee Diaz, your host, Welcome to the Sparkling Life [00:01:00] Coach Podcast.
Hey, Sparkling One. In this episode, we're diving deep into the world of health coaching. One of my favorite topics. I'm going to walk you through what health coaching is all about, the incredible impact it can have on your well-being, and how it's changing the playing field when it comes to healthcare. And I promise you by the end of this podcast, you'll understand why having a health coach in your corner is an absolute must-have to change your life today.
Before we get into that, I want you to think back to your last visit to the doctor's office. How much time did you actually spend with your [00:02:00] physician? Did you have the opportunity to discuss your health habits, your nutrition, or your lifestyle in depth? Uh, yeah, no, probably not, right? Our doctors are incredibly dedicated but bless their hearts, they usually only have a few minutes to spend with each patient, right?
And not only that but they're typically trained to focus on treating sickness rather than proactively helping you to stay healthy. But when it comes to your health, that old saying, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, couldn't be truer, right? I like to say that it's better to prepare and prevent than repair and repent.
And this is an important point because one of the major shifts in healthcare has been the transition from a focus on treating acute [00:03:00] diseases to addressing chronic diseases. And I found this statistic surprising.
According to the CDC, a staggering 90 percent of our healthcare dollars are spent on treating chronic diseases. That's about 3. 7 trillion a year. That's trillion with a T. And these are chronic conditions that often develop and worsen over an extended period, making prevention and management essential.
So this is a really important topic and why I wanted to start the podcast with this. And this is the point. These are conditions that are largely preventable with lifestyle changes. And this is where health coaches can come into play. They have the luxury of time to provide personalized, one-on-one support.
[00:04:00] What exactly is a health coach? So similar to what you think of when you look at, say a sports coach, it's someone who gives instruction or advice in the capacity of the coach, in this case on nutrition and lifestyle. So, what exactly does a health coach do? Well, their primary goal is to help you achieve your health goals by providing personalized care.
They guide you through your lifestyle and behavior modifications. They're going to be your mentor. They're going to inspire you and motivate you to make positive health choices from lifestyle tweaks to mental makeovers. For example, when it comes to healthy eating, you might think you already know what's healthy and what isn't, but a health coach is going to delve deeper into the hows and whys of preventative care.
They're your go-to guide [00:05:00] when it comes to making positive changes in your life. Health coaches are also going to help you assess your current health condition. They're going to help you develop health goals and provide counseling services. They're going to document your progress and they're going to help you establish a personalized plan of action.
It's a collaborative effort, a partnership between you and your coach. So what exactly is health coaching and how does it work? It's not a one-size-fits-all game. It's a tailored, personalized journey that helps you understand your strengths, your weaknesses, and to help guide you toward meaningful changes.
Now let's talk about credentials. Health coaches come in all shapes and sizes, each armed with unique certifications. Is that important? [00:06:00] Well, you definitely want to make sure that you're getting top-notch guidance, preferably from someone who's earned a specialized certification. But even more important when you're choosing a health coach, it comes to the client-coach process. It's all about building a relationship. Is there trust and good communication?
Do you have a rapport with them? Do they understand your personal challenges and limitations? Do they understand your unique wellness vision, and are they looking at it holistically? Lastly, are they willing to collaborate with you as you're setting goals? Do they want to understand what you like and how you want to be healthy? Because it shouldn't be a cookie-cutter approach, right? We're all bio individuals.
So what's the role of a health coach? Well, it's important to know that health coaches are not dieticians [00:07:00] or medical advisors. . They're not there to treat medical conditions or diseases. Instead, they're your partner in wellness. They provide personal guidance focusing on your unique needs and goals, from emotional support to helping you to navigate the healthcare system.
Think of it this way. If your doctor is the map to your health, then your health coach is the compass that helps you navigate the journey. Health coaches are your trusted allies who listen, motivate, and empower you to reach your wellness goals and they help you along your journey to a healthier, happier, more sparkling you.
We've just scratched the surface of health coaching and it's incredible potential. Now let's dive deeper into why health coaching is so important and how it's changing the health care [00:08:00] landscape. The traditional medical model excels at addressing acute illnesses but definitely falls short when it comes to effectively tackling chronic diseases. And this is where health coaches come into play.
They're able to provide holistic care, treating the whole person and not just their symptoms. It's about stopping problems before they start. Traditional medicine is great at fixing things, right? It focuses on treating illnesses. But the future of healthcare is shifting from treatment to prevention because chronic diseases are on the rise to becoming epidemic.
Now I'm not saying that working with a health coach guarantees you'll never get sick, but it significantly reduces your risk of developing chronic conditions. With a focus on prevention, you're [00:09:00] making an investment, not only in your present but also in your future self. And health coaches are your partners in this journey, helping you create a personalized prevention plan to keep you thriving and disease-free.
The importance of focusing on holistic care can't be overstated. Holistic healthcare reshapes the narrative by focusing on everything that makes you unique, from your feelings to your goals. It takes into account the physical, emotional, social, and spiritual needs of the individual and how that affects certain aspects of a person's health.
Health coaches work closely with clients to address all these dimensions, ultimately leading to a truly fulfilling life. In addition to holistic care, health coaches establish a strong and personal connection with their clients. [00:10:00] This connection is often missing in traditional healthcare settings, where doctors have limited time and resources
how connected can you feel to someone that you're only speaking to for a few minutes? But with health coaches, they prioritize establishing meaningful and genuine connections with the client by building respect and trust, because they're taking the time to understand the individual needs of their clients, which leads to more personalized.
client-centered experience. For example, when you know your client, you learn and understand that due to lifestyle factors, perhaps your client is someone who's too busy to cook a healthy meal every day. So the health coach would provide alternatives and tips for healthy eating while taking into account the client's busy lifestyle.
Because what's the goal? [00:11:00] Making positive lifelong changes, not just for a day or a week, right? In addition to the rapport and trust health coaches build with their clients, one of the key aspects of health coaching is setting smart goals. You've probably heard of this before, right?
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SMART goals. SMART stands for Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Time-bound. Let me give you an example. Instead of saying, I want to be healthier, a SMART goal would be, I will walk for 30 minutes, five days a week for the next three months.
So specific, I will walk measurable for 30 minutes, attainable and relevant five days a week, and time-bound for the next three months. So setting these smart goals provides clarity and a roadmap for success. It's like having a destination for your health journey, making it more achievable and measurable.
It provides [00:13:00] structure and trackability to help you achieve success by transforming those vague ideas and aspirations into achievable objectives. This ensures that you set appropriate goals with clear milestones and that you have a plan to reach them.
This makes it an effective approach for achieving health and wellness goals.
Another powerful and unique aspect of health coaching is helping clients to identify and change negative thinking patterns about themselves and their health. In effect, we're helping them to retrain their brains to think more positively. It helps your brain to focus on the positive rather than the negatives, leading to more positive health outcomes over time.
And that's why I love being in community with like-minded folks, [00:14:00] especially in a group setting, because you get to hear more than just that negative nanny in your head, right? When you're in a group setting.
As health coaches, another thing we do is empower individuals to take control of their health. While we provide guidance and support, the real work lies in your hands. Ultimately, you have the power to be responsible for your own health, right? Health coaches provide you with the tools and support to create an environment for success, but being reliant boosts your internal motivation and fosters healthy habits that can last a lifetime.
It's like that proverb about teaching them to fish instead of giving them a fish so they can eat for a lifetime.
Ooh, and I hope those of you who are vegans will forgive me. Maybe I should have used the gardening analogy [00:15:00] instead. But you get what I mean.
Next, let's talk about healthy lifestyle habits. They're the key to long-lasting well-being. The food we eat, the quality of sleep we get, and how physically active we are significantly impact our overall health and well-being.
And your health coach is going to help you take ownership of your health and help you create positive, lasting lifestyle changes. This is going to allow you to care for others better, and it also helps you maintain your independence now, and more importantly, later in life, as you grow older, which, to be honest, didn't mean very much to me a few years ago, but as the years keep creeping up, I'm beginning to see the importance of this.
To the chronic disease epidemic that's sweeping the [00:16:00] nation.
Chronic diseases are now the leading cause of death and disability. Traditionally, medicine was primarily focused on treating acute infectious diseases, such as tuberculosis and pneumonia, but today chronic diseases like heart disease, cancer, chronic lower respiratory diseases, stroke, and diabetes are the top killers in the United States.
These chronic conditions develop and worsen over an extended period of time, often leading to lifelong disability, compromised quality of life, and skyrocketing health costs. Because acute and chronic diseases behave differently in the body, traditional medicine doesn't have the necessary tools and approaches to effectively address chronic diseases.
But health coaches are able to fill this critical gap, and they're [00:17:00] uniquely equipped to provide holistic care, as I mentioned, focusing on the whole person and not just the symptoms.
So, let's cover some of those challenges.
Now let's talk about weight management. You knew that was coming, right? Yes. Weight management. Cause it's a specific area where health coaching has made a significant impact. And weight management for a healthier lifestyle is a critical aspect of health.
I'm going to read off some statistics, and these are probably already out of date because the statistics are staggering. The CDC, or the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, reports that 41. 9 percent of American adults have obesity, with Black and Latino adults having the [00:18:00] highest rates at 49. 9%. and 45. 6 percent respectively. That's out of control. And this part is really scary. The rate of childhood obesity has tripled since the 70s. As of 2023, one in five children in the U. S. are obese, not overweight, obese.
That's over 14. 7 million children. Those are some serious numbers. And more importantly, is the fact that this is a leading cause of various health issues. And so when you hear those numbers, it's totally understandable that here we are at the beginning of the year when I'm recording this, and I know many of you are probably setting some [00:19:00] metabolic or weight-related goals.
I get it. And yay for you, if you are, because this is important. The good thing is that some studies have shown health coaching to be effective in helping individuals lose and maintain weight. Leading to lower disease risk and increased confidence in overall health. and so really something to consider, especially where our children are involved.
Because the truth is, parents and families play the most significant role in helping to combat this challenge for our children. Now, health coaches don't focus exclusively on things like caloric reduction or increasing physical activity. Instead, they teach the fundamentals of behavioral modification, and they help their clients overcome the mental barriers that keep them from achieving their weight loss goals.
Because [00:20:00] for some of us, this may have been a lifelong struggle, not one that you have to tackle alone anymore. Now, for those of you who have set weight management as a goal, I'm going to leave you a link for a survey that you can take. And that will also add you to my VIP list, where I'll be sending out some free education on the importance of improving and keeping your metabolism balanced. You can sign up for that at bit.ly/SparklingMetabolismSurvey, B I T dot L Y slash Sparkling Metabolism Survey. And I'll make sure to leave the link in the show notes. And once you fill out the survey, I'll also share about an upcoming opportunity for 30 days of support that will also be available to you. So make sure to fill out the survey to be added to the VIP list.
So you're the first to hear [00:21:00] about the 30 days of support.
Next, let's talk about heart disease. Did you know that heart disease is the top leading cause of death in the United States affecting both men and women? The CDC reports that about 695, 000 people die of heart disease in the U. S. Every year, accounting for one in every five deaths,
Some of the risk factors include high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, and smoking. Other lifestyle factors can also put people at higher risk for heart disease, including being overweight or obese, as we mentioned, having a poor diet, physical inactivity and excessive alcohol use, and more. And this is the crazy part.
More than 50 percent of Americans have at least [00:22:00] one of these risk factors. More than 50%. The good news is that many of these factors can be improved and managed with diet and exercise and the help of a health coach because they can provide guidance on reducing those risk factors and promoting a healthy heart.
Now let's talk about the big C, cancer. Did you know many cancers are preventable through lifestyle changes? Did you know that the food choices you make every day can raise or lower your cancer risk? This is another area where health coaches can help clients make positive dietary changes and eliminate other known offenders to reduce their cancer risk.
Chronic Lower Respiratory Diseases, including COPD, which is Chronic Obstructive, [00:23:00] Pulmonary Disease. They're the third leading cause of death in the United States. Smoking is a key factor in the development and progression of these conditions.
Yes, it's true that exposure to air pollutants in the home and workplace, genetic factors, and respiratory infections play a role, but the worst cause is tobacco use. That's the key factor in the development and progression of chronic respiratory diseases.
Fortunately, smoking cessation programs with health coaching have shown remarkable results, helping smokers quit and stay smoke-free. One study conducted a 32 percent quit rate among participants who received regular coaching.
How about stroke? It's the fourth leading cause of death in the United States and the leading cause of [00:24:00] serious long-term disability. As if that's not enough, studies report that many stroke survivors feel overwhelmed by the treatments recommended by their healthcare providers. But evidence shows that participation in programs that teach self-management skills and education can improve the quality of life and self-efficacy after a stroke, which is where a health coach can help significantly.
Health coaching also supports stroke prevention by managing risk factors such as high blood pressure. And they play a pivotal role in supporting stroke recovery and prevention. It's a personalized approach that takes into account the specific needs and goals of each client.
And lastly, let's quickly cover the seventh leading cause of death in the U. S. Diabetes. The [00:25:00] CDC reports that type 2 diabetes accounts for about 90 to 95 percent of all diagnosed cases of diabetes in adults. And it's largely preventable. And this was surprising. One out of three adults has pre-diabetes.
However, 9 out of 10 of these people don't even know that they're prediabetic. So come on people, get your yearly checkups. That way you have a baseline and you know where your health and wellness stands.
Type 2 diabetes is a growing concern affecting a significant portion of the population. Health coaching has been shown to be effective in improving various aspects of type 2 diabetes management. Things like maintaining a healthy weight and regular physical activity are known [00:26:00] to reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes significantly.
In fact, the Diabetes Prevention Program found that weight loss and increased physical activity reduced the chance of prediabetes turning into type 2 diabetes by 58%. Health coaches can guide you on this path, providing the knowledge, and skills, needed to make positive changes in your diabetes management.
Well, we've covered a lot of ground today, and I hope you've gained some valuable insights on how health coaches can help you.
We talked about navigating the health landscape, how a health coach is your partner in wellness, supporting you, and connecting you with the right resources on your wellness adventure.
And we learned the power of health coaching, especially when you're dealing with chronic illness or [00:27:00] working on preventing it.
So now we'd love to hear from you. Tell us what you think. Could a health coach be for you?
We hope we've been able to answer any questions you might've had about health coaches and that it spurred you on to get one. In the meantime, I hope you'll stay tuned to this podcast for our weekly health and wellness tips
And tell us if after listening to this podcast, you're more open to working with a health coach. If you're watching this on YouTube, please leave a comment or reach out to us at Podcast@SparklingLifeCoach. com or come join us on the Facebook group. Let's continue the discussion there, where I hope you'll join us and share your thoughts, your experiences, and questions.
You know, being a health coach is something [00:28:00] I'm extremely passionate about. I love watching others while they achieve their goals and supporting them along the way.
So if you have any questions that I didn't answer, please don't hesitate to let me know. Perhaps we'll cover it in a later episode or on the Facebook group. I'm happy to support you and I look forward to hearing from you. As we wrap up, remember your health is in your hands, and with the right guidance, you really can create a life that truly sparkles.
Until next time, I hope you're having a sparkling day, and don't forget to sprinkle a little sparkle everywhere you go.
Connect with us and listen in every Friday, wherever you get your podcasts.
