Self-care ideas for integrative practitioners

By Kellie Blake, RDN, LD, IFNCP

I’ve been a dietitian for the past 18 years and have worked in a variety of healthcare settings.  It wasn’t until I transitioned from conventional care to an integrative approach that I began to feel an overwhelming responsibility for my clients, and with that came significant work-related stress. Healthcare, no matter the setting, can be challenging and demanding. But we, as integrative practitioners, are destined to experience a different type of pressure. 

Typically, integrative practitioners see complex clients suffering from many root causes. They may have been to numerous conventional practitioners and tried countless medications or therapies before they find their way to us, and many may see us as a last resort. Our clients require more attention and have big expectations, which can create a new level of work-related stress. Finding down time can be a difficult as many of us spend hours researching solutions and troubleshooting challenging cases. In addition, many of us can relate to our client’s desperation and may feel a personal responsibility to fix every client. 

I struggled with autoimmune disease for years before finding integrative medicine. I battled overwhelming fatigue, psoriasis, anxiety, digestive distress, muscle aches, joint swelling, reduced range of motion in my neck, dry eyes, moodiness, and sleep disturbance. With my own integrative team, I developed a plan for self-care to address my symptoms and have been fortunate to significantly improve my quality of life. But, as I became an integrative practitioner myself, I internalized the struggles of my clients. Work-related demands kept me from being consistent with my own self-care routine and some of my old symptoms began to resurface. Experiencing a return of those negative symptoms was a call to action. I knew if I continued down that path, my quality of life would suffer, and I would never be able to completely partner with my clients.

Through this process, I learned the importance of my own self-care. I created a plan and hold myself accountable, just as if I were my own client. This process has been life-changing and continues to evolve, but these are some of my non-negotiables:

I schedule time for my own self-care and do not compromise.

Self-care is different for everyone.  I found what works for me and I’m consistent. Allowing time for myself has improved my health and quality of life, but I feel more emotionally available for clients, family, and friends.

I follow my own biological clock as closely as possible.

I’m naturally a morning person, but when I was forcing myself to wake up at five in the morning to go to the gym, I was adding unnecessary stress to my body. I feel my best and have more quality workout sessions when I wake up later, so I changed my schedule to accommodate what is natural for me. I’m no longer sleepy or fatigued in the afternoon, but instead feel awake and alert.

I practice meditation daily.

I noticed improvement in my symptoms when I changed nutrition and lifestyle-related items, but when I added daily meditation, all those outcomes were enhanced.  When I’m working, I lock myself in a quiet office and meditate for ten minutes before lunch. My body is prepared for digestion, but I can also reset from any morning stress that may have occurred. 

I follow a meal plan that nourishes my body.

There is no one correct meal plan for everyone, but a whole-foods, plant-based diet is appropriate for just about anyone. Avoiding sugar, processed ingredients, and unhealthy oils will help to improve energy level and stress resilience. Adding in more vegetables, healthy fats, and fermented foods will maximize that benefit. I make a green smoothie every morning. It helps me get a good start on vegetables and healthy fat for the day, but is also easy, portable, and tastes like dessert. Here is a recipe I use:

Nutty Chocolate Smoothie

Ingredients:

• 4 ounces lite coconut milk
• 6 ounces water
• ¼ frozen avocado
• 1 handful spinach
• ½ cup frozen blueberries
• 1 tablespoon whole-milled flax
• 1 celery rib
• 1 tablespoon cacao powder
• ¼ frozen banana
• 1 tablespoon nut butter
• ½ scoop collagen peptides
• 1 scoop vanilla vegan protein powder

Directions:

Blend all except frozen ingredients for one minute. Add frozen ingredients and blend again for one minute.

I bring my own food to work. 

Working in healthcare can be a challenge when it comes to food. In my facility, there’s an endless supply of pastries, salty snacks, and other junk and processed foods. It can be difficult to abstain, especially when dealing with unmanaged stress or a hectic schedule. I have a cooler bag and bring my own food to work every day. It removes the stress of trying to find something that fits into my meal plan at the last minute and I don’t have to worry about nagging hunger. 

I get outside every day, even in cold weather.

I personally love the outdoors and being in nature feels healing for my body and mind. I notice a big difference in my mood when I spend time outside versus staying inside all day. Most days I take a 30-minute walk in the middle of the day. When I’m pressed for time, I still try to spend even a few minutes outside. It changes my entire outlook for the day and brings down my stress response. 

I stay flexible by practicing yoga or stretching daily.

Yoga is a form of moving meditation and has been vital to lowering my stress response. I don’t always have time to participate in formal yoga classes, so I find free yoga videos online. Some days I have an hour while others ten minutes, but I always fit it in somewhere. To help me stay on track, I keep a yoga mat at work. It’s awesome for keeping my stress level in check, but also does wonders for my body since I spend a lot of my workday sitting.  

I use essential oils daily.

I feel an immediate calming effect and lower stress when I use oils aromatically, but they’re also great when used internally or topically. Some of my favorites are cedarwood, lavender, peppermint, lemon, eucalyptus, and cinnamon.

I try to avoid perfectionistic thinking.

Being an integrative practitioner is dynamic and exciting. I see many clients succeed and have amazing results. It can be easy to expect this for everyone, but in those situations when I don’t see the desired result, I can get frustrated. I have come to realize there is no perfect situation. What I think is best for my client may not work or be practical for them, so I use my meditation and yoga to restructure my negative thoughts. 

I move my body. 

I love exercise and it’s a form of stress relief for me, but I am also amazed with how the human body can change over time. I previously abused my body with excessive exercise, which led to injuries and exacerbated my fatigue. I have since learned how to push my body in a healthy way and allow myself adequate time to rest.

My motivation for self-care lies in my desire to keep my autoimmune symptoms at bay and my overall goal of a long life free from disease. It took some time and reflection to find the right combination for me, but I now try to take time every day to listen to my body. If something makes me feel bad, I work to remove it. Self-care can take many forms and may change over time, but to be effective must be personalized and consistent.

Editor’s note: This article is part of a series celebrating Self-Care Awareness Month. Click here to view the complete collection.