36 Holes in the Roof: A Metaphor for Holistic Healing

If you’ve been following along over the last several weeks, you may have noticed that I love a good metaphor.  

Let me introduce you to Dr. Dale Bredesen – internationally recognized expert in neurological diseases and a pioneer in treating cognitive decline associated with Alzheimer's disease. 

You may be wondering what this has anything to do with you – stick with me! 

Dr. Bredesen describes Alzheimer’s as having “36 holes in the roof.” What I love about this metaphor is that it applies perfectly to a holistic, functional approach for any chronic health condition.  

If you patch just one hole, a major problem is not going to suddenly resolve. But if you patch multiple holes, you’ll start to notice a change. Some holes might be bigger than others, and some holes might be easier to reach. Holes could be anything from nutrient deficiencies to stress to lack of movement to infections to toxin exposures (the list could go on and on). 

In his research, Dr. Bredesen found that patching even just half the holes associated with Alzheimer’s can lead to a complete reversal of symptoms. 

This is a perfect example of how a holistic, functional approach can be used to improve a person’s health, and in some cases, completely reverse symptoms of disease.

As a Functional Nutrition practitioner, I target and address the root causes of health concerns as there is very rarely (if ever) a single cause, just one hole, to blame. 

Over the last several weeks, I’ve shared with you many foundational considerations for optimal health – each one an opportunity to patch a hole to gradually improve your health and well-being. You can read about those on my blog here (be sure to check out the Trifecta for Optimal Health - Sleep, Blood Sugar Balance, and Poop, Eat a Rainbow, and "Crowd in" Whole Foods). 

Over the next couple of weeks, I’m going to highlight two more important considerations for health – movement and hydration. I promise to make it interesting and to share some insights that I think may be new for you!

If you’re struggling with a health concern, whether it’s a diagnosis, an annoying symptom, or just a feeling that something isn’t quite right (despite being told that nothing is wrong with you by your doctor), schedule a free consultation with me to see how I can help you begin to patch some of the metaphorical holes in your “roof.” You can schedule a call by clicking here!