Written by: Cassandra Wiley, Executive Contributor
Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise.
Managing chronic diseases like diabetes, obesity, or heart disease can be overwhelming. I became a health coach because I am passionate about helping those individuals live better lives. Many people would like guidance to better manage their conditions. They are tired of living in their current state; some abhor looking at themselves in the mirror because they do not like the person that they see.
There was a time when the primary care physician or specialist could give real guidance; however, many doctors are extremely busy in this current climate and are quick to prescribe a medication. My clients have mentioned that they were tired of being told that they are obese by their doctor, particularly if he does not discuss weight-loss strategies. There is not a “cookie-cutter” method for weight loss. In addition, medications treat the symptoms, not the disease. A daily regimen for some may be taking 5-10 medications and dealing with the side effects that come with them. Patients eventually want more than a quick fix to their condition.
There are ways that a health coach can help.
1. Advocacy. A health coach can be an advocate for the patient to empower them to make changes. A patient may be at the point that she has tried everything without getting the desired results. Teaching patients to have faith in themselves to achieve their goals will give them confidence.
2. Behavior changes. Health coaching can bring about positive behavior changes. The patient realizes that she must make a change or suffer the consequences of the chronic disease. For example, pre-diabetes can lead to diabetes if the patient does not make lifestyle changes. Consequently, diabetes can lead to other health conditions or death if the patient ignores the illness.
3. Education. In between coaching sessions, I will ask the patient to complete “homework” assignments related to a health and wellness goal or activity. She also receives weekly emails for support, learning tools, and a point of focus for the current week.
4. Holistic assessments. A patient can see where she is currently as far as weight, meal consumption, snacking, sleep patterns, movement, and any illnesses using a questionnaire.
5. Empathy and non-judgmental attitude. As a health coach, I meet the client where they are currently without judgment. The focus is on the present and the future, not the past.
Do you need help managing a chronic illness? Take the time to discover if health coaching is the right fit for you.
Visit my website for more info!
Cassandra Wiley, Executive Contributor, Brainz Magazine
Cassandra Wiley is a health coach and founder of Have Faith and Live Well with Chasadah LLC. She focuses primarily on chronic illnesses such as pre-diabetes, high cholesterol, and obesity. Her mission is to empower individuals to lose weight and teach a new healthier approach to food so that they can live better lives. She was successful in reversing her pre-diabetes and high cholesterol diagnoses naturally. The weight loss was an added benefit. She has helped clients change their diets and “have faith” in themselves in order to meet their health and wellness goals.
