How far am I away from my best possible health? Have you ever asked yourself this question? It’s something we all deserve and no matter our age or stage in life, our body chemistry is always changing and there are steps we can take to get closer to our peak potential.
In this episode, Jim LaValle, RPh, CCN, speaks about how the many systems in our body work together and how you can identify areas of improvement, including how regular health assessments and understanding personal health metrics can help lead us to optimal health and top performance.
He also explains why this is achievable for all — whether you’re an athlete striving for certain goals or are someone who’s simply looking to live a long and healthy life.
This episode of Life Time Talks is part of our series on Performance and Longevity with MIORA.
Jim LaValle, RPh, CCN, is a clinical pharmacist, the cochair of the American Academy of Anti-Aging Medicine, the chair of the International Peptide Society, and the Chief Science Officer for Life Time
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In this episode, LaValle discusses the importance of understanding personal health metrics and your body’s chemistry as a strategy for achieving optimal health and peak performance. Insights include the following:
- Achieving and maintaining peak performance is important for all areas of life and is not just for athletes. Although we may feel healthy and fit, our body chemistry is always changing, so it’s important to stay on top of health metrics and identify areas of improvement.
- Peak performance is not just about physical fitness but also about mental acuity and overall well-being.
- Signs that you may not be performing at your best include things like headaches, brain fog, fatigue, cravings, weight gain, anxiety, and digestive issues. These can serve as signals to look deeper into what’s going on with each of your body’s systems.
- The Metabolic Code (a proprietary health assessment tool created by LaValle and that is foundational to MIORA) was developed to assist individuals in optimizing health. It can help identify and address metabolic disruptions, providing a comprehensive view of your health.
- The body is comprised of several systems that work together. In particular, the relationship between the thyroid glands, adrenal glands, and pancreas is at the core of performance health.
- When one of these systems — or what’s referred to as triads in the Metabolic Code — isn’t functioning optimally, it can affect other areas. Maintaining balance among them is important for optimal performance. These areas include:
- Energy: Involves adrenal, thyroid, and pancreas functions, and is crucial for energy production and regulation.
- Resiliency: Includes the gut, immune system, and brain health, and is essential for stress resilience and overall well-being.
- Stamina: Encompasses cardiopulmonary and neurovascular health and is important for endurance and cardiovascular function.
- Detoxification: Involves the liver, lymph, and kidney functions, and is critical for metabolic health.
- Hormonal: Covers progesterone, estrogen, and testosterone balance, which can affect mood, energy, and overall vitality.
- It’s important to have discussions that consider both the lab results and your personal experiences with your healthcare provider — this creates a comprehensive view of your health. Seemingly minor symptoms can indicate underlying health issues and addressing them proactively can help you avoid bigger issues down the road.
- When you have a better idea of what’s going on with your health, lifestyle changes can have a transformational effect.
- LaValle shares a personal story about his father’s health journey after being diagnosed with duodenal adenocarcinoma at age 79 and undergoing surgery. Through lifestyle adjustments post-surgery, including regular exercise and dietary changes, his father was able to live another 13 years. Our bodies are resilient, and with the right steps, we can improve our health at any age.
- Adopting a proactive approach to health, along with doing regular testing, is often what’s most impactful when it comes to overall health improvements. Instead of following advice from social media or trying different strategies here and there, consider working with trusted professionals and taking an organized approach that includes regular assessments. This can help you know what’s really going on in your body so you can work to make meaningful change and improvements.
- You are your own best advocate when it comes to taking care of your health.