Start the New Year Right: The best start you can give yourself is discussing your health goals with a health care professional, says Dr. Paul Stallone

Now that the holidays are over, it’s back to reality. No more cookies, no more heavy dishes, no more candy dishes or excuses. Chances are you indulged a little more than you promised yourself you would and now you feel like you should be doing something about it. What that something is, you have no idea. The best start you can give yourself is discussing your health goals with someone that understands the importance of good health and can help navigate down the appropriate path to wellness.

Regaining health doesn’t have to require hours of your time or emptying your bank account. One of the easiest things you can do to improve your health is a detox. Detoxing has been around for centuries and when done properly, may restore energy, clear up mental fog and improve skin. Every day, unavoidable interactions with food, water, chemicals and environments can overburden the body with hundreds of toxins that easily lead to fatigue, headaches, gastrointestinal issues, weight gain, joint pain and a host of other serious complaints.

You’ve probably heard about one of the many detoxing programs, but with so many out there, choosing the right one can be difficult. Having an expert weigh in with their educated recommendation will ensure you do the appropriate detox, one that is a custom fit for your needs and goals. It’s important to periodically remove toxins and free radicals that accumulate in your body because they also affect how your brain functions. Before a detox, you may have trouble sleeping, chronic fatigue and concentration. Once you finish a cleanse, many of these issues may gradually disappear, allowing you to sleep better and have better concentration.

A detox is a great way to address those few extra pounds, but if 2013 was a little hard on your waistline, then you may want to consider a physician-monitored weight-loss protocol. There are many options if you need to lose 20 or more pounds, although a detox will be a great start toward any program designed to help with weight loss and after that, a doctor can recommend a program that will be suitable for you. Many people struggle with losing weight and sometimes give up, but blood tests can help rule out if there are hormonal imbalances that are physically preventing you from losing weight. By carefully balancing these hormones, you and your physician can create an environment that supports weight loss. Most people are surprised how easy it can be to lose weight when they consult with a knowledgeable physician.

New beginnings and New Year Resolutions aren’t just about losing weight, they are more about getting and staying healthy. For many patients, more is needed to obtain good health than losing 10 pounds. Sometimes life gets away from us and we try to power through one day at a time. However, masking serious symptoms with DYI medicating is only going to create a more severe situation down the road. If you have symptoms that are interrupting your life, you should speak with a physician that can naturally address your issues. From allergies to zits, a naturopathic physician can help with just about any and every illness, condition, symptom and disease.

Paul Stallone, NMD, founded the Arizona Integrative Medical Center, located at 8144 E. Cactus Rd., Ste. 820, in Scottsdale. He combines natural/alternative/conventional treatments to best fit and benefit each individual patient’s needs. For more information, call 480-214-3922 or visit DrStallone.com.