Controlling the variables

With precision and personalized health being the only type worth acknowledging in this scientifically advanced society, it’s worth thinking about what it means to control the variables in your own life. When you do this, you become more self aware and attuned to the inputs and outputs that make a difference to your well-being. As you become more savvy and self aware, you naturally change your patterns, preferences, and actions. Making lifestyle changes typically involves making more than one change at once. For example, someone may go on a blood pressure medication, a depression medication, buy supplements, sign up for a 5K, experience a major life event, or any number of other combinations. The sheer overwhelm of required changes is enough to influence the long term stickiness of their goals driving these actions, and as biological changes ensue it can be especially hard to separate cause from effect. What are a few of those factors that introduce potential for outliers, disruption, pollute data integrity, or just simply create ill and suffering?

• Environmental influences like pesticide or other chemical contaminants
• Climate and air quality changes
• Allergies or other inflammatory responses from all sources
• Stacking medications and or herbal supplements at random and without oversight of health professionals
• Barometric pressure changes from air travel and altitude changes
• Time zone adjustments
• Sleep irregularities
• Menstrual cycles
• Diet and fluid changes
• Feeding schedule changes
• Social stressors
• Subconscious or acute psychological stressors

As people are (thankfully) taking more ownership over their habits, lifestyle, and other aspects of health, it means they are already aware of more and more of the factors that influence their health outcomes. Beyond the selfish gain of improved health, this awareness creates monetary opportunities for health professionals and the data can unlock new innovations in the wellness and healthcare space.

Because of the way our healthcare system is structured, patients already have to self advocate while being continuously engaged in self monitoring. Doctors still have limited time and it’s on us to communicate what we know about the influences on our health status to limit assumption making or getting solely population level health advice. The best outcomes will happen when you can persistently and consistently communicate your data and insights to professionals who can help you course correct over the long term. Untangling and organizing your own variables is just another manifestation of the age old advice to keep it simple and embrace a less is more approach.