Have you ever heard of the Tack Theory? What does it sound like? Well, don't think too much, Forget about thinking, I will just give you the answer!
I first heard this theory during my class lecture from IIN, The Institute of Integrative Nutrition, I learned this theory to metaphorically give image to treating the cause rather than the symptom of one's health.
This Tack theory makes so much sense when you are guiding a person to figure out what they have been doing blindly, while not trusting their bodies for the solution.
As a health coach, we are not medically trained. We coach people on how to listen to their bodies, so they can seek out meaningful solutions. Before I explain the tack theory, I must differentiate between symptoms and causes. Identifying and fixing the cause will in turn eliminate the symptoms long term.
A symptom is a sign of the existence of something, especially of an undesirable situation, according to dictionary.com. Now this means that a symptom is a language the body uses to communicate to you by giving you signs of discomfort to shake you up into realizing what you are doing is hurting your body. The body has no other way of communicating with you, not with verbal language, but only by sensation, feelings, rashes, acne, headaches, hair falling out, cataracts, depression, weak bones, teeth falling out, diseases, obesity, ect.
So you see, when you go to a regular conventional doctor, they only treat the symptoms and numb your body so you feel less of your body trying to communicate with you. The prescription pills numb your body and quiet your body down from telling you that you are about to get sick and maybe experience something you never wanted all because you shut your body up with these pills.
And that right there, is not and has never worked. It just keeps making you sicker and sicker, now even genetically
because of so many years of doing the same thing over and over. But there is always hope, and it is never too late to change right now.
Now, in order to change, we must listen to the symptoms and uncover the cause. This is the definition of cause according to dictionary.com, A cause is a person or thing that gives rise to an action, phenomenon, or condition.
I don't think that definition gave cause much justification, but this is where the tack theory gives a better understanding about the difference between symptom and cause.
The tack theory goes likes this, imagine you stepping outside with your shoes on, and as you are walking around a park, your backyard, anywhere, you accidentally step on a sharp tack and it penetrates your shoe and stabs the bottom of your foot. Only to get stuck and as you walk with the tack stuck underneath your shoe, every step you take hurts and you bleed. so the more you walk the more you bleed. So what are the symptoms in this case... they are the bleeding, the discomfort, and pain. Now, there are two ways people will go to about this, some people will go to a conventional doctor and urge them to help them, and the doctor will say, " oh okay, I know what can help you not feel pain so you can go on with your busy life, take two of these pills a day and maybe even Advil before your walks so you don't feel the pain but you will still bleed and may have to take other pills to minimize the bleeding.... pretty dumb, right? not only did that doctor prescribe you pills for pain now you are taking even more pills to treat the symptoms that those pills gave you and so on and so on....
and some other people will go seek a holistic doctor, holistic health coach, ect. someone who will figure out that all you have to do is remove the tack and the symptoms go away along with no more bleeding. Now the tack theory demonstrates how if people realize that all they have to do is remove the tack instead of treating the symptoms everything will change, and their life will be different. Same thing with nutrition, diet, health. Treat the cause NOT the symptom.
Let the symptoms guide you, do not ignore them or numb them down, find the cause and eliminate it. Some awesome ways to treat the cause are practicing holistic concepts to cure and aid your symptoms.
Ayurvedic is a concept in which energy is involved. Ayurvedic uses the energy chakras to suggest that we experience symptoms in an area in our body. This energy concept refers to the 7 chakras we have and each chakra has meaning to why you are having certain health symptoms.
Another method is something we use as Integrative Nutrition Health Coaches, called the circle of life. The circle of life is created by Joshua Rosenthal, the founder of The Institute of Integrative Nutrition. The circle of life allows the client to become self aware of their primary foods that are out of balance. Primary food is relationships, finances, health, career, creativity, family, physical activity, spirituality, joy, cooking, and more. If these things are out of balance then it will show through our diet and everyday life.
I hope this helps and want to say thank you for reading and supporting this page. I appreciate you. Upvote this if you gained value from it, and share it with someone you love. Much love, and until next time.... Peace!