Top Down, Bottom Up—What does it mean?
When I use this phrase, you may not immediately understand its meaning. When I talk about Top Down, I do not refer to a convertible “rag top” car. When I talk about Bottom Up, it is not that I want you to drink everything in your glass in one gulp. So, what do I mean by that phrase?!
Top Down, Bottom Up refers to two different, and often opposing, approaches to health.
The WHO constitution states: "Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity."
This statement highlights the difference between these two approaches. Do you merely seek the absence of disease or infirmity (top down), or do you want complete physical, mental, and social well-being (bottom up)?
Top Down
The Top Down approach is symptom management at its core. The focus of this approach is on INTERVENTION, solving issues one crisis at a time. It’s more about symptom management and not so much about resolving the underlying root causes. It is like we must “lease” our health experience from a doctor, a drug, or all the things we do to just get through the day.
This Top Down graphic (upside-down triangle) represents the “Modern Approach”. This approach has brought us some of the best trauma care humankind has known. If you are in a tragic accident, you are in the best place to get the care you need, especially in the US. But global healthcare costs are staggering, approaching seven trillion dollars a year. That’s a 7 with 12 zeros behind it! That represents one third of the US GDP!! However, the US is rated as low as 52nd in the wellness of its people.
So, the question is: Are we getting our money’s worth? Are we healthier for it?
Treating SYMPTOMS does not address ROOT causes. There is abundant evidence to support the conclusion that Top Down is a faulty approach!
Observation: A system focused on crisis care leaves a gap in wellness care.
Bottom Up
The Bottom Up approach (upright triangle) is building a foundation for health. The focus of this approach is on INTENTION, owning our health by living and loving a natural solutions lifestyle. It is a commitment to daily routines which bring you closer to your health goals, where the goal is not just to be symptomless, but to live younger longer by meeting theroot needs of the body.
Whether meeting the root needs of the body or solving for root causes, the approach is the same: Make sure we have enough of the right things and avoid/reduce the wrong things!
Observation: When we live with intention and build a foundation for health, we often find we have fewer crises and less symptoms to manage.
You Get to Choose!
You get to choose which approach will influence YOUR life’s experiences! One is focused on symptoms and constant intervention; the other is about meeting the root needs of the body to create a terrain for health and wellness. Which will it be?
Want to transform your approach?
“Healthy habits are learned in the same way as unhealthy ones...through practice.” ~Wayne Dyer
It is easy to build your routine using natural solutions and I can’t wait to help you to:
1. Be healthy with daily habits.
2. Be refreshed with self-care.
3. Be ready for life’s little emergencies.
The Why Behind My Invitation
Like many of you reading this article, my search for “solutions” was out of necessity! As the mother of a medically fragile child with round-the-clock nursing care, I was seeking real solutions to the many challenges we faced.
Before I was introduced to the benefits of natural solutions, we were constantly at the doctor’s office, at the pharmacy refilling prescriptions again and again, being admitted to the hospital for more intensive care treatments…AND we were barely surviving. Along with all that, we were living with pain, suffering, and a reduced quality of life. As a mom, I felt frustrated and knew I needed to find more effective solutions.
Then, a friend shared essential oils with me, and I was totally amazed at what a few drops of pure and potent essential oils could do. My search for effective solutions was finally accomplished and this led me on a journey that quite literally changed our lives. And it has created a legacy for my entire extended family and friends too.
You are invited…
It’s been truly life altering to discover how to be a solutions finder in my home, and I invite you to journey with me to discover how you can be a solutions finder in your home too! Because of what I've experienced, I can’t keep this information to myself, especially as I witness the suffering of many people seeking similar solutions.
You are invited to join us for our Sharing Solutions for Gut Health on September 27th at 7pm in St. James! Join us for an evening of learning about what natural solutions can do for you in a fun, social gathering! While you are with us, you will hear inspiring stories, taste oil infused snacks, and experience simply natural (effective) solutions.
Register here for information and reminders:
https://snssharing.eventbrite.com
Even if you cannot attend in person, register to receive more information!
What’s next?
Watch for more articles sharing resources and solutions to help you build your foundation for health, one level of this wellness pyramid at a time! You are invited to follow me on my substack blog to make sure you don’t miss articles as they are published.