Paging Dr. Chirco: A Q&A With An Expert

Learn more about what Dr. Chirco’s practice looks like and what she offers to live a healthy lifestyle!

Obtaining a healthy lifestyle is an ongoing process. It can also be difficult to know where to start or what you should know when forming healthy habits. As someone who is constantly learning and seeking to practice healthy habits in my young adult life, there are a plethora of tips and practices I learned along the way; and one source that I have sought and gained help from is Dr. Jackie Chirco, an old friend of the family. 

Dr. Chirco’s kids are some of my childhood best friends and still are today! Over the years, our families have been close friends and they are all important in my life. Through various points in my own life and my family’s/friend’s life, she has been an amazing consultant and someone to look to for medical or nutritional advice. Her voice on this topic is essential and will be of great service to those who are looking to form healthy habits! Below is a Q&A format that Dr. Chirco and I went over together; there, I asked the questions and she gave her response. I hope they can be of great help to my readers!

1. Tell us a bit about your practice or a day in the life at your work. What are some things you help people with?

Dr. Chirco: I am a holistic family physician who addresses each person’s physical, spiritual, and physiological needs. Each person has unique health care needs and goals. I look for holistic treatment plans for each patient. I usually help patients with complex medical needs. Most patients have seen multiple other traditional physicians who are frustrated with their healthcare. Here are types of patents that I commonly see:

1. Patients with gastrointestinal issues

2. Patients wild mold, heavy and other environmental toxin exposures.

3. Patients with hormone imbalances

4. Babies and children who are sick

5. Patients with chronic fatigue

6. Patients with chronic infections

7. Menopausal & perimenopausal women

8. Patients with acute illnesses (cold, flu’s, COVID, etc.)

2. What are good ways to start healthy habits, thinking in terms for a college student? What healthy habits can be applied to a college student’s life (eating, exercise, etc.) while they are away from home or looking to make healthy decisions?

Dr. Chirco: Start new habits by writing down the goals and posting them on the refrigerator or someplace where you can see these goals daily. Healthy habits that college students can aspire to achieve include:

1. Choose healthy, whole foods as much as possible.

2. Do not choose processed foods

3. Try not to eat while stressed or on the run

4. Get 7-8 hours of quality sleep every night.

5. Daily prayer, meditation, and other stress-reduction techniques

6. Do not drink soda, alcohol, or energy drinks

7. Exercise 45-60 minutes a day, at least 4 times a week.

3. Are there any recommendations for someone who is beginning to go to the gym or someone who currently has a workout routine?

Dr. Chirco: When starting an exercise program:

1. Be sure that you are healthy enough to engage in rigorous exercise. If questionable, get a physical exam.

2. Plan to find an “exercise buddy.” Exercising with other people can be good accountability partners.

3. Schedule (write it down) time to exercise, starting with a minimum of 3 times a week. Work up from there.

4. Are there any foods, protein powders, supplements/vitamins you recommend for healthy living? Or what do you think are some important things to keep in mind when exercising, dieting, etc.

Dr. Chirco: Each person has individual dietary and supplement needs based on their blood work. So there is no specific list of supplements that everyone needs. Generally, most people could use:

1. A good Methylated B vitamin complex

2. A quality Fish Oil.

3. If you eat good quality proteins, you don’t need protein powders

4. A good probiotic or sauerkraut can benefit most people.

5. Hydration is very important. Drink at least 1/2 of Boyd weight in clean water. If exercising, increase amount of water.

5. What are benefits when maintaining a healthy diet (physical, mental/emotional, or possibly spiritual benefits to those it can apply to)? What would be something you want people to know that can be helpful to them (physically, mentally, spiritually, etc.)?

Dr. Chirco: When we think about how we currently take care of our health from body, soul, and spirit perspectives, the time and care we put into it is like an investment in our future. We should all think about how we want to age. Do we want to be healthy, vibrant, elderly people? If so, we need to put in the work now so that we can be healthy as we age.

As you can see, everyone will have different methods to keeping track of healthy lifestyle choices. But I hope that Dr. Chirco’s advice sheds some light on how to approach exercise and setting goals or forming ideas on how to keep a healthy lifestyle!

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