What is Integrative Health

What is integrative health? What’s a health coach? I get asked these questions all of the time. And for good reason—they’re great questions. But understanding “what” won’t really help you. What you really want to know is “Why?” Why do I do what I do?

Perhaps the best way to explain is by starting with my story. If you’ve read my “Meet Deryl” page, you already know that I lost more than 100 pounds. You know that I was able to completely reverse my high-cholesterol, high blood-pressure and pre-diabetes in a matter of weeks through proper diet and exercise. But that’s only part of the story.

From the age of fifteen, I have felt that God was setting me apart for something; I just did not know what that was. Apparently, I needed to first go through the refining that only walking through fire can bring. Over the next few years, a series of dramatic, and often traumatic, events would turn my entire world upside down.

Hard Lessons

My dad was killed in the line of duty in March 1985. He died a hero, saving a woman from her deranged husband and taking the bullets meant for her.

My grandfather, who I loved more than anything, died six months later from cancer. Sixteen months later we buried my grandmother on Christmas Eve. Somewhere in there my mom remarried, I ended up at a military academy for a year, finished my senior year of high school in Orlando, started college, and found my father (long story).

Throughout my experiences, I gained a deeper understanding of the faithfulness of God through life’s trials and the revitalizing power of His grace and mercy. I also developed a profound and personal appreciation of how fragile and precious life is.

Since then, I’ve done a little bit of almost everything.

I was a summer camp counselor and ropes course director. I’ve played guitar since my early college days. I even dropped out of college for a few years and pursued music in Nashville, where Tracy and I met.

I eventually finished my degree at Liberty University, graduating summa cum laude. I enrolled in seminary and have completed 76 hours of the Masters of Divinity program.

I’ve led worship teams, worked in college ministry, and served on mission trips. I also been in law enforcement, serving as a deputy with the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office in Memphis, Tennessee.

Most importantly, I am Tracy’s husband and father of our four incredible children.

And what does all of that have to do with integrative health and why I am a health coach? Everything.

Health is not about weight loss, or having six-pack abs, or how much you can lift. Health is about life. It is for life.

What Matters Most

When I was faced with health problems due to my obesity in the Fall of 2006, God drastically changed the course of my life. Because of what He has brought me through and a personal understanding of the devastating effects of poor health on every area of life, I began to research and write about health from a Biblical perspective and became a health and fitness coach. I focused on the importance of nutrition and exercise. I had scripture to back me up. But there was something missing. Not just something—the thing.

“You missed my heart…”

Tears welled up in my eyes as I heard the voice of God speak those words to my spirit. It was a cool autumn morning and I was having my daily time alone with God on the back porch of our house in New Braunfels, Texas. I was reading John Eldredge’s amazing book, Waking the Dead, and the quote from Saint Irenaeus leapt off the page at me—“The glory of God is man fully alive.”

God’s voice immediately spoke to me, “Fully Alive! That’s your book title. There is your theme. Everything you have written and taught the last nine years is correct. Your body is Mine. You are to glorify Me in it. I do care about what you eat and drink. I do care whether or not you are active. I do care about your health. All of those things are important, but you missed My heart.”

That’s when the tears welled up. Deep in my heart I knew it was the voice of God because I knew it was true. How had I missed that? After all of the amazing books on health and nutrition and fitness I had read, many of them written by Christians, how had I missed this?

God offers us life.

Jesus says in John 10:10, “I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full” (John 10:10 NIV). Not some “pie-in-the-sky” dream, not just life in eternity, but a fully-abundant life right here, right now.

Is that what you’re experiencing? Do you feel fully alive? I certainly didn’t when I was overweight and had high blood pressure, pre-diabetes and high LDL cholesterol. Like most people, I was living a life I was comfortable with simply because I didn’t know any different.

I believe that our bodies are a gift from God. I believe it is His desire for us to be healthy and vibrant and strong so we can better serve Him. I believe it is His desire for us to bring every aspect of our being under His authority so that we can be fully alive in Him. That was Paul’s prayer for us: “Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you entirely; and may your spirit and soul and body be preserved complete, without blame at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.” (1 Thessalonians 5:23 NAS95)

That is integrative health.

From Passion to Purpose

“If you can’t figure out your purpose, figure out your passion. For your passion will lead you right into your purpose.” – T.D. Jakes

As I was on my 100 pound weight loss journey, an interesting thing happened. Our friends and family began to notice the changes in me and started asking me what I was doing. Some of them asked for help. So, I helped.

At the same time, I started running across verses that talk about glorifying God in our bodies (like 1 Corinthians 6:19-20). And then a really funny thing happened—I began to realize that God has a lot to say about health.

Despite being raised in the church and attending seminary, I couldn’t recall a single time I had heard anyone talk about taking care of our bodies.

So, I began to research and write and share with others what God was revealing to me through His Word. At this point, it wasn’t a career, it was just a passion. I simply did it because I genuinely wanted to help people.

Not long after this, I had a conversation with my pastor and mentor, Dana Key. He encouraged me to pursue this as a ministry. Having a man of God I had admired for so many years speak a vision over me regarding what God was going to do was a turning point in my life.

I began to read books about health and nutrition and exercise. I became a Certified Personal Trainer and Certified Turbo Kick®, Insanity®, P90X® and Core de Force® Instructor. I became a certified Health Coach through the Institute for Integrative Nutrition. For the rest of my life I will continue my education in health and helping others because this is my passion.

I have a business and ministry that I love where I have the unspeakable privilege of helping others achieve their goals and live a healthy, fulfilling life. I get to help them live the kind of life God intended. To help them become fully alive.

That is why I do what I do.

“May your spirit, soul, and body be kept healthy. . .”

(1 Thessalonians 5:23 CEV)

I practice a holistic approach to health and wellness…

…which means we look at how all areas of your life are connected. For example, you can eat all of the kale and broccoli in the world, but if you’re stressed out because of a relationship, or work, or finances, it affects your health.

If you want to get the most out of life, you need to be healthy physically, mentally, physically, emotionally, relationally, financially, etc.

You probably already know that. I’ve found that most people have at least a general understanding of what they should do to improve their health. But if that’s the case, then why do so many people fail to follow through?

The answer is simple. Because willpower alone is not enough.

I love how Darren Hardy puts it, “Assuming willpower is what you need to change your habits is akin to trying to keep a hungry grizzly bear out of your picnic basket by covering it with a napkin. To fight the bear of your bad habits, you need something stronger.”
“If it’s important to you, you’ll find a way. If not, you’ll find an excuse.”

What you need is WHY-power. And that’s where I come in. Very few people have a crystal-clear vision of what they want in life. Even fewer know why they want it.

One of the first things we will do together is figure out both what you want and why you want it. Together, we will create a vision for your life, discover and define your purpose, set goals that align with both, and put an action plan in place to help you become the best possible version of yourself.

Imagine living a vibrant, joyful life, full of vision and purpose. It’s yours for the taking.

Everything Jesus Christ did for us we can have in this age. Victorious living, joyous living, holy living, fruitful living, wondrous, ravishing knowledge of the Triune God—all of this is ours. Power we never knew before, undreamed of answers to prayer—this is ours. “See, I have given you this land. Go in and take possession of [it]. The Lord gave it to you in a covenant. Go take it – it’s yours.”
– A.W. Tozer

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