Stop Looking for "The Cause" - Why Your Health Problems Don't Have One Magic Answer

The Question That Breaks My Heart

"Paul, what's THE thing that's making me feel terrible?"

I hear this question every single week. And every time, I have to deliver news that nobody wants to hear.

There is no "the cause."

How I Learned This The Hard Way

Early in my career, I used to play detective with clients. Someone couldn't lose weight? Must be their thyroid. Joint pain? Probably inflammation from gluten. Can't sleep? Obviously too much caffeine.

I was wrong. A lot.

The truth hit me when I realized my most successful clients weren't the ones who found their "magic bullet." They were the ones who fixed multiple things at the same time.

The Real Story From This Week

A client called me convinced that going vegan would solve her sinus problems. She'd read about anti-inflammatory diets online. Made perfect sense, right?

Wrong.

When we dug deeper, here's what was actually happening:

• She was stressed out of her mind (three kids, crazy work schedule)

• She slept terribly because she couldn't breathe at night

• She ate restaurant food every day because she had no time to cook

Not one of these problems would be fixed by eating more plants.

Why We Love Looking for "The Cause"

I get it. Finding one thing to blame feels good. It's simple. It gives us control.

"If I just stop eating dairy, everything will be fine." "If I just take this supplement, I'll have energy again." "If I just do this workout, I'll lose weight."

But your body doesn't work like a broken car where you replace one part and everything runs smooth.

The Three Real Causes (That Nobody Wants to Hear)

After working with hundreds of clients, the same three things show up over and over:

1. You're Stressed and Don't Know It

Your body can't heal when it thinks a tiger is chasing you. Chronic stress breaks everything - your sleep, your digestion, your immune system.

2. You Don't Sleep Well

Poor sleep makes you hungrier, weaker, and sicker. It's not just about hours. It's about quality.

3. You Don't Control Your Food

When someone else makes your food, you don't know what's in it. Restaurant food is loaded with things that inflame your system.

What Actually Works (The Boring Truth)

Success comes from fixing the whole system, not hunting for magic bullets.

Start here:

• Stress: Take five deep breaths before every meal

• Sleep: Same bedtime every night, even weekends

• Food: Cook one meal per day yourself

That's it. No fancy diets. No expensive supplements. Just basic human maintenance.

Why This Is Actually Good News

Here's the thing nobody tells you: when you fix the system instead of chasing causes, you fix multiple problems at once.

Better sleep improves your mood AND your metabolism. Less stress helps your digestion AND your skin. Home-cooked food controls your weight AND reduces inflammation.

One action, multiple wins.

The Hard Question You Need to Ask

Instead of "What's causing my problem?" ask this:

"What three basic things am I not doing consistently?"

The answer is probably sleep, stress management, and food preparation.

I know it's not sexy. I know you want a more exciting answer.

But after 15 years of doing this, I can tell you: the people who get results are the ones who stop looking for "the cause" and start building better systems.

Your Next Step

Pick one thing from this list:

• Go to bed at the same time tonight

• Cook one meal today

• Take five deep breaths right now

Don't look for the magic answer. Build the system that creates magic results.

What basic things have you been ignoring while searching for complicated solutions?

Stay Strong,

Paul Oneid, MS. MS. CSCS

Founder and Head Coach