physical health
You would be hard pressed to open a website or magazine and not see at least one article about mental and physical health. This is a great thing on the whole, but having so much information flung at you every single day will likely lead to confusion. Should you eat carbs? Is keto a good choice for you? Is the gym or nature better for workouts? These are just three questions you may ask yourself on a daily basis, with different people offering different answers. The key to your own health and well-being is sorting through the information and finding bits that speak to you. Try to look at your health as a pie chart, with spiritual, mental, physical and emotional having the same share, meaning that every aspect of your life will or won’t contribute to holistic well-being and sustainable results. Let’s see how you can approach your health holistically and use the interconnectedness of your body, mind and spirit to your advantage.
Understanding Holistic Health
When you look at someone on the outside, in other words their physical appearance, you tend to take it at face value. If a person looks fit, then they are fit. This is not the case. While their muscles may be showing and they attend the gym regularly, you can never know what’s going on behind the scenes. Holistic health is an integrative approach that looks beyond these isolated aspects at the whole person. Just because someone has big muscles, doesn’t mean that they take care of their soul or nourish their body.
Actually, many people who look good put a lot of pressure on themselves mentally and beat themselves up internally if they don’t achieve their very high standards. Moreover, some are of the opinion that if they get their body to peak perfection, something will magically happen to their inner world and they’ll be happy. Individuals even go so far as to take handfuls of supplements, which is not a good idea if you haven’t consulted with your physician or run a comprehensive blood panel. Read more about why you should avoid supplements as a one-size-fits-all answer.
Physical Health
Your physical health is made up of nutrition, exercise and sleep – each one as important as the other. The reason that you should eat a balanced diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains and lean proteins is not only to look good, but actually for your body and mind to function well and do what they need to do. There’s no need to follow fad diets or be hard on yourself in order to eat less, simply start by writing down the things that you enjoy eating on the healthy list and go from there. Try out the 80/20 principle, which essentially states that you eat 80% whole foods and 20% comfort foods.
Next, let’s look at regular physical activity that you enjoy. Just like with the food aspect, start small – a 10-minute walk is better than nothing. And then build it up gradually from there. Try not to look at how other people look, you are on your own journey and your body is unique. Lastly, quality sleep is a game-changer, perhaps even more important than eating clean all the time. Your body needs time to refresh and reboot, which it does while you sleep. When it gets dark outside, your brain produces melatonin which makes you sleepy. If you are looking at your phone or laptop late into the night, this melatonin production will not be enough to give you restful sleep, so pay special attention to your sleep routine and patterns.
Mental and Emotional Health
You’ve surely heard that stress can kill, and this isn’t an overstatement in the least. While it does sound dramatic and you’re not likely to keel over from a day filled with stress, this may change if you put your body and mind through the ringer for months and years on end. Chronic stress can really undermine physical and mental health. Look into techniques like mindfulness, meditation and deep-breathing exercises – here, too, start small with a 3-minute meditation and then go from there. Another aspect to consider that falls under the umbrella of mental and emotional health is acknowledging and expressing your emotions in healthy ways. It’s never a good idea to keep things in, and if you can’t voice it verbally, then try journaling and engaging in creative outlets to help you process feelings and reduce the emotional burden on your shoulders.
Spiritual Well-Being
The term ‘spirituality’ throws some people off and they picture someone chanting in a forest when they hear it. However, there’s so much more to it than that: an example of spiritual well-being is self-reflection, where you spend time looking at and reflecting on your values, purpose and beliefs. What happens next is that you can either stick with them or adapt your values and beliefs to let go of things that aren’t serving you anymore. As humans, we should evolve and grow, and spiritual practices like meditation, prayer or quiet contemplation can ground you and give you stability. Understanding what gives your life meaning can enhance your sense of fulfillment. Strive for balance in your life by aligning your actions with your core beliefs and values. This alignment can foster inner peace and a greater sense of purpose. Embrace the interconnectedness of your body, mind and spirit, and you’ll find a path to more profound and enduring wellness.
