Have you ever felt “off-balance” - like something just isn’t right and you can’t put your finger on it?
Has this feeling kept you from feeling your best? Being “off-balance” from a health and wellness perspective can be detrimental to our health, and actually lead to illness and disease.
When we have these feelings, it’s important to become curious and explore. By finding where these feelings are coming from, we can dig deeper and find ways to make changes, bringing back that much-needed balance.
When looking for balance, we can look at these five areas:
Nutrition. What are we eating? Are we eating minimally processed, whole foods - such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains, beans, legumes, nuts, seeds, lean proteins, healthy fats? Or are we having one too many takeout meals or fast-food? It’s an easy habit to fall into. By not eating enough whole foods, especially fruits and vegetables, we may be missing important nutrients that will give us energy and keep us healthy.
Sleep. Are we getting 7 - 8 hours each night? Do we feel rested when we wake up in the morning? Good quality sleep affects our overall health, including our immune system and hormones. Our brains repair and restore during sleep, affecting our moods, energy levels, and cognitive abilities.
Exercise. Physical activity increases our blood and lymph flow, circulating immune cells throughout our bodies. Exercise lowers inflammatory markers, reducing the risk of chronic disease. 30 minutes per day of aerobic activity - walking, jogging, biking, yoga - as well as moderate strength training a few days per week will do the trick.
Mindfulness and relaxation. Are we taking time to de-stress and relax? A daily mindfulness practice can have huge benefits for the body’s immune system, mental health, and energy. Are we practicing self-care? Some “me-time” does wonders for reducing stress and anxiety.
Relationships and community. How are our connections with family, friends, co-workers, and neighbors? We rely on social connections and support for our mental health and wellbeing. During this time of Covid19, we need to be creative to nurture these relationships!
By going through the above list, perhaps you can identify one or two areas that need some extra attention this week. Even small changes can make a big difference in the balance we are trying to achieve.
Inspiring you to a vibrant and healthy lifestyle,