It has been said that health comes in three variables—good, fast and cheap—but you can only pick two. If you want good and fast, it won’t be cheap. If you want fast and cheap, it won’t be good. If you want something good and cheap, it won’t be fast.
In life, there are many roads, and they all lead to our overall health. Every choice we make is a fork in that road of health—and we all have made some poor choices in the past. The good news is even if we take a wrong turn or two or three, through personal grace, it is never too late to get back on track to make better choices to arrive at a happy and healthy destination.
Some people think good health is a chore or hard work. You need to change your mindset and realize good health is the gift that you can give yourself every day. Let’s look at a few simple life choices that can make a big difference in your overall health, mood and mindset.
Nutrition
Making the right nutritional choices is one of the greatest gifts we can give to ourselves. Starting the morning off with warm water and organic lemon is a simple way of getting our pre- and probiotic juices flowing in our gut. This leads to greater absorption of foods during the day as well as elimination of toxins from the body and the liver.
Starting the day with intermittent fasting or fresh colorful fruits and/or vegetables and healthy fats such as avocado, is a nice way to balance out the blood sugars while also signaling to the body that you are going to make healthy choices throughout the day.
Preparing meals ahead of time, connecting with your food and eliminating processed foods must be a priority in order to achieve your goals of feeling good and healthy overall. Choosing nutritious foods heals the body and satisfies the mind.
These choices are vital for leading an energized and open-hearted life. When you are nourished, only then can you nourish others. Most of our ailments can be mitigated with diet alone. It is the single most important thing that can’t be sacrificed.
Exercise
Just 30 minutes of exercise several times a week is known to combat dementia and protect the brain as well as the body from life-threatening illnesses. Like the mind, the body needs to be engaged and stimulated. Increasing blood flow allows the body to nourish cells and eliminate waste faster and more efficiently.
Studies show that when you choose activities that bring you joy and energize you, your cells positively respond to the exercise at a much higher rate. Make it fun and you will be consistent. Choose activities that awaken your passion, inner child and that light you up.
Challenge yourself to smile while doing these activities. Reflect on how good that choice feels. Put on your favorite podcast or sermon or just enjoy the silence of nature while exercising. Don’t be afraid to switch things up and to try something new. This keeps the brain fresh and the endorphins flowing.
Exercising will not only heal the body, but help bring you clarity and regulate every system—the byproduct being better sleep, sex life, feelings of self-worth, connectivity and increased productivity. It’s free and there’s nothing to lose except regret and inches.
Self-care
Self-care is vast, so think outside the box. Just like driving, it must be deliberate—otherwise you’ll get lost in the noise of the world and forget to check in. Self-care could be a bath with candles, an earlier bedtime, building a morning routine, a practice of yoga, infrared sauna therapy, red light therapy, blood flow treatments, sound healing or massage. Find a free meditation on YouTube and start there. Just 10 minutes in nature is known to be grounding, as well as supplying you with freshness and vitamin D.
Start with baby steps, but keep moving. Self-care is mental health, from the hormones that it releases and the mindfulness you are showing yourself. Try it for at least 5 to 10 minutes and reflect on how good you feel.
Gifting yourself daily healing creates a safe space where you feel supported, cared for and expansive. The gift of healing is a journey both inward and forward, leading us to our ultimate truth. What we experience and learn on our paths allows us to make “our choices” with wisdom and compassion. We then can go back into the world and offer our services for the greater good, based on the knowledge gained on our trip through this life.
The greatest gift you can give yourself and others is the gift of healing.
