10 Things That Boost Your Health and Wellness

     For the past few months I have been fighting myself. I have been slowly trudging out of the depths of the ignorant self imposed sabotage of my health and body. It culminated in a health scare that ultimately set me on a hell-bent quest of self love and care. I needed a break from blogging for introspection and healing. 

     I have learned a lot in that short time, and I truly hope it shows in my writing. In my quest for healing, I have found things that really boost my mood and health much more than others. You may have different needs than me, and that's okay, but I hope that this post helps and inspires some of you. So without further ado, here are 10 Things That Boost Your Health and Wellness.

1)Yoga

     In my experience, no exercise I have ever tried before has come close to doing what yoga does for me. It is meditative, invigorating, relaxing, yet a challenge. It has become an essential part of my daily routine. It centers me, relaxes my mind, and helps me think clearer. It sculpts my body in just the right places, and pushes me to always stretch a little further, and try harder poses. Sometimes I even imagine it was brought to Earth by aliens who designed it specifically for our health. 👽 Scientifically, yoga has proven to have countless benefits, which I enthusiastically invite and urge you to research and try. 

2)Intermittent fasting

     I know, I was always told "It's not healthy to skip meals" and "Breakfast is the most important meal of the day," but I also always struggled with my weight. Looking back, I realize I felt healthiest when skipping breakfast, and exercising during that time. I would do this for a time, but get scolded for not eating in the morning, so I always went back to eating 3 meals a day. Then I researched intermittent fasting and gave it a try. It literally changed my life. 

     Intermittent fasting can be done in a number of ways, but my personal approach was a gradual transition to only eating from 2-8 every day. It sounds scary at first, but the benefits are amazing. Fasting like this builds self discipline, forces the body to let go of old and damaged cells, and forces you to eat to live, instead of living to eat. Don't get me wrong, I am a passionate foodie, but this is the healthiest way for an adult to live. In my research I came across studies that show that it increases longevity, boosts the immune system, boosts the brain, and slows aging... Not to mention it drastically cuts your food bill. Believe me, it is definitely something to look into.

3)Cutting processed foods

      Processed foods are some of the worst things you can put into your body. They drastically reduce your health and lifespan, and actually make you eat more to feel fuller, because they are typically practically void of nutrition, and they feed the bad bacteria in your microbiome, which actually encourage you to eat more. This can cause a film of bad bacteria to actually coat your digestive tract and hinder absorption and digestion, and eventually cause further problems. As always, I encourage you to research any and all of my claims, as you can see for yourself best that way. These foods, especially sugary and carb loaded foods, can also cause diabetes and heart disease, as they create plaque. Since cutting most processed foods, I have lost inches from my waist and gained so much energy. I feel fuller faster and my digestion has improved a lot. 

4)Cutting sugar & gluten

     Sugar is likely the worst food for your body of all, and gluten is awful for you too. Unfortunately most store bought foods are loaded with one or both. To avoid this,  I cook meals from scratch or eat fresh foods. It is a bit of extra work, but it saves money and avoids health problems down the road. Eventually I aspire to grow all of my own produce, but that will only come with time, study and work. For now I try to buy local organic as much as possible and grow as much as I can.

5)Art

      Remember how much fun it was to create in art class as a kid? Why does it ever have to end? It doesn't. All you need is time, supplies and an imagination and voila... art. It's soothing, relaxing and stretches your mind and abilities, and it can make your home prettier or more interesting too! There is no limit to what you can create! It is infinitely healing.

6)Music

     Music has been a form of expression for likely as long as we have been around. It is liberating, exhilarating, and can express any emotion. It can bring you to bliss or the depths of despair. The best music, in my opinion gives you that blissful, butterflies in your stomach, excited to see what comes next feeling, and compels you to dance. It is so healing for me.

7)Dancing

      There is almost nothing like losing yourself in the melody of a gorgeous song, losing all inhibition and just moving your body to the beat. It heals you and fills you with so much glee and joy! If you haven't done it for a while, I encourage you to try it. Start at home by yourself if it makes you nervous or insecure. I dance every day! 

8)Sunshine

     Sunshine is essential for your mind and body. Your body actually produces Vitamin D by absorbing sunlight, which helps your immune system function properly and helps you keep a positive attitude. For me the sun is so uplifting and I tend to feel a bit dreary when there are excessive cloudy days. 15 minutes is long enough for most healthy people to get some sun without burning, especially morning sun, which isn't as strong. Just be careful not to overexpose yourself. 

9)Nature

     I have heard that psychologically the color green brings feelings of hearth, home and well-being. No wonder it does so, we supposedly evolved in the woods! A walk in the woods is one of the best things for me to boost my mood and one of my favorite forms of exercise, especially when presented with the reward of the majestic vistas at the summit of a mountain hike. I honestly think we all need to forest bathe on a psychological level. It connects us more to the Earth and the beautiful ecosystems we share the planet with. It is truly a healing practice. 

10)Celebration

     For a long time, I deprived myself of celebration, believing that it was an irresponsible or bad thing to do. But you can responsibly celebrate. Enjoy a glass of wine or two with friends (my favorite). See a band play. Throw a birthday party for a loved one. Just don't overdo it. The key is balance. Not celebrating anything is just as bad as overdoing it. You only live once and you are here to enjoy it. But respect yourself and your body enough to know when enough is enough.

     You are worth the utmost love and care, and only you have the ability to give that to yourself. You deserve to find that endless well of happiness and love within and you can. Your body really is your temple, and taking care of it helps your mind and spirit as well. These 10 things are really helping me heal, and I hope they may help and inspire some of you to find your own healing within. Namaste.

Infinite Love,

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