While there are numerous ways people can enhance their life and health, I’ve narrowed it down to my top 3 favorites. They are a great starting point, a foundation in which other things can be added yet powerful enough on their own to make a difference. The first one is a “biggie” in my book – too many people, especially women neglect themselves and tend to put others first. This is a practice that I believe everyone should implement is:
1. Creating a Sacred Space: A common theme that I find with clients is that they rarely tend to their own needs; many times this relates to women and frequently it’s the root of many deeper issues. Often I make suggestions such as take a detox bath for 20mins weekly or set aside time for meditation etc. I’m usually met with “ohh I don’t have time or I’ll try to fit it in.” Let me put this in perspective – we all have 24 hrs in a day – 8 of those should be dedicated to sleep; 10 for work (if in a conventional career accounting for 8 hr workday, preparing for and travel to & from) – this leaves 6 whole hours, how is it not possible to carve out just 1 of those specifically for yourself? Is it poor time management? Is your life to crazy to think of “scheduling” time outside of work? Or are you laser focused on the rest of your family (or others in general) that you just don’t feel worthy? Maybe you’re a single parent or mother of 5 – well, this may prove to be a challenge but you still need a bit of time dedicated to lil ol you! It should be something really personal, something that taps into your higher self – something that helps leave the day behind, diffuses stress and creates positivity? One of the remedies I recommend is to create a “sacred space” aka a place for your spiritual life, a place to go for help, solace, prayer, manifest dreams, send love to others or to give thanks – a mini oasis of sorts where you can disconnect from the everyday world and make sense of an insane life. It doesn’t need to be elaborate or large – even a corner in your quietest room away from all distraction will work, but keep in mind; it should be somewhere that invokes calm and feels soothing. The big payoff – a renewed sense of life, purpose and some pure serenity that you previously thought could only come from a yoga class!
The second practice I recommend is quite possibly the two most universal, appearing on most health plans – yet also the most commonsense advice that is typically ignored!
2. Hydrate & Sleep: Drinking enough water (or green juices) and getting enough beauty sleep should top everyone’s list. As I mentioned above 8 hours of the day should be dedicated to sleep. Sleep is needed for optimal emotional, psychological, cognitive, physical and spiritual functioning as well. Lack of proper amount of sleep has been shown to be as dangerous to health as smoking! Side effects of sleep deprivation include a whole host of health issues such as shortened life span, increased weight, increase in heart disease and even lowered IQ in addition to missing out on some serious cellular repair that only happens during slumber. So here it is quite clear, if you want to be thin, smart and live longer then consider getting some shut eye. The other essential that everyone seems to fall short on is hydration. Making up approximately 50 – 75% of the body, water is truly the basis of health and life! Food for thought – our muscles are 75% water, nutrient transporting blood is 82% water, lungs are 90% and your brain is 75% – what do you think happens when a body is deprived of water? A person can survive 3 weeks without food but only 3-5 days without water!! Without proper hydration the body perishes – toxins and impurities don’t get flushed out, the body doesn’t receive vital oxygenation and infections set in. This all may sound astonishing and clearly this is the worst case scenario from ongoing dehydration. However, the average American isn’t drinking enough water for proper hydration. Good chances are that if you’re thirsty you already have some degree of dehydration. The worst thing most people do is reach for something other than water – fruit juices, coffee, tea or sodas may falsely quench thirst but will not hydrate the body in the same way water can. Common signs of dehydration from lack of water are: dry skin (premature aging!), increased toxic load, increase in stress hormone, thickened blood that puts extra pressure on the heart to pump, fatigue, false hunger and cravings (which can result in weight gain), backache and poor digestion. The big payoff – a glowing, healthy body that fights infection, detoxifies on its own, functions at optimal levels and doesn’t age before its time.
The third practice that I think everyone should implement is varying their diet. Too many people get stuck in a rut eating the same old thing, especially when adhering to strict diet plans.
3. Variety is the spice of life – Simple and do-able; anyone can accomplish this one whether you’re an omnivore, vegan, or somewhere in between. Every week, take one day and kick it up a notch. Let’s say you enjoy a flesh heavy paleo plan – your task is to eat vegan for a day {or more}; if you’re a vegetarian/vegan – do a juice fast; an omnivore – go totally unprocessed. Anyone can do this – wherever you’re at, make some big changes for a day, for a week or whatever amount of time takes you out of your comfort zone just a bit. The big pay off – learning a new style of eating, incorporating new or different foods and most definitely improving your health. You may also find yourself incorporating some of these “variety days” on a more consistent basis.
Image via: http://omsweetomorganics.com/how-to-create-your-sacred-space/ (No copyright Infringement Intended.)
About the Author: Angelina Helene
Angelina Helene is Holistic Health Expert & Educator specializing in Functional Nutrition for healing and Detox & Cleansing and is the founder of Wholistic Revolution – a Holistic Nutritional Consulting business and the creator of the ONLY organic body-care line targeted to 10 of the most common “figure flaws” women face – Perfect 10 Organics Angelina credits her lifestyle choices including juice fasting, yoga, meditating and a positive attitude in helping overcome late stage chronic Lyme disease. She wholeheartedly believes in a year round “cleansing” lifestyle and counsels individuals on incorporating various nutrition and lifestyle techniques to create a full, vibrant life and heal from chronic dis-eases.
