I absolutely love to learn new things. If you’re anything like me, you rise daily looking for increased knowledge and new learning experiences. It may be something as trivial as the bee hummingbird is the smallest bird in the world. Now, if you didn’t know about the bee hummingbird and you don’t know anything about being holistic, then after you read this article you will have learned two things. So, let’s get to the meaning of holistic.
A basic definition of holistic is that “a person treats the entire body and mind as a whole instead of placing the emphasis on treating an individual part(s) of the body that succumb to illness, injury and/or disease”. Holistic concepts center around the inter-connectivity of body and mind. Holistic processes help promote a lifestyle for total well-being.
There are 4 basic aspects that are essential to holistic health: physical, mental, emotional, spiritual. Now let’s get our vibe on and take a brief look at each of these 4 aspects.
First stop – Physical
When people think of health they tend to think of physical health with good health being identified as not being sick. The physical aspect of holistic health is a lifestyle and mindset where people strive for wellness daily by implementing a health regiment that keeps the body healthy. Some ways to keep your body healthy includes:
- Get at least 6 – 8 hours of sleep, per day. Sleep releases hormones that help decrease risk of serious health conditions, improve the immune system, improve memory and help manage hunger levels.
- Drink plenty of water to keep your body hydrated and to flush toxins from your system.
- Exercise for at least 30 minutes a day. It helps your blood circulation, boost your immune system, reduces your risk for heart disease and increases your energy level among other things.
- Maintain a healthy diet. Eat lots of fruits and vegetables, eat lean proteins, avoid processed foods, limit salt and sugar intake and drink plenty of water.
- Do not smoke. Smoking causes damage to your lungs and heart. It can lead to serious diseases like cancer, heart disease, and emphysema. It can also lead to a reduced life span.
- Do not drink alcohol in excess. It can lead to serious health problems including: liver disease, high blood pressure, stroke and heart disease.
Next stop – Mental
Our physical and mental health are interconnected through our bodies and minds. Two key factors relevant to our physical health are also relevant to our mental health, diet and nutrition. Mental issues often occur because of a chemical imbalance in the brain.
Conventional medicine treats the imbalance with medication. Mental health in the holistic arena is not limited to talks with a psychiatrist and/or psychologist with treatment regiments of medication. Holistic medicine also looks for the underlying cause of the mental issue and then considers ways to treat the chemical imbalance through diet, nutrition and lifestyle changes. Some ways to support your mental health includes:
- Keep your mind actively engaged with learning opportunities and brain challenging activities.
- Maintain a diet that is high in antioxidants and rich on omega-3 fatty acids. This helps with cognitive functions.
- Do not drink excessively, smoke or use recreational drugs. These 3 things can alter your brain chemistry.
Moving on to – Emotional
Unlike mental health which has to do with our brain function, emotional health centers around our mood emotions. Emotions are an integral part of our being and oftentimes are overlooked in relation to our physical health. Our mood can cause real physical health problems. One example is if you become anxious about a situation and are then are unable to eat because your stomach feels like it’s tied in knots. That anxious mood emotion has created a physical condition in the body.
Emotional health is very important. Some ways to maintain it includes:
- Keep a journal. Write down your thoughts and feelings. Keep track of the good things happening in your life.
- Celebrate your successes. Celebrate the small ones as well as the large ones.
- In times of stress look at and think about the good things you wrote about in your journal.
- Have at least one person you can talk to if needed.
Final stop in the line – Spiritual
The word spiritual is often associated with religion. While the two are not mutually exclusive and they have areas that overlap, it is possible to be spiritual without invoking religion.
Spiritual health is about connecting with your soul (will, mind and emotion) and the world around you. Some ways to support your spiritual health includes:
- Yoga – it helps to improve physical health and it helps to center breathing
- Meditation – it helps to clear and focus the mind
- Spending time in nature – it improves physical conditions and enhances emotional well-being
- Practicing your religious faith – it helps produce better physical and emotional health outcomes
Tying it all Together
We live in an age where people are constantly looking for some form of self-improvement. People want to lose weight so they jump on the latest diet craze. They want to improve their bodies so they rely on body sculpting, liposuction and plastic surgery. Well if you are really considering alternative ways to fitness, health and total well-being for your body, mind and soul, a holistic lifestyle is an excellent place to begin and end.
By recognizing our bodies and minds are interconnected we can improve our health by eating a healthier diet, exercising on a regular basis, ridding ourselves of negative energy and connecting with nature, just to name a few things.
Living a holistic lifestyle requires a commitment and a mindset change. You have to commit to living a lifestyle where you care for your physical, mental, emotional and spiritual health on a daily basis since they are essential to your total well-being. Making a big change in the way you live can be daunting and overwhelming so don’t try to change all at once. Start slowly and gradually increase your use of holistic practices and concepts until you are fully immersed in the lifestyle.