Often when we think about health the first things that come to mind are diet and exercise. While these both play a major role in our overall health, they are just a fraction of what makes up a well-rounded healthy life. So, what does health mean to you? For us, it’s a few things!
Even though diet isn’t all that matters when it comes to health, it sure is a big part of it. But when we say what we put into our bodies we mean beyond food only. Supplements, for instance, can give us added support that we might not be able to obtain from food alone. There are essential nutrients that the body needs to function optimally. For instance, we need protein, carbohydrates, fats, minerals, vitamins, and water. Eating a varied diet that incorporates all these nutrients, and taking supplements to make up for areas that need added support gives our bodies the best chance for overall wellness.
However, there are harmful elements that we put into our bodies either consciously or unconsciously daily—like alcohol, processed sugar, dust, dander from our pets, polluted air, and the list goes on. Therefore, focusing on putting “the good” into our bodies is that much more important. And implementing detoxes on a regular basis can help promote the normal flushing of these unwanted toxins.
When we think of body maintenance for optimal health, we probably think of exercise first. Getting adequate exercise is crucial to promote normal detoxification in the body, contribute to blood flow, oxygen levels, and heart health. It’s also helpful for the release of endorphins that assist mental health in addition to physical. Exercise can promote better sleep and energy, and of course weight management maintenance.
Maintaining our bodies beyond exercise is also a large contributor to overall wellness. Practicing good hygiene helps to limit the spread of germs and works to keep the immune system strong. Hygiene can describe any physical area of the body from skin to hair, to teeth, and nails, and so on. Each part of the body requires maintenance and plays a role in physical health. Even further, have you thought about how hygiene can impact life beyond the physical? When hygiene and body upkeep are prioritized it can promote more self-confidence, which reflects in our mental health, and it can make human connection a more pleasant experience.
Hygiene and body maintenance is a daily proactive approach. But we also want to ensure we take defenses. Our skin and bodies must be protected from the elements whether it be due to sun, cold, heat, pollution, and so on. Wearing sunscreen, no matter the season, is such an important step to implement into the daily regimen. Moisturizing during the cold months can help prevent painful skin cracks, and using facial coverings in highly dusty areas are all examples of defending the body. Getting treatments to keep our bodies in top shape like massages, chiropractic, stretching on our own, and so on can also provide many benefits.
Sleep is a big part of body maintenance that many forget about or don’t give proper attention. Getting adequate sleep impacts so many other areas of our daily lives whether it be mentally, internally, or physically.
Humans are social animals. Check out what the CDC has discovered about loneliness and how it impacts the body and mind in quite a serious way.
Prioritizing healthy relationships is so important. Relationships will withstand time more than anything else that comes in and out of our lives and will contribute to our wellbeing immensely. However, it’s important to realize that loneliness isn’t simply about being surrounded by others but is a feeling of being alone regardless of social connections. Therefore, ensuring that relationships serve us positively and that we find peace within ourselves are steps to take against loneliness.
Mental health is often prioritized least when talking about health as a whole, because it is something that can’t be seen from the outside. Things like meditation, deep breathing, yoga, therapy sessions, workbooks, self-improvement readings, taking time to recharge, doing activities that bring clarity and quiet the mind are all great steps to creating and maintaining good mental health. Often, we don’t give ourselves permission to take the time for mental health maintenance, but if we are putting emphasis on diet, exercise, relationships, and hygiene, then why wouldn’t our mental health deserve that same attention?
Although there are many aspects that contribute to a healthy wellbeing in general, all of them are connected in some way and serve other areas of our lives. Exercise may help us maintain our weight and promote a normal flushing of toxins, but it also creates a positive impact on mental health and confidence. The same could be said for diet and supplementation, and so on, all these areas crossing over with one another as we seek an overall wellbeing.
Time to put it all together in action to achieve, or maintain, that desired healthy lifestyle!
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*FDA DISCLAIMER: These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
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