Often, we hear about total body wellness and feel overwhelmed. The whole idea of complete self-care can seem like a lot because it’s so broad. It encompasses mental health and goes all the way down to cellular-level health.
While we don’t want to oversimplify it, overthinking body wellness isn’t healthy either and may actually do more harm than good. It may bring us anxiety and can lead to restless thoughts.
Being mindful of your health and understanding why wellness is important is good but unnecessarily worrying about your health can weigh you down. And that’s certainly not the way to kickstart your journey to total body wellness.
So, let’s begin with a quick overview of whole body wellness by discussing this important topic in a manner that’s easy to digest.
Amazing Anatomy
All the work that our cells are doing is mind-blowing. Indeed, our body is an amazing organism made up of individual parts that have specific functions and complex systems that perform in harmony like clockwork. As we breathe and go about our day working and resting, they are on duty 24/7.
But our body is more than a mechanical mass of cells. There is also an unseen element that contributes to mind and body wellness. The way we think and feel affects how our body performs. It’s like a system where messages are sent back and forth across our organs and systems.
The mental and physical connection is universally and scientifically recognized. Thus, more medical doctors are emphasizing the importance of reducing stress in healing and recovery.
When something in the body goes off — like a sugar spike, a drop in electrolytes, or a headache caused by a barrage of anxious thoughts — our body reacts and gets thrown off balance. For example, the cardiovascular system can affect our nervous system and even our digestive system if certain issues aren’t addressed.
To a great degree, it’s all connected.
Way To Wellness
Given our bodies’ synthesis, ecosystems, and vast network of organs, it’s best to tackle total body wellness goals one small chunk at a time. With all the various organs in the body, it’s easy to overlook one while taking care of another.
So, how do you take care of your body without overtaxing yourself? Remember, being overwhelmed with work, worries, and wellness can wreak havoc on your health so doing it the wrong way can defeat its very purpose. The key is to tackle total wellness with the right information and motivation while looking at our body with the right perspective.
We’ve broken total wellness down into simple manageable steps so you can do them even when you’re busy.
1. Mind Your Mind
Crowding your mental space with anxious and stressful thoughts is a surefire way to weaken your body. It can adversely affect your heart, bones, and other organs.
Don’t fill your mind with negativity because it can cause your organs to go haywire, resulting in various conditions and diseases.
2. Make Hydration a Habit
Ever felt constipated, irritable, and mentally off? It’s probably because you’re not drinking enough water. Hydration is very important to your health. It lubricates and cushions joints, normalizes the body temperature, protects the spinal cord and other body tissues, helps excrete toxins and body waste, and manages your body weight, among other things.
To stay hydrated, always bring a refillable water bottle with you so you can have a drink anytime. Avoid sugary drinks. If you want more flavor, add a wedge of lemon or lime for a refreshing taste. When eating out, always opt for plain water.
That’s pretty easy, right? You can do this! And your body will thank you for it.
3. Exercise Can Be Fun
The thing about forcing yourself to do a workout routine is it’s a difficult habit to sustain. So, pick a workout you enjoy whether it’s dancing, biking, yoga, or something else.
Start small and go at a pace that’s realistic. Don’t let your colleagues’ advanced workout routines make you feel like you have to catch up. Just do what you can when and where you can. A few minutes of running around your backyard with your dog, dancing to your favorite tunes in the morning, taking a walk, or doing a few simple stretches is enough and always better than nothing.
The important thing is to get moving. This is especially important if you have a sedentary lifestyle or a desk job. Your body craves movement! Aside from the happy hormones you get from it, giving your body a nice workout makes you stronger and more active. It also gives your organs more oxygen while promoting better circulation.
4. Enjoy a Healthy Diet
I used the word “enjoy” here because diets are often synonymous with restrictions, deprivation, and even starvation.
Unless you have a health condition that requires a certain diet, you should enjoy eating — just pick healthy food items over junk food that doesn’t really nourish you. Remember that packing on excessive pounds can strain your organs.
The key is to eat more of the good stuff and less of the bad. I understand that completely avoiding your favorite sugary, starchy, and salty foods can sometimes make you crave them more, so compromise and eat less of them until your body eventually stops looking for them.
Take supplements that are good for your organs like Green Pastures Cod Liver Oil. These will give your body an extra boost so it can function at its best.
5. Incorporate Regular Rest and Relaxation
You can only be at your best when you have enough rest. And I don’t mean a once-a-month retreat whenever your work allows (which is probably next to never). Make rest a part of every day. Don’t wait until your body demands it from you.
Rest entails giving your mind and body breathing room even in the midst of a hectic, chaotic day. Whether you’re doing your makeup, in the office, taking a shower, or engaging in another activity, be mindful of the moment. Engage your senses and notice how things smell, feel, sound, and look. Take regular breaks and get a good night’s sleep each evening.
It’s okay to put yourself first. After all, it’s the only way you can continue performing your chores, responsibilities, and day-to-day routines.
Total Wellness Leads to Total Success
When we’re mentally, emotionally, and physically healthy, it’s easier to be passionate about life and our commitments. We go about our daily activities with joy and vigor. It also makes us more interested and interesting people.
Whatever obstacles to whole body wellness you’re facing right now – impending deadlines at work, an endless list of household chores, children that need your care – take a breath and evaluate your lifestyle.
What are your thoughts like? Are you drinking enough water? Are you getting enough rest and exercise?
To a frazzled individual, it can all seem like too much but if you take it one step at a time and consider this list, the road to mind and body wellness isn’t that hard at all. You just have to start somewhere and go from there.