Holistic lifestyles are beneficial for their all-natural methods and materials. Connecting your mind to your body and your body to the earth creates a wholesome and peaceful consciousness of your needs, and can relieve stresses that otherwise would overwhelm. Try implementing different holistic methods of awareness and relaxation into your lifestyle and see how much your health improves!
Turn to Chiropractic Medicine
Although the most obvious use of chiropractic medicine focuses on pains caused by problems in joints and muscles, the reality of its capabilities far surpasses some relieving “pops”. Chiropractic care aims to align your body in a way that will allow its natural flows to become unblocked or unhindered. This area of medical science can improve your energy levels, balance, breathing, sleep, and even directly biological issues like your immune and digestive systems. Most notably, chiropractic medicine does all of this using only the body itself. Often chiropractic methods will encourage a connection with the mind, in order to relax the body—which, once adjusted, will in turn help the mind relax—and thereby has an overall calming effect on the individual.
Improve Your Diet
When you put good things into your body, your body will do good things for you. Take inventory of what foods may be causing any lethargy, or are simply detrimental for your body in any way. Processed foods with high amounts of sugars and fats are usually the first things that should raise red flags! Find foods that you can genuinely enjoy, that would make good replacements for the less helpful snacks and sides that frequent your current diet. Experiment with different produce, natural and organic foods. It may take a brief adjustment period for your body (and your taste buds) to get used to the new fuel you are giving it, but you will quickly see the increase in energy and improvements in gut and brain health!
Start a New Fitness Program
Get up and move around! Find a way to do so that you can access consistently. Search out new walking routes, try aerobic exercises like swimming, jogging or biking, or join a gym that gives you access to a variety of machines and classes. Yoga is another popular way to stretch, move, and practice breathing, in a way that will still push your body to exert itself but without the higher physical impact on your joints and bones like many other sports. Any way that you can find to push and move your body will increase oxygen and blood flow.
Adopt a Pet Companion
Therapy animals are incredibly effective for improving mental and social health. These wonderful animals have no expectations of you other than companionship, and are simply glad that you exist! Find a pet that matches your lifestyle. Keep maintenance into consideration as well; the point of the animal is to decrease the stress in your life, not add to it! Dogs are popular choices for pets because of their loyalty and attention. Look for a breed that will fit well in your home and family. For example, if you have small children, you should pick a breed that’s child-friendly like a Corgi. Pets are a great source of comfort and distraction from triggers of stress and anxiety.
Positive Affirmations
The power of positive thinking is often underappreciated. Find different resources in your life for positive, affirming messages that will motivate and inspire you! Create a motto for yourself, write down your goals and why you are able to achieve them, and put these messages to yourself in places where you will be reminded of them often. Phone screens, bathroom mirrors, desks, laptops, refrigerator doors or the space next to your bed… any of these places are frequently trafficked and can be a great space for that kind of affirmation to make the decisions that will help you be who you want to become!
Balance Your Time
Making lists may be tedious or frustrating, but can be very effective in prioritizing and balancing each aspect of your life. Keeping your goals in mind for how you would like to improve your physical, mental, emotional, or spiritual health, write down what tasks will help you fulfill those goals. Prioritize them as you feel you need and create a simple schedule. Make sure that you balance your stressful things with these various means for stress relief! All elements of your health will suffer when your stress becomes unbearable and unmanageable due to an overwhelmed schedule. Consult with those you trust (including health professionals, life coaches or therapists) to determine what those priorities should be.
Create Good Connections with People
A strong support system is one of the biggest helps to your health that you can have. As mentioned, look for people who you can trust to give you helpful advice and counsel. Equally important to those helpers are your family, friends and peers: relationships you interact with frequently and go to for help or relaxation. Share your goals with them! Keep each other accountable for your goals and encourage each other to do what is going to help you achieve the goals you have. Healthy connections with others are a powerful motivation and source of energy or positivity.
Mindfully Meditate
Meditation is an opportunity to rest, clear, and focus your mind. “Mindfulness” encourages an almost hyper-awareness of your body, how it feels, what it needs, and the way it interacts with both your brain and the world around it. During meditation, you can evaluate the progress of your efforts and consider the vision you have for yourself. Many rely on meditation as a source of inner peace and stress relief, as it can reassure you of your success and self-motivate for further growth. Meditation can be used in a number of ways, so (just like with diets and exercise and anything else!) find a method that resonates well with you and what you need.
Each of these practices helps the body and the mind renew their energy, using completely natural and accessible means. Do what works best for you, and enjoy the benefits your overall health will certainly feel!
Are you nervous about your first chiropractic visit? Check out what you can expect!
