Holistic wellness, a term you may have heard. It is where everything interconnects – your mind, body and spirit. It’s all about aligning all of them together to live a healthier and happier life.
Modern health care that we are used to treating us when we are unwell, is scientific genius but most of the time focuses only on the body and lacks noticing other aspects of us. A holistic wellness approach on the other hand is a way to keep us at our healthiest by methods of prevention.
If something hurts in your body, health care only concentrates on treating that one thing, however holistic wellness will look at everything as a whole and find the root cause of why you’re feeling sick, whether it be emotional or even spiritual.
What are some healthcare practices that are often found within the realm of holistic health?
Holistic nutrition
Aromatherapy
Herbalism
Massage therapy
Reiki, also known as energy work
Acupuncture
Physical therapy
When all of these therapies come together for holistic healing, a person is much more likely to experience overall wellness on a deeper level that allows for healing to take place and truly a healthy way of living.
In a way, a holistic health approach gives us the opportunity to take our health into our own hands and allows us to see our bodies as an interconnected system that works synergistically.
So what are some habits that you can start if you want to live in a more holistic way?
Being Present and practicing gratitude
To be the observer of your thoughts and your surroundings truly brings you to the current moment, to the here and now. A way to do that is to focus on what is closest by such as observing your surroundings, smells, sounds. Take it as another form of meditation. Studies have found that meditation can reduce mind-wandering and improve our ability to solve problems. Gratitude practice is also another very positive way of living, raising your vibration and feeling of happiness.
Writing a daily journal
It’s a great way to take care of your mind, learn about your feelings, express gratitude, and get to know yourself on a deeper level each day. A few journal questions you can ask yourself are:
“What’s one good thing that I can do for myself today?”
“What makes me happy?”
“Why am I feeling this way? What can I do to overcome this?”.
Reducing your toxic load
Did you know that on average we put 168 different chemicals on our bodies every single day? Most of these are synthetic chemicals that do more harm than good so reading the ingredients and understanding them is a great start in reducing your toxic load.
The most commonly used chemical which is found in cleansers, shampoos, shower gels, toothpaste, household and industrial cleaning products all contain sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS). More than 90% of personal care products that you find at your local grocery shops contain Sodium Lauryl Sulfate! This foaming agent has been known to irritate and dry out the skin by damaging the protective outer layer.
It’s not just our cosmetics and hygiene products, it’s also our household cleaners, detergents and synthetic smells that are leaching harmful toxic chemicals into homes and our bodies.
Some are known to be skin irritants, neurotoxins and endocrine disruptors.
The best option is to either make these products yourself from what you can usually find around the house or thoroughly read the ingredients so you can choose the least harmful products for yourself and your family.
A QUICK DIY – all purpose cleaner
You will need:
Spray bottle
1 cup of water
1 cup of white vinegar
2 tablespoons of castile soap
5 – 10 drops of selected essential oils such as tea tree, lemon, peppermint, pine.
(Please make sure they are high quality and completely natural.)
When cleaning: spray the surfaces thoroughly, let sit for 10 minutes, and then wipe clean.
Common toxic ingredients it is best to avoid
Phthalates
A family of industrial chemicals used to soften polyvinyl chloride (PVC) plastic and as solvents in cosmetics and other consumer products, can damage the liver, kidneys, lungs, and reproductive system.
In cosmetics, you’ll find phthalates in parfum, nail polish, hair spray, cleansers, and lotions.
Parabens
Propylparaben and Iosbutylparaben are the ones to really keep an eye out for. Both should be avoided at all costs because they are known to cause cancer.
Synthetic fragrance
It can be irritating and cause allergic reactions. Plus, there may be even more harmful ingredients like phthalates which are endocrine disruptors hiding behind the word ‘fragrance’.
Also try to avoid PEG (Polyethylene Glycol), Aluminum salts, Formaldehyde and SLES (Sodium Laureth Sulfate).
Reducing inflammation
Ever heard the phrase “you are what you eat’? Well then you definitely know that what we eat affects how our bodies function. Most importantly our gut, which is considered to be our second brain. This is because there lives a vast ecosystem of microbes, when out of balance due to high amounts of sugars and lack of nutrients can make us feel sluggish, lacking energy, moody and craving for the foods that make us feel terrible in the first place.
As you start consuming better quality, unprocessed and nourishing foods, and start to replace processed foods with nutritious alternatives you will start to see a shift in your mood and overall wellbeing as the good bacteria start to thrive. Another helping hand is high quality pre and probiotic foods and supplements.
Spend money consciously
This one’s quite an outside of the box holistic wellness point. But we think it’s quite an important factor for our overall well being. What are you spending your money on? Is it something that contributes to your health and wellbeing? Practice having a budget, planning what you’ll be buying, so there’s no unnecessary waste in today’s mega consumerist world.
And remember that money is a form of energetic exchange, so be mindful about where you spend that energy.
Natural supplements
Taking natural and high quality supplements can contribute to your overall health and mental wellbeing. Notice the phrase high quality? Well what is written on the front of the box may not necessarily reflect in the ingredients list.
Today our diets are rather insufficient and lacking in nutrients, so supplements are a perfect way to show your body some extra love. Now supplements just have to be all capsules and pills, superfoods such as spirulina or maca, adaptogens such as lion’s mane and ashwagandha are also considered fantastic supplements. Beneficial spices such as turmeric and ginger. Oils such as CBD which is a great one to add if you’re looking for something to boost your immunity, improve your sleep quality and get rid of anxious thoughts: CBD Oil Drops Raw (10%) – Biomedicanna
Nurture positive relationships, say goodbye to negative ones
To lead a positive, healthy life you need positive energy around you, people that you can exchange energy with. If you feel like someone is rather draining your energy, try to spend less time with them and allow yourself to set healthy boundaries. Listen to what your heart truly wants.
Move your body in a way that feels good to you
Find a way to move your body daily that’s enjoyable for you. It could be daily walks, yoga, running, pilates, dance, find what is the most effortless and fun for your body, so that it would be easy to make moving a habit. Movement is essential to our health as it allows for our lymphatic system to move around the body better which in return prevents disease.
What happens when you start living in a more holistic way?
Feeling overall healthier
More energy and motivation
More positive outlook on life
Improved sleep quality
Increased creativity
Stronger immune functions
Deeper connection with oneself
What are your holistic habits?
