Simple Health Practices for Balance and Joy
Optimal health is a dynamic balance of physical, emotional, social, spiritual, and intellectual health. Optimal health uses a holistic, individualized approach and focuses on attaining the best possible health outcomes by promoting healthier behaviors and not just the absence of disease. Changes and behaviors are unique to each individual and their situation. The distance away from chronic disease development measures success in optimal health. It is achievable, but it is a lifelong journey that requires commitment, patience, and balance.
Getting Healthy vs. Staying Healthy
It is important to clarify the difference between getting healthy versus staying healthy. Getting healthy is a mode, or like a diet, it’s temporary. On the other hand, staying healthy is a mindset and way of life. During this journey of achieving optimal health it is essential to have balance between eating healthy and finding joy along way. Visualize a spectrum of health and joy, and in the middle is where you’re able to prioritize healthy foods to fuel the body, but allow space and grace for indulgence. To achieve optimal health you must perform the daily balanced health practices below. Key and very beneficial simple health practices that can be performed everyday include self-awareness, a nutrient-dense diet, cooking at home, hydration, detoxification, movement, and discipline.
Self-Awareness
Developing self-awareness and knowing your "why" is crucial on your journey of achieving optimal health. Understanding why you want to be healthy helps promote motivation and discipline along the way. Figure out why you want to be healthy and regularly write down your thoughts, emotions, and reasons for wanting to be healthy. Adjust and track your habits to those of a healthy person. When you know your purpose of becoming healthy, you are able to gain mental clarity, focus better, infuse passion, and accomplish your health goals more efficiently.
Nutrient-Dense Diet
Consuming a nutrient-dense diet is essential in achieving optimal health. An adequate supply of essential nutrients, vitamins, minerals, healthy fats, proteins, antioxidants, and amino acids is the absolute key to success. Too much refined vegetable oils, caffeine, ultra-processed foods, alcohol, and sugary foods are detrimental to the stress response and linked to metabolic dysfunction, inflammation, and brain fog; therefore, it is better to consume nutrient-dense whole foods. Foods that naturally relieve stress include grass-fed beef, eggs, wild-caught fish, beans, legumes, organic yogurt, cruciferous vegetables, avocados, berries, and nuts. These foods are rich in vitamin B, magnesium, calcium, omega-3 fatty acids, amino acids, and protein. A simple way to ensure optimal nutrient intake is to take a high-quality daily multivitamin. It is absolutely imperative to nourish the human body with high quality protein, healthy fats, minerals, electrolytes, and nutrients to achieve optimal health.
Cooking at Home
Cooking at home gives us the power and autonomy to truly step up and take control of our health and prevent disease. The significance of what which foods we choose to eat has never been more critical to our survival as a nation or as a species. In order to get healthy and stay healthy, we must consume the proper raw materials, such as real, whole, fresh foods that are unprocessed, chemical, antibiotic, and hormone free. Preparing meals at home gives us the perfect opportunity to choose which ingredients and oils we cook with. High fructose corn syrup, trans fats, sugar, and seed oils should always be avoided. Extra virgin olive oil, grass-fed butter, and ghee are very beneficial to use. It may seem overwhelming at first, but cooking at home is doable. Start with a preparing a salad or chop up some vegetables with some grass-fed ground beef and saute everything in a pan for 7-10 minutes with some sea salt and balsamic vinegar. Cooking at home forces us learn how to find and prepare real foods quickly and simply, leads kids by example, and promotes family dinners. Food is medicine and can truly transform our lives.
Hydration
The brain is 72% water and mild dehydration of just 2% can negatively impact its cerebral blood flow, connectivity and cognitive function. The amount of water each of us needs depends on our age, diet, physical activity level, and body size. Adequate daily water intake is critical for optimal brain health, digestion, and electrolyte levels. It is one of the easiest ways to stay healthy and feel great. A good rule to go by is to drink enough water so that you go to the bathroom every 3-4 hours. Aim for 4-6 bottles of water per day, or 7-10 bottles per day if you are physically active. It is important to understand that adequate hydration is maintained by ingesting enough water and electrolytes. Consuming all natural sea salt or Himalayan salt is a great way to maintain proper hydration because of the sodium and potassium content. Sea salt helps balance water and potassium levels due to its sodium content and alkalizing effects. Exercise also allows us to stay properly hydrated as well by improving electrolyte levels and helping to circulate electrolytes and nutrient to our cells. Avoiding alcohol, too much salt or caffeine, consuming hydrating fruits and vegetables, and drinking extra electrolytes during/after exercise are natural ways to stay adequately hydrated.
Detoxification
It is crucial to detoxify daily for proper elimination and excretion of toxins. Daily exercise, optimal hydration, sweating, sauna bathing, and regular bowel movements are simple ways to boost detoxification. The amount of bowel movements a day that we should have varies from person-to-person; however, it is vital to go three or more times a week at least, or once or twice a day to be considered normal. Exercise enhances the gut-brain connection by increasing peristalsis, gut microbiome diversity, cognitive function, and mood. Ingesting adequate amount of water and fiber is essential to stool formation and regular defecation. Consume bone broth, collagen, and probiotic rich foods like yogurt, cultured vegetables, and kefir, and consider taking a high-quality probiotic supplement. Regular sweating during exercise or vigorously sweating in the sauna promotes detoxification of toxins from the inside out and activates heat shock proteins to repair damaged proteins and prevent plaque buildup in the brain. Consistent exercise, deep breathing, and self-massage techniques boost lymphatic drainage, reduces discomfort, and facilitates the body’s natural healing and detoxification processes.
Movement
Daily movement is absolutely imperative on the journey to optimal health. In our modern-day world it can be difficult to squeeze in a workout everyday, but with discipline and determination it can be done. Exercise is invigorating, challenging, and provides countless health benefits. Daily exercise boosts cardiovascular fitness, protects metabolic health, builds muscle and endurance, and promotes detoxification, optimal blood circulation, sweating, and lymphatic drainage. It is important to properly hydrate before, during, and after the workout and to consume foods that help restore electrolyte levels. These foods include watermelon cucumber, carrots, citrus fruits, coconut water, and celery. Exercising outside with sunlight exposure boosts the gut-skin axis and helps combat depressive and anxious symptoms by releasing “feel good” chemicals called endorphins. Daily movement supports hormone balance, deep sleep, insulin sensitivity, muscle building, and optimal blood sugar management. Walking briskly after meals has been linked to a lowered risk of high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and high blood sugar. Remember to be sure to stay adequately hydrated with proper intake of water, electrolytes, and hydrating foods.
Discipline
Discipline is one of the highest forms of self-love and vital in the achievement of optimal health. Showing up everyday reaffirms to yourself that you do what you say you’re going to do and creates a sense of confidence, trust, and determination. Discipline is important in aligning thoughts, actions, ways of being, and making proper food choices. During times of feeling unmotivated and facing adversity, discipline helps you feel more alive and in touch with your being. Implementing small changes consistently to your diet and exercise routines are essential to longterm weight management and overall health. Set personal rules and follow them. Do not buy ultra-processed foods and keep healthy foods in sight to prevent self-sabotage. If you want to exercise in the morning, lay out your workout clothes the night before. Prepare and set yourself up for simplicity and success. Fall in love with yourself and your journey of attaining optimal health and discipline will come naturally.
Final Thoughts
Optimal health takes a holistic, individualized approach to achieve a dynamic balance of physical, emotional, social, spiritual, and intellectual health and is measured by the ability to happily and abundantly thrive and prevent chronic disease. Achieving optimal health is a journey that consists of simple health practices that can be performed everyday. These simple, yet effective practices include self-awareness, a nutrient-dense diet, cooking at home, hydration, detoxification, movement, and discipline. Remember, getting healthy and staying healthy are not quite the same. Getting healthy is temporary and only half of the journey. Staying healthy becomes part of who we are and sustains us on the journey of achieving optimal health.
Thank you for reading this article.
MEDICAL DISCLAIMER
This content is for informational and educational purposes only. It is not intended to provide medical advice or to take the place of such advice or treatment from a personal physician. All readers/viewers of this content are advised to consult their doctors or qualified health professionals regarding specific health questions. All viewers of this content, especially those taking prescription or over-the-counter medications, should consult their physicians before beginning any nutrition, supplement or lifestyle program.