EVERY day can be an opportunity to tend to your well-being.
Today, everything is in a rushed state. Deadlines rule one’s life, such that the need to catch up has become the norm.
So, in keeping with these hurried times, here are practical tips to help you survive the demands of living in the 21st century.
Wellness could have many meanings for different people. The first step to take is to define it in your own terms. What does wellness mean to you?
My own personal definition is simply to have balance in body, mind and spirit. So it could mean optimum physical energy to keep all my appointments, whether it’s a full taping day or speaking engagements.
Another goal is to preserve and increase inner reserves to face mental and emotional challenges with a complete sense of control and ease.
Ultimately, my wellness goals revolve around the philosophy of being better, doing better, feeling better.
It will help you tremendously to choose one action word. I choose happiness. Thus, with positivity in mind and heart, I go about my day with a lightness of being, no matter what challenge or circumstance may threaten to rob me of my inner peace.
Here’s a to-do list:
1) Breathe. Do this instinctively, taking air in and expelling it. Lungs need oxygen in order to do their job, perfect respiration.
If you’re often short of breath, your body will have difficulty taking in much-needed oxygen. Learn how to breathe deeply. It can de-stress you.
2) Eat to enjoy (but not too much). Always know your comfort and discomfort levels. Don’t let taste dictate the limits of eating. The “just one more” attitude can lead to overindulging.
Know the difference
3) Be aware of what’s good and bad. You must already know the difference between a bowl of fresh greens and a double serving of fries. You don’t have to be a genius in order to choose wisely.
No need to obsess over calories. Just be alert to high-calorie food and low-calorie offerings. It’s okay to have a little of both.
4) Smart grocery. Yes, the smartness is in you. The more natural and fresh the food you buy, the less processed food will be on your grocery list. One look inside your refrigerator and you will know if you are making health a priority.
5) Hydration within reach. When you travel around the city, traffic can cause dehydration. It is better to have on hand glass bottles of water rather than plastic because rising temperatures inside a parked car can double instantly.
Unhealthy dioxins can be released by plastic into the water. This has a suspected link to cancer.
6) Eat the right way. Studies have shown that stressful eating (even if it’s health food) can be detrimental. When you are emotionally stressed, it is best not to eat. Wait until you have calmed down.
Adrenalin and cortisol levels can rise so high to the point of causing palpitations, skipped heartbeats, shallow breathing, disrupted digestion and, ultimately, a compromised immune system.
7) Go light. Light but frequent exercise is recommended by health experts. The same principle applies to eating. Frequent but small meals guarantee a steady blood sugar level—the prerequisite to good health.
This week’s affirmation: “Nothing more can hurt me.”
Love and light!
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