Staying Well in a Modern World

Wellness is a holistic pursuit.  Think of yourself as a dynamic, living organisim which requires love, care, feeding, nurturing – just like your plants, your garden or your pets.

We're all so different – some of these steps you will have already integrated into your daily life, some may be new, some may seem challenging and some easy…

If you find any part of these recommendations as 'being in the too hard basket', simply start with what's manageable for you until that's a fully integrated habit or pattern… and then move on to your next priority.  There are also great tips and suggestions for life change in our Free Report – make sure you download that and take advantage of it's support for your goals.

You may also enjoy listening to these tips at our Business in Wellness youtube channel.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Your First Steps for Wellness

1)  Educate yourself to understand what Wellness is – It’s not simply lack of sickness. 

If you have only been educated in a 'western medical' approach to looking after your body, you may require some 're-programming' in how to support your wellness.  Wellness is not a passive experience – it's a 'proactive' pursuit…  and it takes time.  It also requires looking for subtle signs and partnering with your body in a realistic fashion.  There are many choices to support wellness, but nutrition has to be a part of it.  Investigate how nutrition works (from the cells up) to assist optimal health of the whole body, including the new and developing science in the areas of cell communication.

2) Take & Do Enough for Long Enough – It can be like 'watching grass grow'

Understand that cellular change is the foundation of wellness and this takes time,… set realistic and effective wellness goals. It’s never just one supplement to take, and I guess I'll never get ‘sick’ again!   Sometimes being committed to your own wellness can feel like ‘watching grass grow’ :-), the changes can be subtle and happen over time.  You MUST commit at least 6 months to any new wellness & lifestyle choice you make – this is particularly important with your supplement program.  Plan to develop 'measured patience'!

3) Understanding the Cleansing Response – Quality wellness choices may cause 'a spring cleaning'

Truly effective supplements and wellness choices can cause your body to cleanse and repair from past ‘injustices’ done to it!  Our bodies are magnificent and superbly programmed to correct itself…  quality supplements and wellness choices may cause your body to re-trace and address your past.

4) Integrative Health – using the best of both worlds. 

True wellness may require you to integrate a progressive western medical approach in combination with common sense and evidence based wellness practices.  You wouldn’t want to be holding a flowerette of broccoli over a broken bone…  and from the same perspective, some imbalances of wellness require a correction from a ‘wellness perspective’.  Learn more about Integrative Health.

5) Know yourself – Chunk for success. 

Avoid trying to make too many changes at once that may cause you to throw the 'baby out with the bathwater' so to speak.  Some individuals thrive by a ‘make or break’ type of lifestyle change approach.  Others are more successful doing 1 or 2 changes at a time until those changes are integrated and are habits, before adding more to the list.  Know what’s right and most successful for you!

6) Hydration – water, glorious water.

Always consult with your MD of choice and your wellness practitioner as to any conditions which would cause you to have limitations on the amount of water you consume.  Having said that, typically 2-3L per day of great clean water enhances your body’s efforts to maintain wellness and homeostasis.  In addition, in this toxic world and with the burdens already placed on our bodies, it’s common sense to give your body purified water.  There are multiple opinions on which kind of purifier is best…  do your research and listen to someone you trust – but make it clean water!  In addition, as a natural health practice, many practitioners would ask you to implement some lemon juice in water on first waking – this is naturally alkalizing and cleansing for your liver.

7) Be a conscious food shopper – choose real foods.

Being an educated shopper can seem overwhelming at times… but simply put, buy fresh and non-processed foods.  Those are foods typically not in boxes… fresh fruit & veg, meats, chicken, quality dairy, eggs, nuts, seeds and legumes.  Then purchase yourself a food additive decoder which will help you with the processed foods you do choose in avoiding the most dangerous colourings, preservatives and other additives.  Typically avoid low fat and any with artificial sugars.   Knowing the good oils and bad oils is also important, but as simplified advice, use cold pressed quality olive oils for raw/cold applications and coconut oil and/or ghee for cooking as they’re stable at the higher temperatures.  Another great tip is to purchase lots of healthy snacks to avoid over-hunger snacking and adding 'super foods' which pack a nutrient punch to your shopping list

8) Avoid other toxins in our world – work, home, beauty products.

Toxins are everywhere – and we CAN’T avoid them, so it is common sense and prudent to avoid the ones we can, the ones we do have control over.  As a starting point: wash new clothes before wearing; avoid dry cleaning (or off-gas your cleaned clothing outside for some time); use natural, chemical-free hair, skin and other beauty products, use natural cleaning products; ensure you have good ventilation around any chemical use you do have to choose; take extra antioxidants (and drink more water) if you do have a toxic exposure or work place environment.

9) Wanting to lose body fat?  Eat fresh as possible and choose low GI carbs

How confusing can it be for those of you wanting to lose body fat?!?… wading through all the diet advice available today.  Simply put the most recent, validated and science based advice can be found in the advice for Low Glycemic Eating.  Again, it’s common sense, but in a nutshell, control portion sizes, avoid processed carbs and over-indulgence in some higher GI fruits and veg.  If you have a longstanding lean body balance challenge (otherwise known as a weight problem) you may have to give yourself a period of more strict and diligent choices to quick start your metabolism again.  Check our our Lean & Healthy page, for some targetted supplement solutions to support you to lose MORE fat while retaining your lean muscle!

10) Activity – how important is it in the whole wellness picture?

Our body requires movement to maximize so many bodily and biochemical processes involved in maximum health and wellness.  Be practical, choose activities you’ll enjoy and that don’t over-stress you.  Typically you’re recommended to be active enough to raise your heart rate at least 20-30 minutes 3 times per week.

Also, it’s less well known, but over-training or elite level training is a ‘stressor’ on the body – in this case fit is not equal to healthy!  If you’re an elite or high level physical trainer, then it’s critical to add quality dietary supplements and additional antioxidant support to assist your body to maintain long term well-being.

11) Holistic wellness is underpinned by a balanced emotional & psychological state.

In addition to supplementation, healthy lifestyle and dietary choices, we must rest.  Rest is crucial for our body’s biochemical balance and for healing. Many biological processes require adequate sleep at night time.

It is also now known that psychological stress can diminish our immune function by 50% or more.  It is crucial to find ways which ‘resonate for you’ which allow you to unwind and ‘de-stress’.  Whether it is yoga, nature, exercise, reading, breathing practices, music, meditation or prayer…  find something right for you… that allows you to let go and feel happy & positive.

to Learn More about Wellness!