As we kick off a new month and the last one of the year, it’s a great time to reflect on how we are feeling in the present moment, intentions we have for this month and how we desire the end of the year and holiday season to unfold. With the holiday season in full swing, we are celebrating togetherness, community, connection, delicious food and holiday cheer. It’s also during this time that we may feel added stress, anxiety around family and friends, lack a healthier routine and feel more of a toxic load.
It was this time last year that I committed to a program and accountability system with a friend – using a “wholistic approach.” It’s something that helped me stay on track, grow, transform and heal but still allowed the ability to embrace the season and all it has to offer. It started with simple lifestyle changes and today I am going to share some of them with you.
Living a holistic lifestyle isn’t just about being natural and organic, using clean products and eating healthy food. Holistic health is a balance between your body, mind, spirit and heart. In addition, it’s easy to think of emotional, physical and spiritual health as different components. When in reality, they are deeply connected to one another. For example, trauma can lead to physical illness and pain. Depression, anxiety and mood may be linked to biological and gut health. Physical health can impact your spiritual practice and inner work.
Depending on your upbringing, many of us often heard about food and exercise but little discussion around these other areas. These examples and more are a huge reason why I love holistic living and share it with my family, friends and clients. It’s been a huge part of my health and healing journey and it’s something I’m so passionate about sharing.
It is within this balance that you are able to live a fulfilled, healthy life where total wellness is the goal. To achieve a holistic balance, implementing simple healthy daily routines will help you on your own health and wellness journey. Start with a few and keep it simple to avoid overwhelm or the desire to quit.
for The Body:
Nourishing Meals- Try to incorporate whole foods in their most natural form as possible. I recommend an anti-inflammatory plate of fruits, vegetables, lean proteins or protein options, nuts, seeds and fresh herbs. Whole grains may support you depending on your bio-individuality. Try to “crowd out” fried, processed foods and sugar.
Recipe: Harvest Apple, Sweet Potato and Brussels Skillet
Supplementation- When referring to holistic health, I choose my supplementation and “farmacy” with prevention as the key! Especially during the winter months and especially with everything we have been experiencing for the last year and a half. For me, I stick to immune-boosting supplements like zinc, elderberry, garlic and ginger, vitamin C, turmeric, gut health trebiotic, collagen, digestive support and local raw honey. To learn more about the supplements I love and use, I welcome you to connect or check them out here: Wellness Supplements
Clean Personal Care Products- Until I started living more of a holistic lifestyle, I had no idea how many chemicals, metals and toxins we are exposed to on a daily basis. Perfume alone was mind-blowing! Swapping out your current products for cleaner and non-toxic home, beauty, skincare, haircare and cleaning products will help to remove chemicals, sulfates, parabens, testing on animals and dyes. Home and Personal Wellness Products
Movement- This is an important part of the holistic lifestyle and one that is non-negotiable for me unless I am needing added rest and recovery. Do whatever brings you joy, childlike play, gets those endorphins going or helps to move the body and stimulate the brain. I tend to choose slower and more grounding practices like yoga during this season. If you’re looking for an additional support system, consider a class with a friend or trying something new in your community.
for the Mind:
Journaling- This therapeutic exercise for the mind can be done in as little as five minutes a day. There are no rules- just take pen to paper and let it flow. Different methods may include prompts, brain dumps or one of my favorites- a daily gratitude practice.
Practice Breathwork- This past year have left many feeling more anxiety, fight or flight, stress and fear. Breathwork can be extremely beneficial for reducing stress, calming the mind and spirit, healing trauma and bringing the body to a calmer state. There are a variety of methods for breathwork. I welcome you to discover what supports you. To learn more: Breathwork
Soak in a Epsom Salt Bath- Though this helps the body too, there is a huge benefit to mental and emotional health and wellbeing. I soak in Epsom salt baths for releasing toxins and they help with my pain management. I also enjoy this form of self-care for its added benefit of rejuvenation, stress-reduction and releasing anxiety. If you find it hard to quiet your mind before bed, these baths may help. I choose a chemical free salt and use essential oils that I know are safe and sourced well.
For the Spirit:
Be Mindful- Mindfulness ripples into many areas of life but this is especially true to our spirit and emotional wellbeing. This can be practiced any time throughout the day and for any duration of time. I welcome you to try it while walking, eating, playing with your animals or children, interacting with friends or in the workplace.
Meditation- This is a practice that may take some building up to but the benefits are incredible. Give yourself grace and see how it develops. I also want to remind you that you don’t need to have a fully calm and cleared head or be in a meditative state. You may want to try starting with a few minutes of breathing and see how things flow.
Ground in Nature- Being out in nature is so nourishing for the body, mind and spirit. This is a free exercise and it does not take much time. This is something I embraced more during the pandemic. I welcome you to discover what you enjoy. Maybe walking in the park, gardening, planting flowers or getting your hands and feet in the dirt- so healthy! Soaking up some morning sun is a great way to start the day too. Mother nature has a wonderful way of nourishing and healing us.
Heart- Love yourself and show love for others! There are so many health benefits by showing love, gratitude and joy for ourselves and creating the ripple.
Routine:
Now that we have reviewed some of the above options, let’s look at ways to add them into a morning and evening routine. These habits are not limited to a specific time of day but you may find that you prefer them at different times. For example, I always start my morning with tongue scraping, brushing and cleansing my body by drinking room temperature water. You may prefer to start your day with tea, coffee and some mindfulness or meditation. Faith is a huge part of my morning but you may choose to start with affirmations or grounding in nature. I know life is busy during this season but please do not forget to include your nourishing meals.
There are some other habits that may fit in better in the evening. It may help your mind to detach from technology and journal or meditate. You may choose to slow down with some breathwork or a hot Epsom salt bath.
I invite you to experiment and create a routine that supports you and your lifestyle. There is no right or wrong and it’s an invitation for you to learn more about yourself and what supports you.