What is holistic health anyway?
“Holistic = accounts for the whole person, including mental and social factors”.
At its core, health and wellness comes down to eliminating one thing… stress. That is essentially the goal of every habit we implement or effort we make to improve our health. We eat whole foods, eliminate processed sugars and saturated fats, choose the organic option at the store, etc., to combat and avoid inflammation. Why? Because inflammation puts stress on the different systems in our body, putting us at higher risk for disease. When we exercise it triggers an anti-inflammatory cellular response and can help boost the immune system. In other words, exercise fights to reduce the impact of stress on the body. This brings us to the other pillars of holistic health that may be less familiar to you than the typical diet and exercise. These are all the other aspects of life that can play a role in eliminating stress and fighting inflammation. (Holistic = accounts for the whole person, including mental and social factors)
Home Environment
After a long day, do you feel relaxed in your home? Are you overwhelmed by different tasks that need to be done around the house? Your physical home should be a place that allows for rest and rejuvenation. It is the one place where you have the ability to ensure that the physical environment will not be stress inducing.
Relationships
Arguably one of the areas of life that can bring the most stress, the relationships we have with a significant other, family members, and our friends can make a big impact on the physical stress we experience. This one is not always avoidable, but it can be helpful to have the awareness that this area of life may be making an impact on your physical health.
Social Life
There is a loneliness epidemic occurring in our society right now, and it is playing a major role in the mental health of the population. Do you feel lonely? Is your social life flourishing and do you have opportunities to spend time with the people in your community?
Joy
Joy, unlike happiness, is not dependent upon your circumstances. It is an inner contentment produced by knowing that your life has purpose and despite what is going on around you, there is an ultimate plan.
Spirituality
Studies have shown that there is a direct correlation between prayer and stress. Is spirituality an integral part of your life? Is it a subject of worry and stress in your life that needs examination?
Creativity
We all are born creative. Children freely and often express their creativity but as we grow, those who do not choose a creative career path often become less and less creative. Creative endeavors, whatever that looks like for you, can be a great way to relax and reduce stress.
Finances
Another pillar that is most frequently stressful for many. When considering your health as a whole, are finances a constant worry for you? Are there steps you can take to eliminate any of that stress? If not, find ways utilizing other pillars (such as spirituality) to relieve anxieties you may have about finances.
Career
In tandem with finances is career, which in the same way can be a consistent source of stress. If this is an area of overwhelm for you, consider utilizing other pillars to “burn off” some of that stress. Intentional time for physical activity or home cooking might be a great way for you to step into a calm frame of mind after a long day.
Education
For so much of our early lives, we are learning something new every day. However, after receiving education many people stop the practice of intentional learning. Search out a subject that interests you and watch a documentary on it. Mix education and creativity and learn how to sew, or mix education and home cooking and learn how to make a new cuisine. The options are endless but seeking to educate yourself can significantly make an impact on mental health and here it is again… relieve stress!
Health
This may seem like a rather broad pillar, but it includes aspects of our holistic health like adequate sleep, hydration, getting proper nutrition, and anything else related to physical health. It is important to take inventory of how you are feeling on a regular basis, any diagnoses or recommendations from doctors, energy levels, etc. so you know how to properly find routines or seek out help to improve on health concerns.
Physical Activity
A no brainer when it comes to our whole body health. Finding a sustainable form of exercise that you enjoy is key to reaching this pillar’s full potential. For general longevity, focus on building strength (bodyweight strength training is perfectly fine) and improving mobility. Walking is also known as man’s best medicine so keep that in mind! Find a way to move each day, especially if you live a sedentary lifestyle.
Home cooking
Last but certainly not least! When cooking meals at home, you get the fantastic privilege of knowing what ingredients you and your family are eating. It allows you to focus on avoiding additives and fillers and eliminates a lot of the excess sugar, sodium, and fat found in quick service food. The consequences? Greater energy, potential weightloss, and decreased chances of future disease. Aim to cook 80% of your meals at home. If that sounds like a tough number, start with a lower percentage and aim to work your way up to mostly cooking at home!
If you feel overwhelmed after reading all of that, no need to worry. You’re not alone. There will never be a moment where all aspects of health are 100%. That’s okay and that is how it is meant to be. The goal of knowing each of the pillars is to give you an idea as to what your strengths are and how they can play a role in improving upon weaknesses. When you begin viewing holistic health as a tool to improve your quality of life opposed to an obligation to fulfill, you will be surprised at how simple it becomes to actually see results in your overall wellbeing!