I know I normally write about beauty & fashion, but today I want to talk about health. In my opinion health is related to beauty. When we're healthy in all categories, we look and feel beautiful. Physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual health all play a role in how we show up in life.
I'll be honest with you, I didn't always love and appreciate the girl below. I really struggled with body insecurities and those old negative thoughts still show up every now and then. I think we've all struggled with this at some point.
Overtime I've learned to love and appreciate this curvy body of mine. It's important to remember that we were all divinely created, and we have the opportunity to change. Loving and accepting ourselves just as we are in this moment is one the best things we can do for ourselves.
I mentioned in my "30 Things I learned in 30 Years" post last year, health is wealth. If you're not taking care of your physical health, how can you operate at your fullest? When we make health a top priority, we really do reap the benefits!
So today I wanted to breakdown how I practice physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual health. Trust me, I'm still learning and growing in these areas, but incorporating some of these habits into my daily life has helped tremendously. I hope it can help one of you too!
(*Please note that items will contain affiliate links which help support this blog. Thank you!)
Physical Health
First off, I'm truly grateful for my physical health. Whenever I have negative thoughts creep up in the back of my mind, I quickly shift my attention to the fact that I have a working body. I have working limbs, air in my lungs, and the ability to grow stronger and faster.
Some people in this world don't get the opportunity to workout freely, especially if they have a condition or situation that doesn't allow them to.
Working out has so many health benefits! (which I know you already know this) We all know that physical exercise releases endorphin's and can brighten our mood. Other benefits include:
*Improvement of cardiovascular health.
*Improves muscles and bones. As we age we lose muscle mass so exercising regularly reduces the loss of muscles and strengthens bone density.
*Increase energy levels
*Reduces risk of chronic disease
*Improves brain health and memory
*Improves sleep
*And of course -> aids in weight loss
One way to stay motivated and accountable with exercise is to join a group fitness class! Below is a picture of myself and some friends who attended a group class in Round Rock, TX. This was a Pure Barre class which is a combination of Pilates and Ballet. It's a low impact workout that works the entire body. (Hips, thighs, rear, arms, and abs) It was actually a little harder than I expected!
Pure Barre in Round Rock, TX.
Another way to stay motivated to exercise is to find yourself a gym buddy! My friends and coworkers (Alex and Morgan) hold me accountable by working out at our office gym everyday for 30-45 minutes.
Now I want to move on to supplements. 2016 and 2017 were some hard years for my physical health and it wasn't until I incorporated these supplements when I began to see a change.
I constantly struggled with feeling fatigued, bloated, having sugar cravings, and hormonal acne. I was working out 4-5 days a week and still felt tired all of the time! I also noticed I had a lot of inflammation. I was constantly swollen and retaining water. (even though I would drink at least 2-3 liters of water a day)
I did some research and came to discover that I probably had candida which can cause A LOT of digestion and gut problems. (I know it's not a pretty subject to talk about, but I know many people struggle with this as well.) *64 million Americans have digestive diseases.*
Probiotics are one of the best supplements I decided to include into my daily routine. I *highly* recommend a good quality probiotic that contains a minimum of 50 Billion CFU's. What are CFU's?? They are 'colony forming units' and is used to quantify how many bacteria in probiotics are capable of dividing and forming colonies. That is a mouthful but think of CFUs as one distinct bacterium. We know that probiotic bacteria are alive and active if they are able to divide and form these colonies.
80% of your Immune system is located in the GI tract, so if your gut health is off, your immune system could be in jeopardy as well.
Probiotics can help keep our entire body in balance and can help fight off allergies. It also helps improve skin health. Since I've been taking these for over a month now, my hormonal acne is almost completely gone!
I've seen a HUGE difference in my overall health after incorporating these into my lifestyle. I feel more energized and less bloated. The probiotics pictured above can be found here.
Some benefits of this specific brand and product:
*Supports digestive, immune system and female health.
*50 billion CFU's
*16 raw probiotic strains.
*Has added L. reuteri and L. fermentum probiotics. (helps promote women's health)
*Requires no refrigeration.
*Has Shelf Stable Potency Promise—50 billion live probiotic cultures, shipped in a desiccant-lined bottle to ensure your probiotics arrive alive and stay alive.
I also started taking raw enzymes during meals to help support digestion. These are a game changer! Since I've been taking the quality probiotic and these enzymes I feel so much better. (100x better!)
These enzymes are also made by the brand Garden of Life and they can be found here.
Below is some information about the product:
Helps your body process difficult-to-digest foods such as dairy, grains, sugars, nuts, seeds, beans, broccoli and cabbage.
Supports colon health and overall digestive function, gut-related immune system health, bone health and a healthy metabolism.
pH optimized enzyme support for the entire digestive tract
Raw, vegetarian, gluten free, dairy free, no binders, no fillers
Omega 3's support cardiovascular health, and the immune and nervous systems. These Omega 3's by Advocare have been in my daily routine for a few years now.
Mental Health
According to the National Institute of Mental Health, (NIMH) 40 million adults between the ages of 18 - 54 suffer from Anxiety Disorder. Anxiety has become the number one mental health issue in North America. (2017 study)
I was one of the many Americans who struggled with Anxiety a few years ago. Below are some of the self care practices I implemented into my daily life to bring in more peace, joy, and happiness.
*I worked on focusing on one thing at a time.
*Being more present in the moment.
*Deep breathing and yoga stretches
*essential oils - lavender helps with relaxation
*worked on inner core beliefs
*found more ways to laugh and have fun
Emotional Health
It's interesting because emotional health can affect our physical and mental health as well. (at least I believe they go hand in hand.) If our emotional health is off balance we can experience stress, change in mood, and make impulsive decisions.
Keeping a journal and writing down thoughts and feelings really helps you become more aware of your emotions.
*practice gratitude
*make time for friends!
*seek professional help if needed
Spiritual Health
Whatever your beliefs might be, I know we can all agree that there is a higher power behind the operation of this beautiful world.
I take time every day to pray, read, and reflect on my faith.
Below are a few books I turned to over the last two years. Marianne Williamson's "A Return To Love," really helped me to shift my perspective. Williamson reveals how we each can become a miracle worker by accepting God and by the expression of love in our daily lives. Whether it's the area of relationships, career, or health, she shows us how love is a potent force, and the key to inner peace.
I love these daily devotional books for a daily dose of scripture.
It's amazing how a few minutes a day with praying and reflecting on scripture can really shift your mood and spirit!
Thank you for stopping by today. I hope this inspired some of you to strengthen your overall health in all categories to live your best life! Comment below with some of your healthy practices. Have a wonderful week and weekend!
