Follow these 10 simple steps to PROTECT yourself, PROMOTE wellness in your life, and PROJECT radiance through balance of body, mind, and spiritual self.
1. Avoid overused tests and treatments. This may include x-rays and MRIs for low back pain, too many tests for cancer, antibiotics for colds, bronchitis, and sinus infections, or over-the counter drugs like ibuprofen and acetaminophen. See www.choosingwisely.org for more information.
2. Know your health history. Don’t count on your doctor to know about and be aware of your past at the time of treatment. Know the medicine you take and don’t forget to ask your doctor when you can be weaned off of unnecessary drugs. Often, you have been prescribed a drug without sufficient evidence that it will protect you and without attention to your individual person.
3. Journal. Write about your health from week to week and season to season. Tell your journal about physical symptoms, energy levels, mental and emotional state, diet, sleep, exercise, and more. Then you can look back and make connections among all the elements and experiment with changes on the path to perfect health.
4. Eat mindfully. This starts with preparing for your meal: the what, where, when, how, and with whom you eat. It lasts during the meal (think: slow, think: chew), and after the meal: what Ayurveda describes as the taste, immediate effect, and post-digestive effect of every food.
5. Customize and control your daily routine and what enters your body (food, water, medicine, breath, sun, conversation, sound, sight, and energy) according to your personal and individual needs. Do not do as others are doing if it is not right for you. Nature shows us how to do this; a partner in your health can assist.
6. Move. Move in a way and amount which suits you, but whatever you do, move. Humans are made to move every day except in time of illness. In this busy world, I recommend a triple combination of resistance training balanced with a slow, supportive, breath-controlled modality such as yoga movement, tai chi, dance, or similar, rounded off with endurance movement. I call this triad strengthen, soften, and sustain.
7. Detoxify. Most of the time, this means supporting your body’s natural detoxification mechanisms through the other tips mentioned here. Avoid taking in toxins or things which can promote toxicity: processed food, poorly combined foods, foods to which you have an allergy or intolerance, chemically polluted food, water, and air, anything but the cleanest skin and beauty products, medicine, and even “toxic” conversation and relationship. At certain times under certain circumstances, formal cleansing routines are necessary to flush toxins out of the deeper tissue layers and emotional levels. Expert supervision is helpful when utilizing these routines.
8. De-stress. Stress management is also individualized and may necessitate prioritizing: alone time, organizing tasks, saying no to others, meditation, breath-work, movement, religion, spirituality. Do whatever it takes (read: stress is a premature killer) even if it involves the help of family, friends, a teacher, a life/health coach, or a wellness consultant.
9. Rejuvenate. This is known in Ayurveda as Rasayana, and it is given paramount importance. Fill your life with the good stuff: nourishing, seasonal, local, properly-combined food, plenty of filtered water which retains its healing nature, exposure to the natural elements, and additional support of quality nutrients, vitamins, minerals, herbs, and compounds, when necessary.
10. Love. Cultivate love and compassionate connection in your life. This tip is the essence of health. This will bring meaning and purpose to what you say and do. I am convinced that one thing is more powerful than all else when it comes to being healthy, happy, and vibrant. That thing is LOVE. It cannot be divided, only multiplied. Look for places and ways, however small, where you can inject love into the situation. It is an antidote to all unhealthy sentiment. You and your health will thank you.
Traveling Tips
1. Lavender Essential Oil- Place on your nostrils to prevent viruses.
2. OnGuard Essential Oil Blend by DoTerra. This blend is great for hand sanitizer.
3. Bring your own food. A lot of the food at the airport is laden with GMOs, chemicals, and is over-processed i.e don't eat the peanuts.
4. Take an immune building supplement before traveling to boost your immunity during travel.
5. If you get anxious while flying, try taking some Ashwagandha or Rescue Remedy.
