As we approach the party season (it starts earlier each year), we all start thinking about spending for food, presents, decorations. As busy professionals, we rush around to parties or have a lot to organise to make sure our loved ones have a good time. This activity also has a cost (and not just a financial one!).
We know that no matter how much money we may or may not have, we can’t buy good health. We can pay for all kinds of treatments that will make us feel good for a short while but what if we don’t want to or don’t feel we can pay? How can we ensure we have Health Wealth anyway?
The director of my nutrition course used to compare the state of your well-being to the state of your bank account. If your well-being account is in credit you’re in good health. How quickly your “credit” is used up depends on factors such as your environment, lifestyle and your diet.
Your environment covers everything around out but also everything you are involved in personally and professionally. Your interaction with your environment is important to determine your level of “health wealth”. For example, if you eat the right type of food for you but are feeling angry or tense or you eat too much, this would be an interaction that causes you to use some of your health wealth. Do this on a regular basis and you’ll feel yourself moving into the debit zone.
With my clients I witness evidence of “health debit” as they draw on their “well-being” bank account but don’t replace what they withdraw. So I’m going to share 10 no/low-cost nutritional and well-being strategies to help you stock up on your health wealth for the coming months.
1. Cut back on how much refined sugar you and your family eat. For example, decide to make your own sweets during the party season. You’ll save money and feed your well-being account.
2. Buy more organic local fruits and vegetables for you and your family so that you increase your intake to 7 servings daily.
3. Limit your alcohol intake (more thoughts here)
4. Look after the health of your digestive tract by giving it a regular rest. This can simply involve not eating between meals, eating a mono-diet for a day or two or doing a simple cleanse. More ideas here
5. Drink plenty of water, filtered if possible (do my test and get your family and friends to do it to have a clearer idea of what you need).
6. Add essential omega-3 and omega 6 fatty acids to your meals every day and to party dishes. Get them from organic nuts and seeds or oily fish (if you’re not vegetarian!) to help you and those around you build strong immunity against illnesses and disease.
7. Resolve personal issues as they arise within yourself and with those close to you and release your stress on a daily basis. Just a few minutes can make all the difference. Deep breathing exercises and simple stretches are helpful tools.
8. Have a positive outlook and practical approach. Remember that it’s your choice how long you decide to stay feeling as you do. If you’re feeling sad, anxious or even depressed, acknowledge the feeling and do something to change it – to stop using up more health credit. Your health wealth starts with your attitude to life.
9. Strive to attain peace within by stilling your mind. Breathing exercises and meditation can help. Even when busy you can find a few minutes a day for yourself. (If not, use this no-cost tool a friend shared with me.) This peace is a source of happiness that will always be yours.
10. Get a good night’s rest, ideally by 11pm so the body can have time to rest and recuperate.
Pick at least 5 of these strategies to start feeding your well-being account today!
(c) 2008 Janet Gomez
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About the author: Janet Gomez, nutritional consultant, produces the “Nutri-Jyoti News”, a free monthly e-newsletter for busy professionals. Feel ready to learn how to use nutritional strategies to manage your energy levels? Then sign up for her FREE e-course “5 Nutritional Keys to Vitality in your Life” at http://www.nutrijyoti.com
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