What Is Self-Care?
Self-care is really what the name implies — taking care of your personal health and well-being. You are responsible for your physical, emotional and mental health; keeping these elements balanced requires consistent self-love for healthy living.
Researchers define self-care as “the set of activities in which one engages throughout life on a daily basis.” These activities are meant to:
- promote optimal health
- prevent illness
- detect symptoms early
- manage chronic disease
Self-care is essential. Although it’s sometimes viewed as a luxury — trips to the spa, retreats, getaways and take-out juices, it’s really made up of small, everyday steps you take to enhance your overall wellness.
Creating a self-care checklist is an easy way to outline your physical, social, mental, spiritual and environmental health needs.
Physical Health
One of the most important aspects of healthy living is physical self-care, which benefits not only your body but your mind too. To take care of yourself physically, you need to move and fuel your body. Healthy lifestyle habits like engaging in regular physical exercise, eating a well-balanced, whole-food diet, and supplementing with health-promoting herbs and nutrients will have a lasting impact.
Research proves this notion, with one study displaying a linear relationship between physical activity and health status. Researchers suggest that inactivity is a modifiable risk factor for a range of health conditions, including heart disease, diabetes, depression, colon and breast cancer, obesity, and bone and joint diseases.
Another study, this one published in American Family Physician, highlights that “diet is the single most significant risk factor for disability and premature death.”
The top physical self-care ideas for healthy living
1. Get enough sleep
Try your best to get at least seven hours of sleep every night, perhaps with natural sleep aids. Without enough sleep, you face an increased risk of issues like depression, increased weight gain and inflammation, and decreased attention span.
2. Exercise daily
Physical activity, in any form, should be a priority. You can go for a jog or walk, do yoga, lift weights, ride a bike — you name it. Moving your body is key.
3. Eat a well-balanced diet
We know that diet plays a leading role in your health, so focus on eating a well-balanced diet that’s filled with whole, fresh foods whenever possible.
4. Support your gut
Your gut health impacts so many aspects of your overall wellness, from immunity to nutrient absorption, mental health and digestion. It’s important to support your gut by taking probiotics, eating healing foods like bone broth and fermented veggies, and avoiding inflammatory foods.
5. Boost immune function
Support the health of your immune system by using immune-boosting herbs like echinacea, elderberry, ginseng and astragalus root, foods like bone broth and green tea, and supplements like vitamin D (Vitamin D is important because without it the other vitamins can’t be absorbed) and zinc.
Other Aspects to Consider in Your Life
1. Nurture your relationships
Positive relationships are precious and important for healthy living, so be sure to nurture the connections you have.
2. Practice small acts of kindness
Practising kindness can promote healthy ageing and boost your mood. It’ll also improve the mood of others, making it a win-win.
3. Get involved in the community
Community service benefits your social health and the well-being of your neighbours. It allows you to meet new people, contribute to causes that matter to you, and improve the lives of those in need.
4. Read inspirational books and Spiritually-Uplifting books
Reading an inspiring or entertaining book allows you to home in on something enjoyable. Reading spiritual, inspirational books will improve your sense of morality and gratitude.
5. Limit time on social media
Social media can help you to connect with others, but too much of it negatively impact your mental and emotional health.
6. Use technology wisely
Technology can be beneficial for a number of reasons, from working at home to communicating with people far away and gathering information on important topics.
But it’s certainly possible to rely too much on technology, allowing it to take away from physical interactions and hobbies.
7. Spend time outdoors
Take advantage of the many health benefits of being outdoors. It boosts mood, eases anxiety and reduces stress.
8. Find an emotional outlet or a hobby
What boosts your mood and mental health? Whether it’s painting, gardening, sewing, or cooking, spend time doing what brings you joy for optimal healthy living.
9. Take time for healing prayer or meditation, connecting with other dimensions
Healing prayer can be very powerful, positively impacting our hormones, neurotransmitters, gut health, immunity and digestion. We are not alone! More and more people are having contact with the invisible realm, we can tap into that if you have an open mind. More and more people having a ‘near-death experience’ have come back to say the same. It is a knowledge our ancestors had and then we progressed into a more ‘civilized society’, and we lost the wisdom. It is time to recover that knowledge. I am not talking about religion.
10. Practice visualization
Practising visualization, especially as you pray, will promote goal-setting, keep you on the right track and improve motivation.
11. Spend time earthing
Earthing, or grounding, involves walking barefoot outside, with the soles of your feet connecting directly with the surface of the earth. It helps to reduce stress, improve sleep and boost energy.
12. De-clutter your home
De-clutter your home to improve focus, ease anxiety and increase positive energy.
13. Use toxic-free cleansers
Instead of using conventional, toxic chemicals to disinfect your home and body, stick to natural cleansers that won’t cause adverse side effects.
14. Reduce your carbon footprint
How can you reduce your personal carbon emissions? Eat local produce, conserve water, reuse and recycle, and bike or walk instead of driving when possible.
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