Optimal Health made simple

What if I told you that in order to support optimal health, you only need to eat when you're hungry, drink when you're thirsty, and sleep when you're tired? According to the Indian science of life called Ayurveda, it can be that simple. However, in the reality of modern life, optimal health often seems like a moving target.

Using the above advice, I'm here to help you tease out the possibilities and simplify the process. 

EAT... nutritiously-dense, varied, organic food at regular intervals in modest amounts. Go ahead, switch it up! As long as the switch includes more fruits and veggies than animal products, diverse grains, probiotic foods (sauerkraut, kombucha, true pickles), and foods of many colors. And yes, organic really does matter. If you're not convinced, I would ask you to examine this question: why would you want to ingest chemicals in your food? Eating healthily does not have to be complicated. I can help you create meal plans and troubleshoot your hang-ups, email me...

DRINK... filtered water - and much more than you do already. Divide your weight (in pounds) in half. That number in ounces is your daily normal amount of water intake, adjusted for weather and activity. It's good to have goals! Carry a re-fillable water bottle (refuse plastic forevermore!) so you can drink throughout the day. At your desk or home, fill a large container of water and watch your progress throughout the day as you hydrate your cells! If you feel like your water needs a boost, make a simple electrolyte enhancement by adding squeezed citrus, sea salt, and maple syrup or honey (all in small amounts to taste) or drink warm water, which is said to be more easily absorbed in the stomach. 

SLEEP... without the device (gasp!). Make the last 30-60 minutes of your night a device-free zone and instead rest in bed and give yourself a quiet moment to settle the events of the day or prepare for tomorrow. With some regularity, your circadian rhythm might remember how to bring your brain into deep relaxation, as it's naturally prone to do in the dark. Truly, the light from devices stimulates your brain, so even if you feel like one more Colbert video will help you fall asleep, the nervous system still actually has to process the input, potentially resulting in a sleep that is less deep, less restful. Overnight is our body's repair time so we need it to be quality!

Bonus - MOVE... as often as you can. A body at rest stays at rest, said Newton, and now we can document via a scientific look into fascia, that our bodies will adapt to the shape we put it in. This is the good news as well as the bad! If you sit for many hours a day, certain postural muscles will shorten over time from the lack of demand and variation, while other muscles will loose their tone from underuse. There are many ways to get out and move! I have my favorites, of course, which I teach to my clients as part of their wellness recipe. Whatever you do, do something! Whether it's gentle or moderately challenging, make sure it's  appropriate for your condition and energy level.

How to start? Pick one area and give yourself an attainable goal. Add other goals as you incorporate these habits into your daily life. Soon you won't have to think about how to live more healthily, you'll simply be the change. Let me know if you need some support in these areas - this is why I'm here!