What is a holistic approach to health?
Most of us are conditioned to think of health in two ways: what we eat and whether or not (or how often) we exercise. And while these things are extremely beneficial to our health, they’re not the whole picture. As human beings, our health and well-being is so much more than this. It is also the quality and quantity of our sleep, our satisfaction at work and at home, our stress levels, our relationships, and our joy and purpose. True health is the balance between our physical, mental, and emotional well-being. That’s why I take a holistic approach to my personal health and my work with coaching clients.
The Mind-Body Connection
Historically, the mind and body have largely been considered separate entities to be addressed separately. This is a little bit wild, right? They exist in the same body so it makes logical sense they would be interconnected. Thankfully, we are starting to better understand exactly how they are connected and more people are embracing this idea.
The best example I have of my own mind-body connection is when I’m driving and someone cuts me off or I have to come to a sudden stop — I feel an immediate tingling in my hands. This sensation is (I think) my nervous system responding to the possible threat of an oncoming car accident. I perceive the event in my mind and feel the sensation in my hands. I also experience this in other ways, like when I feel stressed and experience digestive symptoms or feel sad and physically fatigued.
Given this interconnectedness, it’s important to address mind and body together, at the same time. Finding ways to manage stress and calm your mind can have a huge impact on your overall health. Small practices like yoga, deep breathing, or taking a walk in nature can do wonders for both your mind and body.
The Power of Restful Sleep
Sleep is one of the most difficult health behaviors to practice in today’s modern age. Despite its simplicity and ubiquitousness — we all do it every day — it’s difficult to make sure we are getting a sufficient amount of high quality sleep. Our packed schedules leave us scrambling to complete everything we need to in a day, our screens and other devices entertain us into the late hours, and some of us (definitely not me) practice “revenge sleep” to take advantage of the only time we have to ourselves.
But what if you knew that prioritizing sleep is one of the best things you can do for your health? Getting sufficient quality sleep improves your immune system, helps maintain a healthy weight, and improves your mood and stress levels. It could be the missing link to better health for you!
Managing Stress for Better Health
I don’t think anyone needs an explainer on stress. We all have it — in ways big and small — and depending on its severity, it can severely impact our health. Stress affects the physiology of every part of our body. Evolutionarily, this stress response was meant to protect us from an immediate threat. It was never meant to be chronically turned “on” like it is for so many of us today. Stressful jobs, family and home lives, and 24 hour news cycles leave us stuck in this state and take a toll on our health.
So what can we do? We can try to remove sources of stress by carefully selecting jobs, partners, and living situations. We can limit the amount of news we consume. But some sources of stress we can’t remove, so it’s important to incorporate calming practices into our daily lives. These practices can help our bodies feel safe despite our circumstances and bring us back into a state of ease.
My personal favorite stress management practices are meditation, outdoor walks, and listening to music I enjoy. I also find significant relief in limiting the amount of social media I consume. Because we’re all different, it’s important for you to find yours!
The Role of Relationships
This area overlaps with stress management but deserves its own mention. Our romantic, familial, and platonic relationships can significantly affect how we perceive ourselves and the world and, therefore, our health. It’s important to cultivate a community of people who build you up and help you grow. What’s that saying about “you are the average of the five people you spend the most time with”? … something like that. Choose wisely. This can make an enormous difference in your overall well-being.
Joy and Purpose
Last but certainly not least, joy and purpose. I’m reminded of the movie Inside Out 2 when I think about how we all lose some of our childlike joy as we get older. We become more serious and think we can no longer prioritize play. But joy and play are essential for our health. Similarly, a sense of purpose can carry us through and mitigate some of the negative effects of difficult or stressful times. Happier people with a stronger sense of purpose lead healthier, longer lives.
Recapping
A holistic approach to health means looking at your life as a whole. It’s not just about focusing on one thing, like diet or exercise. Instead, it’s about recognizing that health is made up of many small, interconnected parts—how you handle stress, how well you sleep, the people you surround yourself with, and how you nourish your body. It’s about creating balance in all areas of your life.
This is one of many reasons why I love the work I do — I am able to integrate my nutrition education and yoga and mindfulness training to help my clients find balance across all of these areas.
