The holistic approach to health

What is Holistic Health?

The holistic approach to health includes addressing the following aspects of an individual’s life; emotional, physical, social and spiritual wellbeing. In other words, it involves treating all aspects of ones life in order to have an overall healthier approach to health and life in general. The World Health Organization(WHO) definition of Health which Healthcare Practitioners and anyone in the “Wellness Industry” should be very familiar with, is defined as, the overall well-being of an individual in a physical, emotional and social sense and not merely the absence of disease/illness.

The awareness of this approach by your physician or health coach is essential for proper treatment of health conditions. All of our lives consist of so many different dimensions, and there is a significant increase in the prevalence of autoimmune conditions, due to unfavourable environmental conditions and inadequate knowledge about healthy lifestyle habits.

Some basic ways of living a healthier life, includes:

NUTRITION

1. Eating at least 5-7 servings of fruits and vegetables daily.(Serving sizes may differ, check MyPlate website for more guidance in portion control)
2. Drinking enough water, according to your bodyweight (take your bodyweight (kg) and multiply by 0.033)
3. Eating beans, split peas, lentils and chickpeas daily.
4. Keep your plate colourful, because different colour foods have varying vitamins, phytonutrients and nutrients needed for cellular function and immunity.
5. Make sure that the energy you use during the day, as well as during exercise matches with the amount of calories you consume. This does not mean that you have to obsess over the amount of calories you consume. If this is something that you struggle with, visit a Health coach focusing on nutritional guidance, or for more specific diet plans, go to a Registered Dietitian.
6. The idea is to make, what you eat a natural part of your day, and not obsess over everything that you eat. This is where the balance comes in, in a Holistic approach to health.

EXERCISE

1. Exercising 30-45 minutes, three times a week.
2. This exercising includes walking, running, cycling, swimming and any other activity that allows your heart rate to be elevated and allows blood to be pumped throughout your body and brain.
3. Make exercise fun and vary the sessions, if you enjoy group classes, join yoga, Pilates, Zumba or cross-fit classes. You might be surprised at how many beginners are in these classes.
4. Proper technique is important when you do any type of training, but more specifically to strength training, therefore having the guidance of a Exercise specialist is a very good way to start, If we do not have the proper guidance, our risk of injury and damage to muscles increases.
5. Most importantly, do something that you can see yourself continuing in later life. Maintaining a constant exercise regime throughout your lifetime, even if you slightly change the types of training you do is what keeps it captivating.

MEDITATION AND MIND-BODY HARMONY

1. Take time in the morning or sit for at least 20 minutes a day and focus on your breathing. Sure, it sounds a little strange, but it will just help you to regroup yourself and take your heart rate down to a normal level, especially if your job is high stress.
2. Stretch each morning or evening before bed, so relax your muscles and make sure you are breathing properly during these stretches.
3. Open yourself to experience new things and do one thing in a day that takes you out of your comfort zone.
4. Make time for your children, family and friends and express gratitude for the simple things in life.
5. Identify something beautiful out of each day and write it down.
6. Be Positive, think positive and act positive and this will translate into a happy, fulfilled life.

May you live a holistic, balanced life and gain a bigger understanding of overall health in your own life.