So you want to be healthy. You want to return to, or finally reach, a state of vitality, of energy, of bliss, of peace in your life and your body, free of stress, trauma, fatigue, and general suck.
I have yet to meet a human being who is not searching for or selling a life changing solution to the human condition, a magical key to solve every ailment, a secret charm for happy, healthy existence.
I’ve already talked about the one thing you need to do for nervous system regulation, but the truth is this: you were born with the power to live a happy, healthy, full life. You were born for vitality, for more love, for less suck. The reason you aren’t a bubbling bliss machine one hundred percent of the time is that there are internal and external conditions that keep that your engine going, and internal and external conditions that will stall you out.
That is really all ‘healthy’ actually means: that your environment, your actions, your network, your nourishment, your career, your insert every facet of life here is supporting and not stifling your bliss. Healing, therefore, is moving toward a more supportive structure of life, and away from one of suffocation or strangling. That means a healthy life and the healing process is going to be wildly individual. That’s why you can’t buy or sell it. And that’s why it is so overwhelming for so many of us; because it would just be easier to take a pill, follow a plan, or implement a product that could make all those decisions for us.
Take heart, though: if you’re reading this, I have 99.9% certainty you are a human. As a human, there are four basic things you can do right now and prioritize throughout your day, week, and year that will increase that health and bring you toward the life you want.
Here they are in ascending order:
4.) Nourishing Food
Way too often, when we hear ‘get healthy,’ we think ‘go on a diet,’ but you can’t really heal in extreme deficit. While you can’t kale away trauma, you can and should nourish yourself while you process. Food is crucial energy source for healing. Because we also derive energy from sun, air, and earth, it’s incredibly helpful for us to opt for food grown in these conditions. Leafy greens, orange plants, and protein from plant-fed animals are especially important for trauma recovery.
3.) Water
Drinking your water is pretty important; you are, in many ways, a hydraulic machine. Less discussed and just as beneficial is being in and near water. This healing modality is often looked at as a luxury, but if you are looking for a sign to go for a swim, take a bath or shower, splash in puddles, or visit the beach, this is that sign.
2.) Sleep
This is not an exaggeration: sleeping is healing. Way too often in modern Western culture we save relaxation as a reward for hard work, but hear this: sleep is when your body does its hard work. Memory and information retention? Sleep. Hypertrophy and muscle building? Sleep. Digestion and cell repair? Sleep. If you want to heal, prioritize sleep, rest and relaxation.
1.) Breathe
Your breath is your single greatest resource for systemic healing. Diaphragmatic breathing is the switch between your sympathetic nervous system and your parasympathetic nervous system. Breathing exercises, deep laughs, a good cry, belting out a favorite song, stretching, and brisk walking all promote healing breaths.
I don’t believe in should-ing yourself, but if you are not doing a daily breathing practice, it’s time to start one. With September quickly approaching, take advantage of the next thirty days to cultivate a habit of this paramount healing priority. If you want to get direct-to-inbox reminders to breathe more, I will be sending 30 days of breathing exercises by email for Self Regulation September. Click here to sign up.
Intuitive Healing with Glenna 