You're trapped in a vicious cycle of failing at health.
You jump from the latest exercise fad to restrictive health plan. But nothing. seems. to be. enough.
These aspects of health are tangible, relatable, and (for most) unavoidable elements of your life that result in someone, somewhere making a little money. By reading this, today is your day to break the vicious cycle.
The thing is, good health is attainable, it feels good, and it's not complicated, when you look at all of the four pillar of good health.
Read on to learn just how easy they are to integrate into your life.
Benefits of Good Health
When you’re healthy, you don’t really think, wow — I feel healthy today!
Good health is you on a good day. You feel well-rested and energised. Maybe, you spend the day outdoors or with family and friends.
This happiness that you feel?
That’s the biggest benefit of good health.
When you’re really healthy:
The long-term benefits extend to positive gut health and confidence oozing from your bones.
Let’s not forget, there’s much less chance of having illnesses caused by long-term stress including heart conditions, arthritis and Type 2 diabetes — eh, no thank you!
Why is Good Health SO Complicated?
It’s not.
Endless dieting trends makes good health seem like something you’re never get right.
It appears complicated because you're encouraged to chase it like a donkey trying to get the carrot.
To have good health, all you need consistency, balance and a touch of patience.
So, What are the Four Pillars of Good Health?
The four pillars of good health are like scales, you tip a little into each and keep going until you get the right balance. Only you know how much you need.
Some days you’ll need more of one than the other, and other times, you’ll struggle to get it right. It’s a balancing act, and a life lesson all-in-one.
Let’s Get Physical
Thanks, Madonna — I will!
So, be honest — how often do you move your body?
It doesn’t have to be strenuous HIIT, "shred" or the latest agony-inducing exercise on YouTube.
You just. have. to move — regularly.
You might be sighing, recalling the last time you tried out a gym membership and wasted your money.
However, to get the motivation to move regularly, you need to generate some positivity around it.
Next time you exercise, notice how you talk to yourself. Take note of phrases like ‘it’s nearly over’ or words like 'torture' and change that narrative. These words have more of an affect than you think.
By changing the narrative, you might just find yourself getting more excited about exercising.
I’m on a power girl mission to get folks on this — try it out!
Cognitive Health
Brain health, hey?
Your cognitive health is a combination of your emotions and spirituality. This can also be seen as how you connect with others — they’re all linked together in the end.
To make this more tangible, taking care of your cognitive health is like checking in with yourself — noticing when you feel stressed, uncomfortable or not quite yourself.
Whether it’s a stressful job, not having a need met or burn-out, at one point or another emotional and spiritual health are sacrificed to meet someone else’s expectations of you. Or, you're subconscious need to please others.
It’s time to look inward, and as a friend of mine once said, “sit down and have a conversation with yourself”. Ask yourself what you need and how you can get it.
Listen.
You might be surprised by the answers.
Nutrition
Let's get something straight.
Short-term diets are dangerous for your body.
Nutrition and a balanced diet are probably the most problematic because it's the ones that people focus on the most.
But they can also be the easiest to get right if you listen to body instead of the latest trend. Good health isn’t a short-term experiment — it’s a framework for life.
Your body likes consistency. When you choose to diet, it causes physical strains on your body as it struggles to work out what the f—k is going on.
Instead think about how you can make subtle, sustainable changes to your eating habits. This can be as small as swapping your "fasting" period for a bowl of fruit.
Wholefoods, grains and consistency are the best way to maintain gut health and eventually lose weight in the most natural and safe way possible, if that's what you want.
This is your journey — you know what’s right.
Resting and Testing
Not to be confused with pressing and stressing — but often compensated for it!
You probably don’t rest as much as you need to. I know, I don’t.
No matter where you look, you’re being told to do more — experiment more, learn more, follow more trends... And there’s no freakin’ time! It’s easy to get lost in it all.
Resting is a tool to process. By scheduling time to be alone, without even trying, your body will start to feel more rested and heal from the stress that you might not even know that you had.
This is a simple cure with truly profound effects. You’ll feel the energy come to you in the most spectacular ways and find that physical strains are lessened because of it.
So go on... take a nap, lie in the sun — you deserve it.
Why Do You Need to Have Them All?
To light a fire you need three components — oxygen, heat and fuel. Without all three, the fire won't light.
You should look at your health this way.
But burnout, illnesses, conditions are what put the fire out.
This isn’t to say, your health is always going to be roaring flames. But, in time, you learn how to keep it going.
You'll know when you can tip a little more on one scale and have less in an other without putting the fire out.
One of the best resources for more on the pillars of good health is Dr Chatterjee, a health master and thought leader in the four pillars of health.
I’ve tried to find other resources for you, but no one hits it on the head like Dr. Chatterjee does.
If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to reach out in the comments or drop me a message!
0 comments