Optimal health: ageing backwards with a holistic lifestyle
Optimal health and The Foundations of a Natural Holistic lifestyle
To get back onto the path of optimal health our body needs more than natural and optimal nutrition. There are many lifestyle habits we are unaware of that cause premature ageing. Toxic chemicals in hair, beauty and household products, sugar, wrong diet, toxic relations, lack of sleep, environmental factors, the water you drink, etc.
Let us look at the basics of living a happy, natural holistic lifestyle in this article. A lifestyle that can help you age backwards and increase happiness.
Ageing backwards by Supercharging your body to optimal health
Optimal health makes you feel happy and fit
We all know that a nutrient-dense diet is the key to healthy living and optimal health, but your body needs more than just optimal nutrition to be completely healthy and fully energised.
Modern society has slipped so far away from natural living and the life that we were designed for that it’s making us unhealthy and sick. We struggle with confusion, misinformation and conflicting advice and most of us have difficulty making our way back to ‘normal’ living.
Auto-immune disease is an epidemic in our society affecting millions of people globally
Dr Sarah Ballantyne, from the blog The Paleo Mom, says “Autoimmune disease is an epidemic in our society, affecting an estimated 50 million Americans. (Imagine what this number means globally). But it doesn’t have to be. Although genetic predisposition accounts for approximately one-third of your risk of developing an autoimmune disease, the other two-thirds comes from your environment, your diet, and your lifestyle.”
Natural holistic lifestyle
In this article, we will share some tips and advice on proper nutrition, ways to stay active and how to detox your body through various natural therapies.
This holistic approach to life places equal emphasis on a broad range of healthy and natural holistic lifestyle habits. You may be aware of the small lifestyle changes I mention below. However, many of us don’t put them into practice.
When it comes to healing, no single solution fits everyone. It’s only through trial and error that we achieve success. In my experience, I think it’s important to work on a few small things at a time to get happier, healthier and to regrow beautiful hair.
Don’t push your body to become healthier. One step at a time
Don’t push your body to its limit as this can do more harm than good. In my experience, it’s more important to work on a few small things at a time to become healthier. And remember to listen carefully to your body to understand what it needs.
Living a clean living lifestyle saved my life!
I don’t want you to feel overwhelmed by the thought of overhauling your life to live naturally and holistically. For me, the decision came about through necessity rather than vanity, and it’s changed (actually saved) my life. I’ve seen so many benefits to living a more natural lifestyle, and I felt I had to share it with the world.
And remember to listen carefully to your body to understand what it needs.
Optimal Health and Healthy Nutrition
Good Nutrition is the foundation of a holistic lifestyle plan
We all have a different chemical composition, and a healthy nutrition plan that works for one person doesn’t necessarily work for others. It can be very challenging to find the nutrition that works for you to get you back onto the path of optimal health. Some people must eliminate dairy, to find the right balance for their body. Others eliminate gluten and carbohydrates. Others only eat plants, some only meat and fat.
It’s important to listen to your body, observe its reactions to specific foods and nutrition types, and to use that information to design the right nutritional diet for you.
Healing foods diet: discover nutrition that works to keep you healthy
Discovering healing foods were a big move forward in my health recovery plan.
When you decide to overhaul your lifestyle, nutrition and diet are usually the first things that come to your mind. If you Google the word ‘diet’ you’ll find millions of search results on the subject – no wonder it’s so confusing! If you want to read more about food that heals
Healthy Nutrition is so powerful in a natural and holistic lifestyle
I even know of people that have healed themselves of Lyme disease through dietary changes! They went on a zero-carb diet and ate only meats, fats and water. While this may sound extreme, these are healthy nutrition and ingredients, and when nothing else works, and you’re desperate, you will adopt the foods and healthy nutrition that give YOU BACK life-changing energy.
I’m not saying that following this diet can heal everyone who has Lyme disease, we’re all different, but for my friend, this was the case. Always do what is best for you, and never give up trying. Keep looking for answers to get back onto the path of optimal health! They do exist.
Optimal health: my fight with nutrition and the way back to health
My relation with nutrition was long and very complicated. From the age of fifteen up until my early thirties, I struggled with bulimia and viewed all food and nutrition as the enemy.
I was totally obsessed with my weight and, although I was naturally slim when I looked in the mirror all I could see was an ugly, fat person looking back – I hated myself. I’d also religiously count every calorie, which was, frankly, quite pathetic and tiring.
Focus on the present and make the best of now and the future
Years of suffering from this eating disorder took its toll on my body and did some serious damage to my digestive system, stomach and gut. I have so many regrets from that dark period of my life, but I can’t turn back time, all I can do is focus on the present and make the best of now and the future.
Soon after recovering from my eating disorder I developed other illnesses like hypothyroidism, adrenal fatigue, chronic fatigue and later also Lyme disease. I constantly felt super tired and sick and doctors offered little or no solution to improve my health.
Read my thyroid recovery here, my hair loss recovery, my chronic fatigue recovery here, and my adrenal fatigue recovery here.
Healthy nutrition and anti-inflammation diets
discovering anti-inflammation diets that got me back onto the path of optimal health
That’s when I started reading more and more about anti-inflammation diets, which favoured eating more meat, vegetables, healthy fats and bone broth and highlighted the emphasis on cutting out certain foods. Thanks to the books and websites of many international integrative doctors and therapists I gathered extensive information and along the way made many modifications to my holistic lifestyle and healthy nutrition plan, to get me well and where I am today.
I learnt to adapt the knowledge I gained to suit my own body’s needs. For example, I need a lot of proteins, bone broth, healthy fats and organic vegetables to stay healthy. In the past, I tried almost every diet; fruit diets, plant diets, vegetarianism, juicing, extreme diets – you name it, I’ve tried it! For years, I deprived myself of eating meat, and it caused me to have so many shortages of essential nutrients and vitamins in my body. The right Nutrition for your body type is important and is not the same for everybody!
Natural Nutrition is the cornerstone of healthy living
In the last few years, my calorie intake has been more stable. I generally try to eat around 2000 calories a day and my weight has never been better. The composition of my body is also much better than when I was eating crap, vomiting and counting every single calorie. During those days, I tried not to exceed 1000 calories a day, but with what I know now, I’d never recommend this. My current diet is SO much better – I’m 41, I have no cellulite and have the body of a young girl in her twenties.
I now try to buy natural nutrition, organic and local produce as often as I can and tend to stick to food that is free-range and cruelty-free. I also prefer to buy meat from farms I trust, so that I know the animals have been treated with respect.
Optimal health: Sugar – a sweet killer doesn’t belong to a natural nutrition plan
When I began overhauling my diet, my sugar cravings was the one thing that I found nearly impossible to give up. This wasn’t because I had an insatiable sweet tooth (I didn’t), but because it was in nearly every single item in my kitchen cupboards.
Cutting out cakes, sweets and biscuits were easy enough, but as I researched further into the ingredients of my food I was shocked to discover how many of them had a high sugar content!
I Quit Sugar from Sarah Wilson is a good read to combat sugar addictions
‘I Quit Sugar’ by Sarah Wilson is a very helpful book and I would recommend reading it as it’s packed with loads of practical advice on how to stop eating sugar and I followed her tips religiously. Wilson reversed several of her auto-immune diseases by cutting out all sugar and eating a clean food diet. I’d already cut out all refined sugars many years ago, but after reading her book, I decided to be even more mindful of hidden sugar found in fruits, honey and coconut sugar.
A natural nutrition plan free of toxic sugar is super important if you would like to get back onto the path of optimal health. Discover why sugar is a sweet killer here.
What types of fat should we consume in a healthy nutrition plan?
This type of fat can be found in meat, eggs and coconut and palm oil and is less likely to oxidise (meaning it won’t go bad). The fat in meat and eggs are long-chain saturated fats.
Dr Sarah Ballantyne, from The Paleo Mom, says: “It is not the unhealthy fat that was once wrongfully accused as the cause of cardiovascular disease, but how healthy it is for you is still under debate.” She suggests not worrying about it too much, but not to go out of our way to eat more of it either.
Most of my meals will contain some sort of saturated fat but, as with all healthy fats, moderation is the key, so try not to eat too much of it. My daily intake of healthy fats is around 60 to 80 % of my total calories. Oils like palm oil and coconut oils contain medium fatty acids, which means that they can be directly used by your cells without the need for insulin or blood sugar – amazing!
Going gluten and dairy free was a big part of my path back to optimal health
Going gluten free and dairy free is overwhelming. The reason why is because it is absolutely hidden everywhere. You can find it in the processed foods we buy, even in meat, but also in makeup, creams, beauty products, supplements, medication, and so on.
Nevertheless, eliminating gluten and dairy free was a big part of my health recovery. In the beginning, it was very challenging and confusing, but after many years, it just became a simple part of my routine.
If you would like to get healthy again, going gluten and dairy free can be a major factor back onto the path of optimal health.
BONE BROTH – an ancient traditional food that is a medicine to heal the body and part of a healthy nutrition plan
I started drinking bone broth after becoming chronically ill and exhausted. Being introduced to bone broth really changed my life. I had a lot of collagen issues in my body and bone broth kept it under control somehow. I now consider it a food staple that I’ll continue to have for the rest of my life. Bone broth is a centuries-old remedy, that’s evolved from pre-historic drink to a popular, trendy beverage! In fact, media outlets like Huffington Post and The New York Times are touting bone broth as the hottest health trend. This delicious drink has gained even more popularity in recent years since the emergence of new diets like Paleo and Gap.
Bone broth is touted for many health benefits
An ancient, traditional food; bone broth is touted for its health benefits. Many trained chefs and Michelin star restaurants even use it as a base for fine cuisines. It’s extremely healthy, delicious, and turns many dishes into a real treat! I’m not one to follow trends – I was drinking bone broth long before the hype. In fact, it’s been part of my daily routine for almost eight years. Read more about bone broth here.
Optimal health: ensure the water you drink is safe and health
Did you know that drinking tap water can cause hair loss? No, this isn’t an urban legend – it’s genuine, and there are even facts to back it up.
Your body needs water – it’s key to our health and survival. In fact, 50-75 % of the human body is made up of water, and you can’t survive longer than seven days without it. Water gives life to every cell in the body, so can you imagine if it’s been contaminated in some way how easily it can endanger your entire being.
Optimal health: Don’t be too hard on yourself and enjoy your holistic lifestyle plan
I enjoy a natural and holistic lifestyle for many years. Although I’m super-strict about what I eat, I also try not to deprive myself completely. Occasionally, if I get an overwhelming craving for carbs, I’ll buy a gluten and dairy free loaf, or I bake Paleo bread when I have time and have all the ingredients on hand.
Don’t be too hard on yourself. From time to time allow yourself something (unless it is giving you life-threatening reactions of course) without punishing yourself. When you’re stronger, you can afford more glitches, but still, I need to be careful.
Although my energy has improved a lot, when I’m travelling, or I have guests in my house, and we eat out a lot, this can affect my energy. Even if I pick the healthiest items on the menu, there’s a chance it’s been cross-contaminated with gluten or dairy, which means I’m left feeling down and angry for days. Crazy, isn’t it?!
Remember the effects nutrition can have on you too. Good and bad effects
This is the effect that nutrition can have on you too! Why do you think there are so many depressed people in the world? In many cases, our diet plays a role. I feel happiest and most energetic when I eat clean, homemade food. Improve your nutrition with small increments and you will see that your energy levels will slowly start to soar!
Being outdoors is important in a holistic lifestyle plan
When you mention exercise, most people think of sweating through a jog or working hard at the gym. There are many approaches to exercise and getting the activity and movement that your body needs can happen in more way than one.
Being active and moving around throughout the day can count as exercise. Small things that you carry from room to room as you go about your day can be a form of weight-bearing exercise too. As long as you move around frequently and carry and lift objects naturally, it can be as beneficial as regular workouts.
It’s easy to sit around all day, especially if you work from a computer, but studies teach us that it’s best to get up from sitting at least once per hour. Time can pass without you knowing, so some health advocates recommend setting a timer to remind you to get up and move around. You can even use these moments to do spurts of exercise, which is also good for you. Do whatever exercise you enjoy, whether it’s a brisk walk, some sit-ups, push-ups or going up and down the stairs.
Our bodies are made for walking and being outdoors
Walking is an exercise that is the most natural to human beings. Our bodies are made for walking. The great thing is that it doesn’t require any expensive equipment or gym membership!
Just put on your shoes and head out of the house.
By starting a daily walking routine, you will build muscle mass, improve your cardiovascular fitness, increase blood flow, strengthen your bones and relieve stress. It sounds like the perfect exercise, doesn’t it?! If you can walk for 30 minutes each day, you will be on track towards healthy exercise levels and a healthier and happier YOU!
As you improve your cardiovascular fitness, you’ll naturally want to engage in more strenuous, or challenging activities. The crucial thing to remember is to be balanced. Be active, but don’t OVER-DO-IT! Over-exercising or putting too much strain on your body can be harmful and causes inflammation. So, if you have already challenging health-issues going on, please be sweet to yourself!
After my health challenges, I had to learn to adapt my fitness routine. My body couldn’t handle my old, tougher exercise regime. There are things I miss being able to do, I’m grateful for the things I can still do, and I try to remember that there are some people far worse off than me.
Optimal health and how Chronic stress can be deadly
Stress has become a big part of the modern lifestyle. So much so that many people don’t even think about the high levels of stress they’re dealing with until one day, it leads to illness. Chronic stress can be dangerous. It affects the how the immune system functions. And long-term stress can increase inflammation and lead to chronic illness.
The good news is that stress can be brought under control with just a few lifestyle tweaks. If you’re under stress and feeling the effects, there are two things you should aim to do: reduce stress in your life and increase your resilience against stress.
Eliminate stress factors from your life to live happily and holistically
Think about what creates the most stress in your life and focus on reducing those things. Don’t feel obligated to say yes to every request for your help or time – pick what responsibilities you take on carefully.
Building resilience against stress is like putting up defences against the stress that cannot be avoided. Regular exercise helps build resilience, having an adequate sleep each night helps manage stress, as does taking care of your emotional health. Meditation, socialising, living holistically and staying connected with those that are close to you also helps keep stress from overwhelming you.
Optimal health: make sure you get enough sleep
Sleep is something that many feel they can treat with elasticity. Some claim to get by on just four hours of sleep or less. While they might be able to live on such short hours of rest, it doesn’t mean that it’s good for their health.
Studies teach us that adults need 7 to 9 hours of sleep to be at optimal health. Our bodies go through a various process of repair while we sleep. Just a few nights without enough sleep can lead to inflammation. Sleep is an under-estimated healer that can’t be neglected if you would like to get back onto the path of optimal health.
Lack of sleep also has a direct impact on your immune system’s ability to function optimally. It affects hormonal function, the metabolism and your sensitivity to insulin.
Increase your sleep with small increments
If you’ve performed on less than the recommended number of hours of sleep for a long time, you may think it’s impossible for you to sleep such long hours. You can reach this goal in small increments, but it will require you to work at it consciously.
One of the first ways to ensure you get enough sleep is by deliberately setting a bedtime for yourself. If you watch TV, you might decide to switch off the TV each night after a certain TV show. You can also choose to dim the lights and set a calm atmosphere in your home after a certain hour, to prepare your body for sleep. With time, your body will naturally begin to tell you when it is time to dim the lights or switch off the TV.
Take control of your circadian rhythm and raise up your sleep
By following the cycles that humans have followed for years, you can take control of your circadian rhythm. Be sure to step outside during daylight hours at least once each day. The bright sunshine helps teach your body to be more alert during the daytime. Darkness as night falls prepares you for rest. Avoid stimulation at night, including bright lights, loud noise, and even exercise.
Sleep is a key-corner in living a natural holistic lifestyle that heals you.
Meaningful Connections that keep us happy and positive
Modern living has changed the reliance on a community that humans knew for many centuries. Many people today live a very solitary lifestyle, not realising that it can have a devastating effect on their health.
Connecting with other humans, nature and animals (pets) is vital to our health and happiness. Meaningful interaction with others is a factor in regulating your hormones and even neurotransmitters.
You will experience less stress, more happiness and a more positive outlook as you increase your connections with others.
Holistic lifestyle: detox yourself back to optimal health
In modern society, it’s nearly impossible to avoid exposure to toxins and heavy metals. These impurities enter your body and affect how it functions. They can damage your health, your autoimmune system and your body’s resiliency.
It’s important for people today to detoxify on a regular basis. One of the best ways to detoxify the body is by visiting an infrared or ozone sauna.
Infrared saunasuse light to produce dry heat. Time spent in an infrared sauna is good for the overall system. It can heat your skin and the tissues beneath. This process improves your overall metabolism and increase chances of achieving an optimal health.
Sauna detox Benefits
Below is a short list of the benefits of regular saunas:
– Enhances your metabolic function
– Increases cellular energy production
– Facilitates healing
– Kills infected cells with a low heat tolerance: viruses, tumors, toxins, etc.
– Improve circulation
– Oxygenates tissues
– Allow sinuses to drain (opens nasal passages)
– Sweats out toxins
Natural and Toxic-free products for holistic living
We have a habit of covering our skin with all kinds of toxic products. Some people never look at a skin care product label, but I urge you to pay attention to the products you put on your skin.
Everything you apply affects you in some way. The chemicals in soaps, lotions, and deodorants seep into the skin and your cells. This is one of the primary ways that toxic chemicals enter the body.
My preference is only to use natural and holistic skin care products and makeup. Just like the food you eat, read labels carefully. Walk away from any product that uses chemicals or non-natural ingredients.
Natural and Toxic-free household cleaning products
Think about the number of goods you spray around your home, whether it’s an air freshener, bathroom cleaner or carpet freshener. You can see that the chemicals in this product can quickly build up in your home and your body.
To counter this, I always choose to buy organic cleansers. For cleaning, I like to use essential oils like tea tree (which is an excellent antibacterial) and orange and citrus (to indulge my senses). It’s also possible to buy organic washing powder (or soaps) for clothes, which are non-toxic. To freshen the air in my home, I use a series of essential oils. Some of my favourites are citrus, lavender, tea tree oil and thieves.
Another tip is to use a mixture of vinegar and baking soda for cleaning. Homemakers all over the world have used this DIY cleaner for centuries as an alternative to chemical products. Since going natural, I’ve gone off the smell of chemical loaded cleansers; it makes me nauseous.
Adopting a natural holistic lifestyle with small, simple steps
As you can see, there are many small changes that you can make to live a natural, holistic lifestyle that heals you. Ensure to get enough sleep, stay away from chemicals, be mindful of nutrition and maintain good, healthy connections with friends and families. On top of that, incorporate exercise into your daily routine and do everything you can to keep stress at bay. It really is that simple!
The first step towards getting somewhere is to decide that you are not going to stay where you are! J.P. Morgan
Live happily and be healthy!
Good luck XXX
Empowering others via my anti-ageing wellness platform and holistic health books
I hope you liked this article about optimal health and healthy nutrition. If you would like to learn more about my tips and tricks on how I saved my life from being chronically ill and tired to the lively person I am today, ensure to check out other pages of this anti-ageing wellness platform.
After a frustrating decade of battling several chronic illnesses, I became disillusioned with the medical system and decided to take my health into my own hands.
Now, through my holistic wellness books and wellness platform, I want to empower people around the world do the same and regain their health, hair, life and beauty!
