What is Wellness Fatigue & What Are the Solutions?

What is Wellness Fatigue?

Have you ever felt like your wellness routine has become more exhausting than energizing? Do you find yourself overwhelmed by all the rules, restrictions, and never-ending to-do lists that are supposed to lead to a healthier life? If so, you may be experiencing wellness fatigue—the exhaustion that comes from trying to keep up with an idealized version of health and well-being.

In today’s world, wellness has become an industry, filled with endless information, routines, and rules that can feel overwhelming. While health, nutrition, and self-care are meant to enhance our lives, many people find themselves exhausted, confused, and financially drained by the pursuit of the “perfect” wellness routine. This phenomenon is known as Wellness Fatigue—a state where striving for health feels more like a burden than a benefit.

Wellness fatigue happens when the pursuit of health turns into a full-time job, leaving you drained, confused, and often feeling like your best is never enough. It can manifest in different ways.

Signs of Wellness Fatigue:

  • Your fitness, nutrition, and wellness routine feels like a full-time job. Keeping up with workouts, meal prepping, supplements, and self-care can feel exhausting.
  • Confused, stressed, and drained by all the things you’re supposed to avoid. There’s always a new food, ingredient, or habit being labeled as “toxic” or “unhealthy,” making it difficult to keep up.
  • Overwhelmed financially and emotionally with all the tasks. Wellness trends often come with a hefty price tag, making people feel like they have to spend more to be healthy.
  • Hard to feel safe and know which sources to trust. Conflicting information from influencers, doctors, and wellness gurus makes it challenging to know what’s best for you.
  • So much conflicting information out there! One expert says one thing, while another completely contradicts it.
  • Never feels like it’s enough. No matter how much you do, it can feel like you’re still falling short of the ideal wellness lifestyle.

If any of these resonate with you, you’re not alone. Wellness should empower and nourish you—not leave you feeling defeated. The pursuit of well-being should not leave you feeling more anxious and depleted. So how do you overcome wellness fatigue and create a more balanced, sustainable approach?

Solutions for Wellness Fatigue

If wellness fatigue is taking over your life, it’s time to shift from exhaustion to balance. The key is to simplify, realign, and listen to your body. The key to overcoming wellness fatigue is balance, simplicity, and self-trust. Instead of chasing perfection, focus on what truly serves you and aligns with your body’s natural rhythms. Here are some practical solutions:

Aim for balanced nutrition, fitness, and self-care – Instead of extreme diets and rigid routines, focus on sustainable, enjoyable habits that support overall well-being. Wellness should enhance your life, not take over it. Find a routine that feels sustainable and enjoyable.

Avoid extremes that limit your life – Health is about moderation—eliminating entire food groups, following rigid fitness schedules, or stressing over perfection can do more harm than good. If your wellness routine is making life harder instead of better, it’s time to step back and reassess.

Find inexpensive, simple options – Good health doesn’t have to come with a hefty price tag. Choose accessible, budget-friendly solutions that work for you. True wellness doesn’t require expensive products or complicated plans. Prioritize lifestyle shifts like eating whole foods, daily movement, and good sleep.

Re-align choices with nature’s rhythms and our human design – Tune into and honor your body’s natural cycles like circadian rhythms and getting sunlight in the morning, seasonal eating, and mindful movement for a more intuitive approach to well-being. Align your energy, activity and goals with nature’s natural seasonal rhythms. Reconnecting to the earth and aligning your life with natural design can be simple yet powerful game changers.

Most information has some bias—trust and listen to your body! – Health trends come and go, but your body’s signals are your best guide. Learn to listen to what it truly needs. No one knows your body better than you do. Experiment, observe, and make decisions based on what feels right while also making safe and informed decisions!

Take a gentler approach—move towards your goals with kindness – Instead of rigid rules and aggressive goals, try a more balanced approach to take daily balanced and loving steps towards your goals. Avoid pushing yourself to exhaustion, allow for flexibility and self-compassion in your wellness journey. Wellness is a journey, not a race. Be kind to yourself and celebrate small wins along the way.

True wellness should feel nourishing, freeing, and aligned with your life not restrictive and exhausting. If you’re experiencing wellness fatigue, take a step back and reassess. Simplify your routine, trust your instincts, and focus on what makes you feel good, not what the latest trend dictates. By shifting your approach, you can enjoy true wellness that is sustainable, intuitive, and stress-free. By taking a more balanced, intuitive approach, you can break free from wellness fatigue and create a healthier, happier relationship with yourself and well-being.

Are you struggling with wellness fatigue? What small changes can you make today to bring more ease and joy into your health journey?

You’ve got this!

XO In Wellness,

Dr. Rachel

Wellbeing Tools to Thrive During Family Holiday Gatherings

Let’s be honest… the holidays can be a time of joy and connection but also bring challenges that test our emotional and mental well-being. Family dynamics can be triggering and difficult. By preparing with intentional tools and strategies, you can navigate family gatherings with greater ease, protecting your peace while making space for meaningful moments. Here’s how:

  1. Draw Boundaries with Yourself

Setting boundaries is key to maintaining emotional balance. Decide ahead of time what behaviors, comments, or dynamics you are willing to tolerate, and commit to stepping away when those limits are crossed. If things become overwhelming, excuse yourself for a short break—a walk outside, or even five minutes of mindful breathing in the bathroom, can reset your mindset.
How-to: Practice a grounding exercise, like inhaling for four counts, holding for four, and exhaling for six. Keep a comforting mantra in mind, such as, “It’s okay to take care of myself.”

  1. Don’t Engage in Triggering Conversations and Topics

Family gatherings often come with sensitive discussions, whether about politics, religion, or past grievances. Recognize when a topic is spiraling and consciously choose not to engage. You can redirect the conversation or politely excuse yourself.
How-to: Prepare a few neutral phrases, like “I’d rather not discuss that right now” or “Let’s focus on enjoying the day,” to pivot away from uncomfortable subjects.

  1. Focus on the Positive and Find the Joy

Shift your attention to the aspects of the gathering that bring you happiness—whether it’s the food, traditions, or spending time with loved ones. Cultivating gratitude for these moments can help offset stress and negativity.
How-to: Take mental snapshots of moments that warm your heart. At the end of the day, jot down three things you’re grateful for to solidify the positive experience.

  1. Limit Shared Time Based on Your Emotional Tolerance

You don’t need to stay longer than you’re emotionally comfortable with. Plan your visit in a way that works for your energy levels and be mindful of how long you can meaningfully engage before burnout sets in.
How-to: Use a timer or alarm as a gentle reminder to check in with yourself after a set amount of time. If you feel drained, it’s okay to leave earlier than planned.

  1. Let Go of Trying to ‘Show Up Perfect’

The pressure to impress or live up to family expectations can be exhausting. Remember, you don’t need to prove your worth through perfection. Embrace authenticity and allow yourself to simply be present.
How-to: Before the gathering, write down one or two positive self-reminders to draw upon, such as “I am enough as I am,” to remind yourself in those moments when self-doubt creeps in.

  1. Focus on Balance When It Comes to Food and Alcohol

Overindulging can amplify feelings of guilt or discomfort later. Instead, aim for balance—enjoy holiday treats without going overboard, and stay mindful of your alcohol intake to maintain emotional clarity.
How-to: Alternate alcoholic drinks with water or mocktails, and start your meal with a plate of veggies or protein to avoid overloading on sugar.

  1. Eat and Move!

Both skipping meals and also staying sedentary after a big meal both can add fuel to the fire of emotional unbalance around family. With eating and then not moving your body, not only does this spike glucose levels but can take a toll on your energy and mood. When skipping meals before a big family gathering you risk showing up ‘hangry’ or having less emotional capacity for stressors that may arise. Nourish your body with balanced meals and incorporate movement to keep your spirits up.
How-to: Start the day with a short yoga flow or a brisk walk and ensure you don’t arrive hungry by having a light, nutritious snack beforehand. After your big holiday meal, take a 15–30-minute walk… this can provide valuable alone time to reset and rebalance or a fun and meaningful family activity.

  1. Schedule Time After for Self-Care and Restorative ‘You Time’

Post-gathering recovery is just as important as preparation. Plan for self-care activities to decompress and recharge after the holidays.
How-to: Set aside an evening for activities you enjoy, like reading, journaling, or taking a long bath, and leave room for a good night’s sleep.

  1. It’s Okay to Bow Out

If attending a gathering feels more harmful than helpful, give yourself permission to skip it. Your mental health and well-being come first.
How-to: Communicate your decision respectfully, offering an alternative to connect, such as a video call or a later one-on-one visit.

By embracing these tools, you can protect your mental health and emotional well-being while still engaging meaningfully with loved ones this holiday season. Remember, thriving during the holidays isn’t about perfection—it’s about prioritizing your peace and joy. Breathe & be intentional… you’ve got this!

Ikaria, Greece: Blue Zone Longevity Nutrition

We all tend to take away information from other countries and cultures through the lenses of our own perception. Americans have an even stronger tendency to boil nutritional information and wisdom down into highly restrictive diets and create popular fads. My experience of all the blue zone’s books, shows/documentaries, cookbooks and diet plans was that I suspected this was the case. I was pretty sure that some more balance and critical information may have been missing. While visiting the beautiful blue zone island of Ikaria in Greece I discovered my suspicions were correct and I found the information I was looking for.

I found that the true longevity diet is not a diet at all, but a lifestyle that involves healthy, nutritious foods, healthy habits and a much more holistic approach to longevity. It is important to note that we can eat healthy nutritious foods and even exercise, but if we have unhealthy habits around sleep, stress, mindset and relationships (with ourselves and others), there is no amount of healthy food or exercise that will create optimal health, reduce the risk of disease and create longevity. I wanted to say that front and center! I will write a follow up piece on all the holistic aspects to consider adopting to truly optimize your health and longevity. For now, let’s focus on Ikaria’s longevity nutrition…

Surprisingly the Ikaria’s longevity nutritional approach is much less restrictive than you would imagine. It is focused on balanced, nutrient rich foods, a mindful approach to food sourcing, preparation (to maintain nutrients), eating fresh and in season, specific food pairing and of course, very high (in comparison to the SAD diet – Standard American Diet) in healthy fats. In fact about 30% of their daily calories come from healthy fats such as olive oil, nuts and seeds, fatty fish, egg yolk and avocado.

What do they restrict? The only thing that most Ikarian’s who are or are on the track to becoming centenarians do not eat is refined sugars, fried foods and processed foods. Additionally they steer away from eating bottom feeders (shellfish). But there is much more to consider ‘moving towards’ or adding from their culture around nutrition and only a few things to ‘move away from’ which is to limit, reduce or avoid. As I have been saying for years, we need a more kind and balanced approach to food. One that promotes health and longevity, does not create more stress in our lives and one that reduces the risk of illness and disease. Food is our medicine and one of the most powerful forms of medicine we have in our medicine cabinet or health toolbox.

Let’s first take a deeper look at the US approach to nutrition historically and where that has led us…

The SAD diet is based on a very unhealthy food pyramid that has been taught in schools for decades.

‘In 1974, the first food pyramid was presented to the public with the following message: “A good, healthy diet at a reasonable price”. This pyramid was made up of 3 parts: The base included basic foodstuffs considered essential to the individual’s wellbeing: cereals, dairy products, pasta and potatoes.’ – Alimentarium

In 1992, The US Department of Agriculture developed and published for the public, a food pyramid that impacted the way most people think about their diet and shifted their daily intake. At the bottom of the pyramid were grains and starches, telling us that the bulk of our diet ought to consist of carbohydrates like cereal and bread. Up at the top—in very moderate amounts. Here is a visual –

‘The Pyramid’s emphasis on eating carbohydrates and avoiding fats has been blamed for rising rates of obesity in the U.S. The nation’s food guide has since been updated several times, and now the USDA uses a plate graphic design to promote healthier eating—though it’s still far from ideal.’ – Levels Health

This has led the US and many other nations who unfortunately follow our lead to rapidly increase rates of obesity, type two diabetes, cancer, heart disease, dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. There is a solution, one that allows each of us to become empowered to optimize both our current state of health and our longevity. It calls for a return to a more holistic and natural approach to nutritious foods, the way that most centenarians around the world eat.

So now let’s unpack WHAT they eat and HOW they eat it in the blue zone of Ikaria, Greece…

Before I share a few key elements of WHAT & HOW they eat, let me share with you the Ikarian approach in a food pyramid format that I put together –

Now that you have a visual pyramid to guide you, let’s dive into the other key HOW’S & WHAT’s

Balance –

Eat meal consists of a balanced plate with the following included in each meal

  • Healthy fats (add organic virgin olive oil to everything, yes, everything and ideally after it has been cooked)
  • Leafy raw greens
  • Carbohydrates
  • Proteins
  • Probiotics

Nutrient rich foods –

This means whole fresh foods, minimally or not processed, not genetically modified, organic and prepared in ways that retain the nutrients (more on this later).

Plant forward –

This does not mean vegetarian or vegan at all. Plant forward means a focus on consuming large amounts of vegetables and legumes. Think of ½ your plate as being filled with veggies each meal, that is a plant forward approach.

Mindful approach to food sourcing –

I always say that the health of food always starts at the farm, with the soil’s nutrients, then moves into how the plants and animals are raised (without chemicals and animals’ free range and nutrient rich food fed versus soy and processed grains) and finally how they are harvested, packaged and transported. Ikarians follow the guidelines below

  • Grow your own, if possible, if not shop a local farmers market
  • Locally sourced (optimally within 100 miles when possible)
  • Organic and unprocessed or minimally processed
  • Mindful and educated on food origins (example: speaking to the fisherman or fish salesperson to find out how old and big the fish was that their cut is coming from)
  • Eating fresh and in season

Preparation to maintain nutrients – 

You can have clean and healthy nutrient rich foods that then have their health benefits significantly diminished in preparation. Here are a few tips to take away from the Ikarian diet:

  • Never fry
  • Don’t heat oils to high heats (they become carcinogenic)
  • Cook foods on low temperatures and cook slow/longer
  • Don’t grill or blacken poultry, fish and meats (these also become carcinogenic)

Specific food pairing –

This next one is a health game changer! Always eat your carbohydrates; grains, potatoes and even legumes (yes, those are high in carbohydrates too) WITH raw leafy greens. Leafy greens are high in fiber. When we consume carbohydrates in balance with fiber our body is better able to digest, convert and utilize this as energy instead of storing it as fat or spiking our insulin levels. We see many people who eat what we would consider to be healthy here in the US who are developing type two diabetes. This is why. They are not getting enough fiber with their carbohydrates. And grains are the biggest culprit because all grains are somewhat processed, and the processing or milling removes much the fiber creating grains that negatively impact our insulin and glucose levels.

High intake of healthy fats –

At least 30% of the daily caloric intake in most blue zone’s nutrition comes from healthy fats. Our bodies utilize two things for energy, fats and carbohydrates. But healthy fats such as fatty fish, nuts and seeds, olive oil, avocado and egg yolk are ideal for brain health and optimal energy levels. In other words, get ready to drizzle a healthy dose onto EVERYTHING, ideally a nice virgin olive oil that is organic and locally sourced (if possible).

All of the above are then also paired with two critical and actionable elements-

Here is the US we often hear ‘rest and digest’. This comes from the parasympathetic nervous system acts like a brake. It promotes the “rest and digest” response that calms the body down after the danger has passed. The term ‘rest and digest’ has been taken out of context. How this got taken out of context is simple, when the parasympathetic nervous system is in the ‘on’ position it means that your bodies physiology is in a state of calm, not distress or in fight or flight mode which allows the body to be able to put forth energy towards digesting food. This doesn’t mean eat and rest. You should eat and move.

In Ikaria they are taught to:

Eat and move

Fast and rest

Additionally, the Ikarians start and end their day with a cup of light herbal tea and those who do drink coffee do so with breakfast, not before. The herbal teas are made from wild foraged or home grown organic fresh herbs that are native to the island and hold many health and medicinal benefits. Many of these can be found and grown in the US as well. A few of these herbs are –

  1. Mint
  2. Chamomile
  3. Cistus (aka Rock Rose)
  4. Rosemary
  5. Oregano
  6. Thyme

Note, these are the same fresh herbs they use on top of salads as well as mixed into other food dishes for flavor. See my blog on a breakdown of many more of the herbs used in Ikaria both for cooking as well as for medicinal teas HERE

Sources:

George Karimalis, Ikarian, longevity expert and owner of Karimalis Farm and Winery – https://www.ikarianwine.gr/en

https://www.alimentarium.org/en/fact-sheet/origins-food-pyramid#:~:text=In%201974%2C%20the%20first%20food,dairy%20products%2C%20pasta%20and%20potatoes.

https://www.levelshealth.com/blog/how-and-why-the-food-pyramid-diet-recommendations-changed#:~:text=The%20Pyramid’s%20emphasis%20on%20eating,it’s%20still%20far%20from%20ideal.

Sociodemographic and Lifestyle Statistics of Oldest Old People (>80 Years) Living in Ikaria Island: The Ikaria Study

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3051199/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6914977/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8074281/

Estimated prevalence of diabetes in the United StatesTotal: 38.4 million people of all ages had diabetes (11.6% of the population) in 2021. 38.1 million were adults ages 18 years or older. Ikaria in comparison, diabetes is reported to affect 8.0% of the population aged 15 and over

https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/13/4/1386

Diabetes is higher in developed than in developing countries. The number of adults with diabetes in the world will rise from 135 million in 1995 to 300 million in the year 2025.

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/9727886/#:~:text=Results%3A%20Prevalence%20of%20diabetes%20in,million%20in%20the%20year%202025.

https://www.statista.com/statistics/240883/number-of-diabetes-diagnosis-in-the-united-states/

Ways to Regulate & Ground Yourself During the Holiday Travel & Stress

The holiday season often produces stress and stressful environments such as travel and challenging family dynamics. While we can’t control people, places, and all situations, we can be empowered to show up mindfully. This requires practicing self-care and regulating our own nervous system and grounding ourselves.

“When we are grounded in our awareness, we can be more present with what we are experiencing in our bodies — in all the spaces that live between our head and our feet.”
― Raegan Robinson

Here are five tips to practice to support you during the holiday stressors:

  1. Make your sleep hygiene a top priority

When our natural sleep cycle is disrupted, it impacts our hormones, stress levels, gut health, mental health and decreases our capacity to deal with stress. During the holidays make sleep a priority through the following steps –

  • Try to go to sleep and wake up at the same time each day
  • Sleep in total darkness (wear an eye mask)
  • Avoid alcohol and sweets late in the evening
  • Try not to eat 3 hours before sleep
  • Avoid stressful conversations and media 90-minutes before bed

  1. Meditate – even if for only 5-minutes

Even a brief meditation practice spent in quiet, focusing on the breath can radically shift your physiology. Even amidst travel and hectic family events, a brief ‘bathroom’ meditation session can be just what your mental and emotional health is calling for!

  1. Grounding practice # 1 – bare feet on the ground with mindful breathing

One of the easiest ways for a person to quickly ground themself is to walk barefoot on the earth (ground, grass, sand, even rocks). Allowing the skin to touch the natural ground and especially dirt will begin to provide the person with grounding energy. In fact, grounding with bare feet on the earth is also good for the health of our microbiome!

How to do the technique – 

Go outside, preferably somewhere safe (without trash or sharp objects) and as peaceful as possible. Take off shoes and socks. Step onto the earth. It is preferred to stand on dirt or grass; however rocks are ok as well if that is all that is available. Concrete is less grounding; you want nature made versus man made. Walk around or stand still for 5-15 minutes. As you do, be intentional about feeling the connection to the ground through the bottoms of your feet. It can be helpful to also try standing still and leaning your weight slightly forward and backwards slowly to feel the weight shift and connect to the ground with different feeling.

You can also do this same grounding technique indoors on wood floors if the outdoors is not available and grounding is needed.

  1. Grounding practice #2 – lay on the ground, hand on the belly, other hand on the heart & deep breathing

Coming back to center, back into your body and connecting with your internal landscape not only helps to ground you, but also calms down your central nervous system. It signals for you to come out of the ‘fight or flight’ response and leads to more calmness.

How to do the technique – 

Lay down on the floor or on your bed. Place one hand on your belly and the other hand on your heart. Close your eyes. Invite yourself to relax. Focus your attention on your breathing. Take deep, full, relaxed breaths and allow anything that comes up or comes to mind to just flow out of you/to be released with each exhale.

  1. Tapping

Gentle tapping on the heart or bilateral tapping through the ‘hug’ method or even on the thighs (alternating each side) can help to ground and calm the system. “Hug” Method tapping, also called the Butterfly Hug is a form of tapping for bilateral stimulation. Bilateral stimulation calms down the central nervous system and is excellent for those with anxiety, depression, Autism, PTSD, ADD and ADHD.

The practice is actually quite simple and is readily available to everyone, because all you need is yourself! To begin:

  • Engage in some type of intentional breath work, focus on diaphragmatic breathing for this particular tool.
  • Draw awareness to the self, as with any mindfulness practice, pay attention, notice any emotions that are coming up, any physiological indicators and judgments of self and continue to breathe.
  • Cross your hands over your chest (like you are making a bird shadow puppet) where the wings are resting just below your collar bone. I like to hook my thumbs as a place to feel anchored.
  • Begin slowly tapping, alternating left and right, left and right and continue tapping for 30 seconds to a few minutes if desired and it feels calming and grounding.
  • Continue to hold awareness with the self, slowing the mind and the body with each breathe, being with any and all emotions that come up.

  1. Somatic movement & somatic practices

‘Each movement reminds us that every moment invites a new opportunity for change.’ – Tara Stiles

All forms of exercise can be somatically beneficial and assist in reducing stress. However, more intense forms of exercise also add stress to the body. Rigorous exercise is important to build strength and increase fitness levels, however it should always be balanced with somatic and restorative forms of exercise as well. A truly balanced fitness and movement routine will include strength training, cardiovascular exercise, stretching and somatic and restorative forms of exercise.

Somatic movement can range from dance to yoga to walking to all forms of exercise. In order for movement to be considered ‘somatic’, the Somatic Movement Center defines it as, ‘

A somatic movement, generally speaking, is one which is performed consciously with the intention of focusing on the internal experience of the movement rather than the external appearance or result of the movement’.

https://somaticmovementcenter.com/somatic-movement-what-is-somatic-movement/

Try a little somatic dance or other movement with mindfulness and focus on connecting your breath to the movement. Listen to your body. Follow what it calls for. Stretch, move, shake… the goal is simply to connect with your body!

Fall Wellness Resource Guide

As summer draws to a close and you are ramping up for the fall, back to school, back to goals and setting plans for the different holiday seasons, it is time for some resources! To save you time and energy, I have compiled a list of some of my favorite blogs, articles and videos to help you thrive this season. It is always important to be both updating and expanding your personal knowledge and the resources you have on deck to support you and your family’s wellness.

Here are some links to helpful articles, resources, studies, and even holistic items that may be of service to you throughout this upcoming season –

Fall Favorite Articles

Fall Favorite Healthy Recipes

Back to School Parenting Resources

Optimizing Health for Fall – Healthy Lifestyle & Functional Medicine

Emotional Wellness & Wellbeing

Career & Finances

Spiritual and Self-Development Gems

Relationship Resources

Videos, Podcasts, and Apps… oh My!

All The Ways You Can Get & Stay Healthy

There are so many roads a person can take to get and stay healthy. However all of them require our participation. The days of simply following a doctors orders are long gone.

To truly optimize health outcomes each of us has to fully participate in our healing journey. This means changing lifestyle factors that lead to a lack of balance or un-wellness, doing our own research, asking questions of experts, taking all practitioners & experts advice as feedback and then making our own empowered & educated choices.

My favorite approach is to take gems from each of the categories below and apply them to see what works best for you. A truly holistic approach takes into account the whole person (mind, body, heart & spirit) and takes into account the wisdom available from all of these supportive health categories:

1. Lifestyle medicine (focuses on creating healthy habits that positively impact & heal such as diet, exercise, sleep, stress reduction, etc.)
2. Functional & natural medicine (focuses on the whole person, getting to the root cause and treating the person through a variety of natural approaches)
3. Traditional western medicine (focuses on diagnostic lab work, pharmaceuticals & surgery)
4. Integrative wellness & medicine (also focuses on the whole person and integrates in aspects of many of the others to custom create a solution)
5. Emotional & mental health (focuses on diagnosing & treating mental & emotional issues, however it is also powerful for optimizing emotional & mental wellbeing)
6. Complimentary & alternative (focuses on alternative or complimentary healing techniques such as energy work, hypnosis, accupuncture, Ayervdic practices & many more)

???????? be empowered to explore and find what is best for your body.
???? – Dr. Rachel

Coronavirus – 6 Tips to Protecting Yourself

Coronavirus & Immunity – How To Protect Yourself

The Coronavirus… is this a serious virus? Absolutely! Should you be cautious and take precautions to remain safe, definitely! There is a lot of misinformation going around and I want to help you by providing information that is directly from The Center for Disease Control and The World Health Organization to ensure that you have the facts. There are also some effective preventative measures that you can take to additionally protect yourself and your family. 

What we know about the Coronavirus –

  • ‘CDC is responding to an outbreak of respiratory disease caused by a novel (new) coronavirus that was first detected in China and which has now been detected in almost 70 locations internationally, including in the United States. The virus has been named “SARS-CoV-2” and the disease it causes has been named “coronavirus disease 2019” (abbreviated “COVID-19”). Imported cases of COVID-19 in travelers have been detected in the U.S.’. – The Center for Disease Control (CDC)

How is it spread?

  1. Person-to-person
  2. Contact with infected surfaces or objects

*Read more HERE

What this means is that it is absolutely important to take mindful precautions and also, that those precautions can reduce risks. I will go into this more later and give you the top 6 ways to protect yourself.

How deadly is it???

Though the Coronavirus can lead to death in some cases and it has, the majority of strong, healthy adults are able to fight it off and experience a severe flu at most. Those with compromised or fragile immune systems such as those with another serious illness or disease, those who are elderly and those who are immune compromised are more prone to contracting the virus and well as experiencing more severe symptoms and a higher risk.

‘Both MERS-CoV and SARS-CoV have been known to cause severe illness in people. The complete clinical picture with regard to COVID-19 is not fully understood. Reported illnesses have ranged from mild to severe, including illness resulting in death. While information so far suggests that most COVID-19 illness is mild, study out of China suggests serious illness occurs in 16% of cases. Older people and people with certain underlying health conditions like heart disease, lung disease and diabetes, for example, seem to be at greater risk of serious illness.’ – The CDC

*Read more HERE and HERE

Let’s take a deeper look at how deadly and dangerous this virus is in comparison to other epidemics and infectious viruses and illnesses so that you can get a better sense of the situation as a whole and to what level you or your loved ones may be at risk –

As of early March, the coronavirus outbreak had infected more than 90,000 people and killed more than 3,000 people globally, the majority of whom live in China, where the illness was first detected in December. More than 100 people in the United States have been diagnosed, including at least nine people who have died. By comparison, influenza — known as the common flu — has infected as many as 45 million Americans since October and killed as many as 46,000. Both the coronavirus and influenza are respiratory illnesses. Both have similar symptoms. Both are contagious. Both can be deadly according to estimates from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

If you want to see more statistics on this issue but delivered in a fun, less stress inducing way, one of my favorite comedic educators, John Oliver shared all about the Coronavirus on last week’s episode. You can watch it HERE

So, What Do We Do?

Now that we have covered details about the virus itself, let’s talk solutions!

Each one of us is able to boost our immune system to its optimal capacity, each person’s optimal capacity is different, but no matter where your immune function lays (low or high) you can support it in being its best and most effective. Having your immune system operating at the most optimal level is an incredibly important aspect of protecting yourself from the Coronavirus in addition to taking other critical preventative measures.

Here are my top 6 tips for protecting yourself against the Coronavirus. I have then provided even more details as to how you can protect yourself from both contracting the Coronavirus as well as better positioning yourself for a positive outcome if you do contract it:

  1. BE SAFE – WASH YOUR HANDS, WEAR A MASK & GLOVES & PRACTICE SOCIAL DISTANCING

Since Coronavirus is spread not only person-to-person but also through surfaces and objects, be sure to both practice social distancing (6-foot rule), wear protective gear such as a mask and gloves as well as wash your hands immediately after touching something. Avoid touching anything else before washing your hands, especially your face or even worse, rubbing your eyes or sticking your finger in your nose.  You must wash your hands WITH SOAP for 20-30 seconds in order to get germs off.

  1. STAY HYDRATED

Our bodies are up to 60% water! Most Americans are operating at low levels of dehydration. When we are dehydrated the body is not able to flush out germs, viruses and bacteria as easily as when it is properly hydrated. This means you should be drinking a minimum of ½ your body weight in ounces of pure filtered water each day (and a maximum of your full body weight in ounces – be sure to take electrolytes if you are drinking your full weight in ounces).

  1. STRENGTHEN YOUR IMMUNE SYSTEM

This might be the single most important thing you can do to protect yourself! The top immune system drainers are; mental emotional and physical stress, not enough sleep, processed foods, toxins and chemicals, allergens, sugar, caffeine, alcohol, dehydration, overworking and not resting.

Here are a few specific things additional that you can do to increase your immune function in addition to limiting or avoiding the disrupters I mentioned above:

  • Taking Supplements such as L-lysine, Vitamin D, Colostrum, Chaga Mushrooms, Ashwagandha (to decrease impact of stress on the body), Vitamin C, B Vitamins, Zinc, Echinacea, Turmeric (to decrease internal inflammation which can lead to decreased immune function), Oregano Oil and Lavender Oil. You can also take supplements that have many of these ingredients and target immune support and function such as Immunity Master
  • Ginger, garlic and manuka honey all have antibacterial and antiviral properties
  • Avoid antibiotics whenever possible (sometimes they are necessary, but they are often over used. Also, antibiotics cannot help with any virus!!
  • Sleep for 8 hours per night
  • Make sure to schedule a day of rest and recuperation each week! Relax and have fun!
  • Process and release negative emotions. Try finding a safe loving person to talk to or write in a journal
  • Practice mindfulness and meditation, it has been scientifically proven to reduce stress!!
  • Stay hydrated
  • Give yourself permission to do less and also to say no when you need to
  1. AVOID IMMUNE DEPLETING FOODS

You may have heard the saying ‘Food is medicine’, and I agree with this wholeheartedly. I would also add to that that FOOD CAN ALSO BE YOUR ILLNESS. The wrong foods can make you sick and most definitely deplete your immune system. Processed foods filled with chemicals and preservatives, fast food, chemically treated foods, refined sugar, animal products treated with antibiotics and hormones, excess high glycemic index carbohydrates and dairy products put un-necessary pressure on your immune system. Wouldn’t you rather have the little invisible soldiers that make up your immune system battle to conquer viral or bacterial intruders versus to battle to process the junk in your food?

  1. WEAR PROTECTION (MORE ON MASKS & GLOVES)

So many people have been rushing out to buy masks that they are sold out in many locations. The CDC WAS saying the following about wearing masks and respirators in the prevention of Coronavirus:

‘CDC does not recommend the routine use of respirators outside of workplace settings (in the community). Most often, spread of respiratory viruses from person-to-person happens among close contacts (within 6 feet). CDC recommends everyday preventive actions to prevent the spread of respiratory viruses, such as avoiding people who are sick, avoiding touching your eyes or nose, and covering your cough or sneeze with a tissue. People who are sick should stay home and not go into crowded public places or visit people in hospitals’.

However, late March they shifted this position and released the following statement:

‘We now know from recent studies that a significant portion of individuals with coronavirus lack symptoms (“asymptomatic”) and that even those who eventually develop symptoms (“pre-symptomatic”) can transmit the virus to others before showing symptoms.  This means that the virus can spread between people interacting in close proximity—for example, speaking, coughing, or sneezing—even if those people are not exhibiting symptoms.  In light of this new evidence, CDC recommends wearing cloth face coverings in public settings where other social distancing measures are difficult to maintain (e.g., grocery stores and pharmacies) especially in areas of significant community-based transmission.’ To read the full report click HERE

While a mask may not be helpful in large open spaces such as the grocery store or mall if you are staying at least 6-feet away from EVERYONE, however gloves certainly are since any surface you touch may be infected. Yet if you are in close proximity, within 6 feet of others who may be ill, a mask can be helpful as ONE of the ways to protect yourself.  When it comes to protective gear, after reading this, determine what you feel is best for you, for myself and my family’s health I personally will be wearing a mask and gloves if I must go out. However, staying HOME is the best preventative step you can take for your health and the health of others.

We don’t want to hoard masks and limit the amount available to healthcare providers but we do need to be protected. Here is a link to instructions as to how to make your own mask at home – CLICK HERE TO READ

If you are a healthcare professional who may be treating patients infected with the Coronavirus this image shows the recommended protective gear by the CDC –

To read the details of protective gear for healthcare practitioners click HERE

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/hcp/respirator-use-faq.html

In regards to influenza viral transmission they had previously released a guide for effective use which included the following, ‘A surgical mask or fit-tested respirator should be worn by healthcare personnel who are within 6 feet of a suspected or laboratory-confirmed influenza patient’ and further described their use in non-health care settings as, ‘Adults can shed influenza virus 1 day before symptoms appear and up to approximately 5 to 7 days after onset of illness; thus, the selective use of masks (e.g., in proximity to a known symptomatic person) may not effectively limit transmission in the community. Young children, immunocompromised persons of any age, and critically ill patients with influenza can shed influenza viruses in the respiratory tract for prolonged periods. Moreover, because no single intervention can provide complete protection against influenza virus transmission, emphasis should be placed on multiple strategies’. The full guide can be read HERE

https://www.cdc.gov/flu/professionals/infectioncontrol/maskguidance.htm

I am not fearing the virus, but I am taking precautions! That means that anytime you are out and about be mindful and safe, but STAY HOME as much as possible. There are wonderful grocery delivery services through Instacart & Amazon Fresh, also direct delivery from CSA’s or farms such as Farm Fresh To You

  1. RELAX, DON’T STRESS!

Since stress is at the root of over 85% of all illness and disease, you can make yourself HIGHLY susceptible by worrying about this! Stress and anxiety break down the immune system and increases your chances of picking up a virus when exposed to one. So, take a deep breath and try to approach the whole Coronavirus issue from a responsible and preventative way while also being VERY intentional not to get on the negative-thought-hamster wheel of worry and despair – it definitely will not help and in fact, it can hurt.

For those who are highly susceptible to the Coronavirus (elderly, immune compromised or those with other underlying health conditions) limiting exposure means staying home and self-isolating when possible. If you who still have questions or are having a hard time moving past worry, let’s burst a few more myths about the Coronavirus –

    

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Images provided by The World Health Organization

May you be healthy, and may you take action to create your own health!

In Wellness,

Dr. Rachel

 

The Mind-Emotion-Gut Connection

Science is FINALLY catching up to ancient health and wellness knowledge used for thousands of years to both prevent and cure illness and disease. This new paradigm for health has been coined the mind-body movement. Yet, it is only partially beginning to express the deep connection between the mind and the body. We now know that there is a mind-body-emotion connection that impacts our health and wellbeing.

Our mind and our internal thought life create thoughts and thought patterns that then begin to be experienced in the body as emotions. These thoughts and emotions then manifest or materialize within the body impacting health on a cellular level.

Negative thoughts and emotions cause acidity which leads to an imbalance in proper gut function, causes inflammation and a decrease in overall gut health. Since we know that gut health is directly linked to the health of numerous other systems and organ function within the body such as the brain, immune system and entire digestive system function, working towards healing negative thought patterns and processing as well as clearing negative emotions has a powerful impact!

Most of us do not learn effective ways to address our internal landscape, both negative thoughts and negative emotions. This is why taking accountability and seeking to learn new tools and techniques will empower your future health.

When our gut is out of balance it begins to not only negatively effect our physical health but also mental and emotional health. So the cycle of negative thoughts-negative emotions-gut imbalances ends up spinning out of control and feeding the continuation of this cycle which can lead to or trigger symptoms of anxiety and depressions.

If you struggle with mental and emotional health issues, please get the support you need from a professional and also look deeper into your nutrition and gut health as well.

In Wellness,

Dr. Rachel

A Dose of Healing… From Nature?

That’s right, nature delivers a power packed shot of medicine! We are wired to spend time moving our bodies, breathing fresh air, being around trees, grass and beautiful landscapes. But so often us modern busy-bees spend time outdoors, away from computer screens WAY less frequently then our health and wellbeing calls for.

Did you know that most Americans have lowered levels of vitamin D which can lead to depression, lack of energy and even a decreased immune system? That’s right we NEED sunshine. We also need nature. Being in nature reduces anxiety, anger, fear, and stress and increases feelings of wellbeing and happiness. All of which increase our immune system function AND support our parasympathetic nervous system.

The parasympathetic nervous system is one of three divisions of the autonomic nervous system. Sometimes called the rest and digest system, the parasympathetic system conserves energy as it slows the heart rate, increases intestinal and gland activity, and increases gut health, digestion, decreases internal inflammation and acidity.

Exposure to the outdoors not only makes you feel better mentally and emotionally, it increases your physical wellbeing, reducing blood pressure, heart rate, muscle tension, and the production of stress hormones in addition to the benefits of the parasympathetic nervous system.

Research shows that being in nature can reduce stress significantly, which in turn also positively impacts our bodies wellness through how your nervous, endocrine, and immune systems are working. Furthermore, there is a body of evidence, proving what we all know to be true: nature is good for us and has both long and short term mental and physical health benefits.

Some additional health benefits of being out in nature”

  • Produces feelings of calmness & clarity
  • Boosts energy
  • Positively impacts your vision
  • Sunlight helps reduce pain
  • Stimulates brain function

Being in nature for only 20-30 minutes a day has a hugely positive impact on physical, emotional and mental health and wellbeing. It fights depression and anxiety and improves inner peace.

For all of these reasons, as a Doctor of Natural Medicine I highly recommend that people spend more time outdoors, in nature. Try to make it a daily practice. Incorporate nature into your mindfulness and spiritual practices as well as your health and self-care rituls.

Mental Detox, A Game Changer!

We can all relate to how toxic our thought life can be at times. We can easily get sucked into negative and spiraling thoughts. Anxiety filled thoughts. Fearful thoughts. Anger thoughts. Resentful thoughts and more. Once our thought life becomes toxic it sends signals not only to trigger emotions but also to trigger our fight or flight response. This slows digestion, reduces our ability to think with clarity and even disrupts our hormone balance and hormone production.

If you have ever heard the phrase ‘holding onto a resentment is like drinking poison and expecting the other person to die’? Yup, that is one hundred percent a reality within our physiological response to negative and toxic thoughts and thought patterns. Additionally, our self-talk or the thoughts we think about ourselves, when these become negative, they also have a toxic effect on our system. There are also real physical toxins that our mind and brain can be impacted by.

First, it is important to understand what is toxic to the mind (brain) and entire mental system (brain + though life + mindset)? Here are a few:

  • Environmental toxins (the air & pollutants)
  • Foods, beauty products and household products with harmful chemicals in them
  • Stress (mental, physical & emotional stress)
  • Negative thoughts (mind set, self-perception, self-talk & thinking patterns)

How toxins effect the mind (brain) and entire mental system (brain + though life + mindset) –

  • Negative and toxic thoughts and mindsets impact mental and physical health significantly! They even change your body Ph. level and the ability to digest and absorb nutrients properly
  • Impact brain health and can cause brain fog, cause headaches, lead to increased anxiety & depression as well as decrease overall brain function
  • Decrease the brains ability to make and balance hormones and neurotransmitters
  • Decrease the ability to mentally focus

Detoxing and cleansing the mind (brain) and entire mental system (brain + though life + mindset) requires both an outside-in approach AND an inside-out approach simultaneously!

Outside-in detoxing requires behavior changes, supplements and nutritional changes to eliminate toxins and also new, healthier choices.

Inside-out detoxing detoxing requires learning new tools (and applying them) to increase balance in your thought life, overcoming limiting beliefs about yourself and others as well as shifting your overall mindset towards positivity.

What are some of the benefits that you can experience after detoxing and cleansing the mind (brain) and entire mental system (brain + though life + mindset) –

  • A more peaceful thought life
  • Optimized brain function
  • Decrease in health issues
  • Decrease in anxiety and depression symptoms
  • More clarity
  • More joy!

I am so passionate about cleansing and rebalancing the WHOLE self; mind, body, heart & spirit that I created a FREE 30-Day program in partnership with Nupeutics Naturals. You can enroll HERE

 

 

 

The Importance of Emotional Detox and Cleansing

We have all heard of cleanses and detox programs for the body. But what about our emotions??? Yes, our heart can become highly toxic and effect not only our emotional and mental wellbeing and health, it can have a massive negative impact on our physical and spiritual health as well.

First, it is important to understand what is toxic to the heart (emotional system; emotions, relationships with self and others). Here are a few:

  • Heavy metals and toxins – yes these create toxicity that impacts our emotions!
  • Stress (mental, physical & emotional stress)
  • Stuck or unprocessed negative emotions (such as anger, resentment, fear, guilt & shame)

How these toxic things effect the the heart (emotional system; emotions, relationships with self and others) –

  • Negative and toxic emotions and relationships (with yourself and with others) impact emotional, mental and physical health significantly! They even change your body Ph. level and the ability to digest and absorb nutrients properly
  • Can trigger negative DNA markers
  • Decreases immune system function
  • Can (when emotions are suppressed or stored long-term) lead to diseases such as cancer and heart conditions
  • Impact your ability to speak your truth in a kind and loving way, as well as to create and maintain healthy boundaries
  • Decrease the brains ability to remain emotionally balanced
  • Decrease the ability to react appropriately
  • Decreases your ability to show up for yourself and others at your best
  • Gut issues

Detoxing and cleansing the the heart (emotional system; emotions, relationships with self and others) requires both an outside-in approach AND an inside-out approach simultaneously!

Outside-in detoxing requires behavior changes in HOW you react outwardly to negative emotions, releasing negative emotions (or clearing them), supplements and nutritional changes to eliminate toxins and also new, healthier choices as well as honoring your boundaries through action.

Inside-out emotional detoxing requires learning new tools (and applying them) to increase balance in your thought life, resolving core emotional issues, changing HOW you process emotions & forgiveness.

What are some of the benefits that you can experience after detoxing and cleansing the heart (emotional system; emotions, relationships with self and others) –

  • More fulfilling & harmonious relationships with self and others
  • Optimized immune system
  • A more balanced emotional life
  • Decrease in depression & anxiety symptoms
  • Ability to respond to negative emotions in a healthier way
  • More joy!

I am so passionate about cleansing and rebalancing the WHOLE self; mind, body, heart & spirit that I created a FREE 30-Day program in partnership with Nupeutics Naturals. You can enroll HERE

Sometimes It’s Okay to Not Be Okay aka The Self-Care Slump

In the world of self-development, as we each adventure towards balance and our best selves it is easy to fall prey to perfectionism, especially when the going gets tough. In our culture what is the first thing we say when someone asks ‘how are you’? Fine, or even better… good. But we are not always good. I have to be authentic here, the more I was growing, somehow the less I felt it was acceptable for me to ever NOT be okay. That is a mindset that I recently discovered was lurking just below the surface for me. It was a completely unconscious belief that had somehow crept in and made a little nest in my unconscious mind.

The non-sense that belief created was that when I experienced something difficult and was having a hard time ‘rising to the challenge’, I found myself judging and even condemning myself. What the *%&#!!!!?!? I do not believe that it isn’t okay to give myself grace, I am not aligned with that type of self-judgement and harsh inner ciriticism… so why was I treating myself this way in the moments I was not feeling OKAY?

That’s when it hit me, yup… time to let go of some more limiting beliefs that are causing me pain and un-necessary suffering. So I got out the mental machete (the loving one made of unicorns and rainbows) and invited myself to gently cut those beliefs away through some powerful questioning… is it really true? Is it okay to not be okay sometimes? If so, how does that look, what can I give myself permission to do, be and experience exactly what and where I am?

Self-care and self-development is not a punishment or a realm where unrealistic expectations should be entertained, or acted upon. We have all heard ‘it’s a process’ or that balance may look different in different seasons of our life. I know I certainly subscribe to that and teach it as well! But what happens when we ‘seem to’ fall off the self-care and self-development wagon, or when life gets ugly, messy and painful for a season and it feels too hard to even show up, crack open our self-development tool kit, use our tools and take care of ourselves as our best selves would? Can it be okay to go through a tough season and simply allow ourselves to do our best… even if our best doesn’t look or feel like any ‘best’ we ever sought to achieve.

During some really dark times in my life, even recent ones, I have struggled with allowing myself to truly be human. Sometimes the grieving process is uncontrollably messy crying. Sometimes finding your way to the next version of yourself after a huge transition is bumpy, it is supposed to be, life is a grand experiment.

Hang a metaphorical ‘under construction’ sign on yourself and give yourself permission to BE IN PROCESS. This stuff takes time. That isn’t an excuse to give up on growth or showing up for yourself to do the deep work. It is acceptance that today’s steps for growth may be very, very limited and that’s okay for today.

Let’s all try to remember (myself included) that you are not broken. You do not need to fix yourself or change yourself in order to be worthy of love & acceptance. Your true self is perfect. It’s a matter of returning to wholeness, balance & alignment through self-development vs. Self-punishment. Be kind to yourself.

How Did You Get To Live Your Dream?

In a recent interview I was asked, “How did you get here, how did you get to live your dream?”

That was such a powerful question and one that people often don’t share the answer to once they have ‘made it’ to a certain level of success. Not that I have achieved all of my dreams yet, but I am solidly on my path, earning a living at doing what I love AND making a positive impact in the world. 

With the end of 2017 nearing and many of us casting our big dreams and vision for 2018 I have been thinking quite a bit about the steps I have taken in my career. I have been thinking about what has worked, what hasn’t and what I want to create or expand into in this new year.

That being said, I wanted to share with each of you how I answered the powerful question I mentioned above…

Don’t forget to stay connected with my through social media:

Facebook

Instagram

Twitter

Click HERE to view the full 3 minute video!

 

Building a Healthy Relationship with Fear

The emotion of fear gets a bad rap. As a teacher, writer and coach I have seen, read and heard countless blogs, posts, articles, books and conversations about how fear must be eradicated and removed from life. Let’s take a quick step back and access this from a psychological and biological position.

 

  • All emotions are responses that are wired into our makeup and are part of the full spectrum of human emotions and experiences.

 

  • Fear is one of the largest tools for feedback to ensure safety and survival.

 

  • It is impossible to remove our ‘fight or flight’ responses.

 

When we have a healthy relationship with fear it can be a guide versus a roadblock!

 

So why can fear be so awful and crippling at times? How can we learn to harness this normal emotion to better serve us? How can we work with fear versus against it? How can we better understand ourselves and our life through fear? How can we move beyond the negative impacts of fear? How can we experience and create a healthier and more balanced relationship with fear?

 

When we have an unbalanced or unhealthy relationship with fear it can block us from moving forward, having clarity, making good choices, effectively solving problems and overcoming life’s challenges, stressors and obstacles.

 

First, let’s understand health fear…

 

Fear is a response that is meant to warn us and keep us safe. Unfortunately, many people have become ‘triggered’ into a fight or flight or fear based state 24/7 and thus respond to non-threatening issues as if they were life threatening on a physiological level. This means that the things that may not normally cause fear or stress do.

 

Let’s try a shift in our perspective about fear…

 

What if, just what if FEAR was actually there to help you?

What if FEAR was trying to work for your highest good?

 

Here are some simple steps to begin shifting your relationship with FEAR:

 

  1. Reset

Pause and reset versus reacting to fear.

Things like meditation, yoga and even simple breathing exercises can help us get back to a neutral place which will better enable us to evaluate our fear more effectively.

 

  1. Ask Yourself Powerful Questions

Engage your brain in order to get clarity.

Instead of allowing your mind to run away with the fear, as yourself powerful questions that will lead to self-discovery, effective problem solving and solutions. Questions like, ‘why am I feeling fear’, ‘what feedback or alert message is fear trying to share with me’?

 

  1. Assess

Analyze the situation.

Look at the situation that is causing the fear objectively and try to see the bigger picture, the broader meaning or the direction it is leading you towards and ask yourself WHY & HOW.

 

  1. Breath Through It

Process and release the negative aspects of the emotion while keeping the lesson or alert.

Feeling our feelings, then processing them and letting it go or releasing it is an important way to not only move forward more effectively but also to bring more balance to you mentally, emotionally, physically and even spiritually.

 

  1. Make a Plan

Based on your self-discovery and analysis make a plan of actionable steps.

Write out very specific action steps to take to begin moving towards solutions or achieving goals.

 

  1. Get Support

Gain the tools, techniques, mentors, friends or coaches to help you!

Don’t go it alone! Everyone can relate to feelings of fear and also sometimes getting stuck because of them. Talk about it with friends and loved ones, research tools and techniques or even see a life coach (preferably an Integrative Life Coach iwacoaching.com) who can help you become more equipped to handle fear and stressors as well as to overcome their negative effects and successfully move forward.

 

Living A Holistic Life

Living A Holistic Life

By Rachel Eva, C.HT, M.NLP, MTILC

Founder of IWA (Integrative Wellness Academy), Integrative Life Coach & Health Practitioner

 

We hear the word holistic and holism tossed around a lot in integrative wellness and natural medicine. These terms have already flooded the health and wellness markets and made their way into popular culture.

 

But what exactly does this mean?

What is ‘holism’ and how can it be ‘lived’ in everyday life?

 

As the founder of IWA (Integrative Wellness Academy), myself and the IWA team trains and certifies thousands of integrative life coaches each year. As part of how we teach our students to coach their clients we educate them on holism as a core element to help their clients achieve health, success and balance through applying ‘holism’ through the Holistic Life Model, which I will share with you!

 

First, let’s define holistic and holism so you can get some simple clarity. According to dictionary.com, here are the definitions:

 

Holistic –

 

Philosophy – characterized by comprehension of the parts of something as intimately interconnected and explicable only by reference to the whole.

Medicine – characterized by the treatment of the whole person, taking into account mental and social factors, rather than just the physical symptoms of a disease.

 

Holism –

 

The theory that parts of a whole are in intimate interconnection, such that they cannot exist independently of the whole, or cannot be understood without reference to the whole, which is thus regarded as greater than the sum of its parts. Holism is often applied to mental states, language, and ecology.

 

 

What does this mean in more simplistic and applicable terms?

 

Every part of us, our minds (mental), bodies (physical), emotions (emotional) and spirits (spiritual) are interconnected and have an effect on each other, as well as an effect on each of the major areas of life; health, career & finances, family & relationships, spirituality & self-development. Furthermore, each of the major areas of our life have an effect on all aspects or parts of self (the 4 systems); mental, emotional, physical and spiritual. We need to VIEW and CARE care for the whole picture collectively, versus just a few parts in order to live the best life possible.

 

Before I dive in and introduce you to the Holistic Life Model, I need to further share my definitions with you for the four systems or parts of self:

 

Mental –


The Mental System is your thought life, including your self-perception and thought patterns as well as our beliefs and conscious perceptions. This is also the way we view other things out in the world.

 

Emotional –

 

The Emotional System are your feelings and your emotions. It’s also your relationships with other people and also the relationship you have with yourself.

 

Physical =

 

The Physical System is your physical health, as well as the tangible physical things you have in our life.

 

Spiritual –

 

The Spiritual System is our true-self, our personal development, connection to community, world and our connection to a higher power, whatever that definition is or is not for you.

 

The Holistic Life Model

 

The holistic Life Model is living your life, caring for, balancing and bringing health to all aspects of self and all major areas of life, in other words, caring for the whole self with a ‘big picture’ approach.

 

So how exactly can you begin to care for and bring balance to all of these aspects of self? Here are a few steps to begin moving your life towards aligning with and practicing the Holistic Life Model:

 

  1. Set an intention to pay attention to and care for ALL of the systems/aspects of self and all of the major areas of life
  2. Put this intention into daily practice through actions!
  3. Make a ‘to do’ list of actions you can take to bring more wellness, health and balance to each system and to each major area of your life
  4. Schedule it! Put these actions steps into your schedule and stick to them

 

Remember it’s a process, not an event and the goal is to MOVE towards what you want to have, do, be, experience and achieve!

Copyright Dr. Rachel Dew 2019-2021. All Rights Reserved
Privacy Settings
We use cookies to enhance your experience while using our website. If you are using our Services via a browser you can restrict, block or remove cookies through your web browser settings. We also use content and scripts from third parties that may use tracking technologies. You can selectively provide your consent below to allow such third party embeds. For complete information about the cookies we use, data we collect and how we process them, please check our Privacy Policy
Youtube
Consent to display content from - Youtube
Vimeo
Consent to display content from - Vimeo
Google Maps
Consent to display content from - Google
Save