Foundations of Physical Health ⋆ Holistic Lifestyle Guide

This is the first of a three-part blog series, and this post will focus on just the physical foundation of a holistic lifestyle.

You might not have the time to commit to building a new lifestyle, or you might be so overwhelmed with all the information about physical health you might not know where or how to start.

Whichever obstacle you face, the answer is simple and easy; start with the fundamentals. Start small, with one or two changes a day. Some of these changes don’t take any time at all; they are just a matter of making one choice over another. Change is very hard, but we can make it a lot easier.

I like to go back to Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. It is very easy to understand when you see this diagram.

At the bottom are the things every human being needs before anything else. They’re pretty much common sense; food, water, shelter, air, and warmth. If you jump up to the top of the pyramid, you will see personal growth, which is the pinnacle of living a healthy lifestyle.

Once everything falls into place, then personal growth can happen. Now it seems very obvious why most people these days are lacking in the personal growth department! You can’t evolve as a human being if you don’t have your basic needs met.

Here is a video I made explaining Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs in more detail.

Podcast version of this blog post:

The Importance of Nature

Most of our basic needs involve nature: food, water, and sunlight. We also need proper sleep and movement/exercise. Our ancestors got these things every day just by going about their daily activities. Being indoors most of the time can be detrimental to our health, and nature is such a big part of this lifestyle that it practically demands drastic changes on our part.

This includes spending time in nature as much as possible but also living in alignment with nature. I have a downloadable PDF that teaches you everything you need to connect with nature and live in alignment with it.

Healthy Food, Clean Water, and Quality Sleep

The food we eat should ideally be organic and whole, the water should ideally be pure and filtered, and the air, of course, should be good quality. These things are common sense, but since most people don’t do it, it doesn’t hurt to repeat it.

Everyone knows enough sleep is important, but, sadly, it gets pushed to the wayside. A lot of people like to say, “I’ll sleep when I’m dead,” and they remind you that you spend a third of your life sleeping, which is too much. Well, TRUE, but it will catch up with you. Everyone knows that sleep is when the body repairs itself. So doesn’t it make sense to give it the time it needs to do that?

Natural Sunlight

Adequate sunlight is also on this list because Vitamin D supplements aren’t a great substitute for the actual sun. They make lamps now that mimic the sun, but nothing makes you feel quite like the sun does.

If you live in the north like I do, there’s only so much we can do, but this is why when the weather is above freezing and the sun is out, we should get outside for 15 minutes; less if you are pale-skinned and more if you are darker-skinned. Your mental and emotional health depend on Vitamin D.

Exercise and Movement

Exercise and movement are two different things. Exercise is strenuous, such as cardio, weight-training, or aerobic. Movement includes walking, stretching, and gentle activities like easy yoga poses or Qigong. You don’t HAVE to work up a sweat every single day, as long as you aren’t sedentary most of your day, this is adequate enough.

If you work at a desk eight hours a day, it is even more important to get moving when you aren’t working. Getting up to stretch and walk around for a minute regularly is also important. If you are in a sitting position for two or more hours at a time, set a timer to remind yourself to get up and move around.

One of the reasons why adequate regular movement is important is because our lymph system has no pump. It relies on movement to move along all the toxins that it is collecting. Just imagine all the toxins in your body sitting in one place. That sounds pretty unhealthy, doesn’t it? So get up and move and help it along!

One of the best ways to get your lymph moving is to use a rebounder or mini-trampoline. They are portable and easy to use for a few minutes here and there throughout your day.

If you are one of those people who has a hard time starting or finishing your health goals, I understand! This is why I do what I do! It isn’t enough just to learn the information, most people need more structure and guidance. That is why I make planners and printables, they make goals fun! I have many options for you;

Free Holistic Health Printables Starter Pack- This is my free option which gives you the checklists, goal sheet, and assessment to get your on your way to living a healthy holistic lifestsyle immediately at no cost! When you sign up for these free printables, you will also get put on my weekly email list where I give my readers weekly holistic health tips, more freebies, updates on my blog posts, and updates on my new products when they come out. Click the image below to sign up and get your free printables!

I also have a few in-depth planners to help you achieve your physical health goals! If you need a guided, structured way to implement eating healthy and practicing healthy habits in your daily life, this will be all you will need. These are available separately but you will save money when you buy them together. Click the image below to check them out in my Etsy shop!