Now, you may not have asked; that said, I would like to share my answer to this very important question, and I would love your feedback.
To me, health equates to homeostasis. It is our ability to maintain a sense of balance in ALL areas of life . . . which means, having the awareness of when we are feeling off balance and learning how to honor ourselves before the scales get tipped too far.
On the mental level, it may be learning to check-in on our mindset. Is our self-talk positive . . . are we taking social media breaks . . . are we journaling our thoughts?
On the physical level, it may be asking ourselves “where is my energy level at?” “Am I feeling energetic or lethargic?” . . . “Did I drink enough purified water?” “Did I feed my mitochondria with organic, nutrient-dense foods?” “Did I move and stretch my body?” “Did I allow for breaks and get enough rest?”
On the emotional level, it is understanding how our thoughts and emotions may be affecting our energy level and motivation, and learning how to acknowledge and embrace our emotions and when to ask for help.
On the spiritual level, it may be making sure to spend time in nature, getting grounded, and connecting to Source and/or spending time self-reflecting and asking ourselves “am I living by my core values or am I compromising them?”
Lastly (and for the sake of keeping this brief), on the social level, are we surrounding ourselves with supportive and positive people in which we feel accepted, respected, and safe?
Nutrition, I see, as the foundation of ALL life.
Why?
ALL life processes require energy to sustain.
In much of the published literature, you will notice macronutrients are considered carbohydrates, fats, and proteins and micronutrients are considered vitamins, minerals, and phytochemicals. However, I consider both oxygen and water to be macronutrients as well—especially when we consider that both are needed in large amounts and are vital for proper cellular function.
During my time of study, at the Energetic Health Institute, I learned how to use, what is called, The Cycle of Influencing Energy. A simple, yet, sophisticated concept, designed by Dr. Helene Ealy, to assist us in the understanding of how our bodies speak to us.
It explains how everything about us is interconnected and how all aspects of ourselves are continuously influencing one another. Hence, the term holistic. The cycle begins with our emotions (how we feel) which influences our anatomy (our bodily structure), which then acts on our physiology (how our bodily structures function) which then influences our biochemistry (our cellular energy production), which then affects our energetics (energy flow through our body), and then loops back and works on our emotions, once again.
The beauty of The Cycle of Influencing Energy is that it offers five points of entry for us to start shifting from an energy draining situation to an energy generating situation. Therefore, no matter at what point we enter in upon, the opening of energetic pathways and centers begins with our awareness of the situation and our commitment to action(s) necessary to change the situation. Energy can now be regained . . . start to flow freely. . . and the process of whole person healing is underway.
I view The Cycle of Influencing Energy as a thoughtful approach to learning the art of self-care, self-compassion, and love of self.
Any thoughts? I would love to hear them.
Thanks for reading. :)
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