Physical Health Week

We are kicking off the second week of our Whole Health Initiative series, and this week we will be discussing the importance of our Physical Health.

We know that our mental and physical health often go hand in hand, so when our physical health is struggling, our mental health might start to struggle or even new mental health challenges may arrive. This doesn’t mean that when our physical health is at 100%, our mental health will also, but it does mean that when we start taking small actions and creating new habits to improve our physical health, our mental health will often benefit as well.

Taking steps to improve your physical health might seem like a lot of work, sometimes it is! I want to talk about just three things we can do daily to start improving our physical health and get us moving in the right direction to an overall healthier lifestyle.

Be active! I know this one sounds a little scary, but you don’t have to run a marathon to be physically active! Start small- take a walk around the neighborhood, plant some seeds or do some gardening, even taking the stairs when you could’ve used an elevator is being physically active. Being active looks different for everyone, make it about you and something you enjoy.

Get enough sleep! Many people struggle to get a good night’s sleep. Getting good, quality sleep is important so that we can efficiently do the other things that will improve our physical health. There are things we can do to improve the quality and amount of sleep we’re getting, some helpful tips might include- limiting your caffeine intake starting 6 hours before you go to sleep, avoid eating a heavy meal before going to bed, make your bedroom as comfy as possible: cool, dark, quiet; go to bed at the same time every night and wake up at the same time every morning creating a regular pattern of sleeping your body can predict, use a relaxation method before you go to sleep in order to calm your body. If you have trouble falling asleep at night or if you wake up in the middle of the night and can’t fall back asleep, get out of bed and do something until you’re tired enough to go back to bed. Don’t lie in bed thinking about other things- this will make you feel aggravated and sleep more difficult.

Create healthy eating habits! This can be difficult because some people find eating healthy less satisfactory, more expensive and the numerous other factors that prevent us from eating healthy. It is up to you, in your best judgment to make a conscious decision on what you’re fueling your bodies with and how this is affecting your physical health. Some quick, day to day changes that can be made to monitor what we’re consuming could be having a glass of water with dinner rather than a pop, picking out fruit for a snack rather than a bag of chips. Maybe when going out to eat, instead of the fried chicken every time we can replace it with grilled chicken occasionally (maybe, this one is hard!). It is your body, and you are the keeper. Eat what makes you feel happy, healthy, and successful.

As we continue this week, we will talk more about physical health benefits, how we can get and stay physically active, and more!

When we improve our physical health, we improve the overall quality of our lives.

By choosing to be physically active, we are taking preventative measures to stay healthy in the long run. Being physically healthy even promotes positive mental health!

How do you plan on being physically active today?

Being active meets you where you're at!

Every day we can make small changes to improve our physical health. Make realistic goals, do what you enjoy, be honest about what you can and are willing to do, and make it fun!

Today I am making a conscious effort to take breaks from my computer and sitting to walk around, get moving, and enjoy my environment and surroundings.

What will you do today to improve your physical health?