Being in the best of health isn’t down to making one change. There is no ‘one pill fix’.
Take into account that your health state now is likely to have been influenced by several factors and it may have taken months, or even years, to get to where you are now and you may find yourself asking “Where do I start?”
Individuality
This probably isn’t news to you but there is no ‘one size fits all’ solution – not everyone responds in the same way. This is down to the fact that each and every one of us is unique, with a very individual genetic make up. What may be a beneficial change for one person may actually be detrimental for another. This makes finding the right starting point even more difficult!
So, what should you do? Here are a few tips to get you on the right track.
Take a breath
Stop! Focus on breathing. Ruminating (the constant hamster wheel of thoughts with no conclusion) over where to start can increase stress and lead to further confusion and anxiety. You have made a decision to take control of your health and move on. You have already taken one of the most important steps.
The act of taking time to focus on your breathing can actually work wonders for the body and mind. It is known to support healthy blood pressure, alleviate stress, clear the mind and even strengthen the immune system.
Complete a health timeline
Starting from birth, write down all the health issues, symptoms, operations, medications and events that have occurred so far in your life. Adding in dates gives you an idea of how long some factors may have been playing a role. For some people a health timeline is an invaluable tool as it allows them to see that some of their symptoms may have been around for longer than they thought, or indeed may have occurred at a similar time to another event.
Isolate your ultimate goal
What exactly do you want? Aiming to be in good health can cover many things –what exactly are you looking for? A reduction in a specific symptom? Complete alleviation of an issue? To drop a dress size? Improve your memory? Build muscle?
Knowing exactly what you want to achieve can help you to pinpoint steps to take to achieve your goal. Write your ultimate goal down and remind yourself daily of what you want. Use visualisation to actually see what it would be like when you reach your goal. This can all help with motivation, clarity and staying on the right track.
Think ‘Too much or too little’
Take some time to really think about what you do in excess or feel you don’t do enough of. Now is the time to be honest with yourself – you don’t have to share your list. If you feel guilty and don’t want to add something to the list, it may well be an indication that you already know it is an issue. Once you have completed your list you may be surprised to find that you may already know one or two places to start.
It could be something as simple as not drinking enough water, not enough ‘me-time’ or a lack of sleep. Or it could be too much time using social media, sitting at a desk for too long or over-indulging in wine or chocolate in the evenings.
Work on one item from your ‘too much’ list and one from your ‘too little’ list to start with and see how you feel after a few weeks.
Consult a qualified health professional
Working out what factors have led to your health state may be difficult and a qualified health professional such as a health coach, nutritional therapist, naturopath or life coach can give an objective view on what is going on. They can then guide you on the right path for your particular circumstances and offer support along the way.
Hopefully with these suggestions you have enough to work on to begin your journey to optimal health.
Kelly
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Kelly Rose Nutrition Consultancy 