Total Health & Wellness

Total Health & Wellness

When we look at what is happening in the world today, we have to look at the total health and well-being of our lives, and take stock in knowing that what we do now impacts us forever. As an individual that lives and breathes fitness, I understand all to well that in order to lead; I have to share that knowledge with my family and friends.

I changed my lifestyle to reflect a total health change. When we think of a lifestyle change we think of just the surface and what we can physically see; such as our meals and our exercise routine. We look at what we are putting in our bodies, the foods we eat and how those foods are prepared. We also must take the time to change the products we clean our house with, and lastly, changing how we store our food and what we use to store foods.

When we make a change for the better, we feel better. It's all about baby steps and making one change a time until you have made the complete transformation. I know it ultimately seems like a lot, and it seems more time consuming than anything; but when the good outweighs the bad then we can consider that SUCCESSFUL! So let's delve into the Total Health & Wellness process!

When we look at our overall health, when it comes to food...natural whole foods are best! Oftentimes, we see people taking the step to change their eating habits and lifestyle, but they are unsure of where to start or begin. Whole foods are our fresh fruits and vegetables, the breakdown of carbohydrates, proteins and fats; and the ultimate key to health is our WATER intake! As our bodies are made up mostly of water, we also have to stay hydrated and replenish what we use. Another key to understanding this lifestyle (not DIET) is eating the rainbow, and foods in their natural state. Brown rice, cane sugar (brown), whole wheat, oats and whole wheat pastas. Carbohydrates are a necessity, so when you hear people say cut out carbs......DON'T! It's about eating balanced meals inclusive of complex carbohydrates instead of simple carbohydrates (processed).

As a nutrition coach, it is my duty to ensure that you understand the process. During the coaching process, you go through steps of understanding why your eating patterns are such, mindful eating and tasting the food, as well as how you feel when eating (happy, sad, settled, angered). There is also the natural medicines that assist in building our immune systems (Seamoss, Black Seed Oil, Elderberry Syrup, Moringa, etc.) just to name a few. Let's use what comes from the earth to live longer healthier lives.

Next, we have to think of the household cleaning products we use in our homes. Are they safe? Free from harmful chemicals? Safe for use around kids? I have to admit, that I was taught to use bleach, Lysol and other products to clean my home. If you didn't have the smell of bleach, your house wasn't considered clean and sanitized. There are various products that are better not only for the environment, but your family's health. I recently joined an online shopping club, and I have to say the products do the same as the other brands and you can clean inside of your home without having to open every window. Let's make environmentally friendly choices to complete the package.

Lastly, food storage is key and I know that many of us grew up with our families using plastic Tupperware, and once the microwave came out it was easier to store and heat our food. My husband and I have done a complete overhaul of our kitchen and food storage containers; and that meant using glass containers that are better, don't stain and don't add carcinogens to our food upon heating in a microwave. We also got rid of the microwave, and decided on a counter top convection oven that does EVERYTHING! It was an adjustment, but I am still getting the necessary nutrients from my food, and I feel better about the choices for my family and I. Cooking is now becoming more enjoyable for myself, as I and my husband are working together to provide the BEST for our family! No expense spared!

As you go on with your daily life, please be mindful that when you think about your health and well-being please think of the total package! Your life is not one dimensional, so why would you life it as if it is one dimensional.

Total Health & Wellness!