New Way to View Self-Care

We are all unique individuals with unique health needs that require unique self-care practices. Unfortunately not all behaviors and practices labeled or marketed as "healthy" translate into being healthy, supportive or balancing for you. The key to self-care is "tuning-in" to what it is your body and mind needs then selecting daily "inputs" and "practices" that best match those needs.

It is not as hard as you think! The body and mind will provide clues, you just need a process for how to better listen. With a little practice and guidance, you can easily work towards healthy balanced living simply by altering the daily choices you are already making each day.

MANAGING YOUR INPUTS

Everyday you eat, take in fluids, breath and interact with the world around you- but are you engaging in these behaviors in a way that is supporting your unique health needs? How you manage your daily "inputs", (food, water, breath, perceptions-use of senses) provide opportunities that can either promote balance or trigger imbalances within the body and mind.

ADAPTING DAILY PRACTICES BASED ON YOUR NEEDS

Eating right, sleeping well, managing stress and staying active are all basic needs and form the foundation for good health and prevention of chronic disease. However daily tasks and commitments can often overwhelm the body and mind and easily derail you from properly tending to these needs.

Good news is that you can always hit the reset button simply by altering your daily activities. What you select, when you select and how much you select can all create different effects on your body/mind, and can be used as tools to "re-sync" with yourself and your specific health needs.

Daily Challenge: How are you using your healthy living tools?

When life is busy it is common to adjust "inputs" and "lifestyle" practices to fit your schedule, instead of adjusting your schedules to better match your health needs. Self-care is taking the time to make sure your are giving your body and mind what it needs to function at its best. For this daily challenge practice self-care by "tuning-in" and listening for messages your body and mind may be sending throughout the day. These messages can be sent as physical symptoms like hunger, or as thoughts or emotions. Then practice responding to your body's need with the appropriate healthy living tool.

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Cheryl Block , Director & Founder of Healthy Inputs, is a Holistic Health Nurse, Ayurvedic Practitioner & Yoga Teacher that offers healthy living consults, counseling and coaching to help people optimize their health & well-being