0 Shares

We live in a fast-paced world. We work hard, we play hard, and we rush through life feeling “just okay,” or even lousy. We think of our health as a checklist or a danger, something to be managed like a chore or fixed like a leaky sink. And then we wonder why we aren’t happy!

“Holistic health takes a big-picture

view of your life, and treating your health

in this way can reward you with

a happier, healthier life.”

Here’s a better way to look at your health: holistically. Holistic means “wholly,” as in the whole thing–your whole life, not just your BMI or your immune system or your bones, but your entire body and your entire mind, including your happiness. Holistic health takes a big-picture view of your life, and treating your health in this way can reward you with a happier, healthier life.

'Holistic health takes a big-picture view of your life, which can reward you with a happier, healthier life.'Click To Tweet

Diet, medicine, and more: in with the good, out with the bad

What you eat matters more than you might think. You know that poor eating makes you fat and unhealthy, but you might be surprised to learn just how clearly scientists have been able to establish that diet affects mood and happiness. But, of course, it makes sense: if you eat well, you’ll feel good, so you’ll be happy. If you eat poorly, you’ll feel sick, out of breath, fat, and tired, so you’ll be unhappy. It’s pretty straightforward stuff.

Then there are the other things you put in your body. In terms of drugs, only what your doctor prescribes should find its way into your system. You can also take other non-prescription things, like dietary supplements. Natural supplements and a good multivitamin will go a long way towards keeping your body happy.

What you don’t eat or do is as important as what you do eat or do, so pay attention to your bad habits. Try to eat less of the unhealthy things in your diet, and make it a priority to cut out excessive recreational drug use–including alcohol. In fact, quitting alcohol entirely is a good idea. If you struggle with alcohol or drug abuse, it’s essential that you get help. Search online for a good rehab facility with the special treatments you need, and join a twelve-step program or a similar organization to help you stay clean. And speak with mental health experts (psychiatrists, psychologists, and substance abuse counselors), because addiction has a serious affect on your mind–which brings us to the next section.

'Your mental health and mindset play a huge role in overall health--and a holistic approach to health considers this.'Click To Tweet

Your health and your mind

Your mental health and your mindset play a huge role in your overall health, and a holistic approach to health considers these factors as important as any physical ones.

Mental health, like physical health, requires monitoring, care, and treatment. So make a mental health professional a part of your health routine, and make visits as often as he or she says you should. Identify and treat issues like depression and anxiety. Seeking help is the best thing that you can do.

Your mindset and your state of mind are a part of your mental health, but caring for them and all of your mental health needs shouldn’t end when you leave the psychologist’s office. Focus on your mental well-being at home, too. You can tweak everything from the color of your walls to the nature of your personal relationships in order to create the safest and healthiest space for your mind that you can.

It’s also a great idea to challenge your brain or relax your mind. Consider adding habits to your daily routine that stimulate your mind or soothe it. Take up a hobby that requires either quick thinking or concentration (or, better yet, two hobbies that each require one). Start meditating, as so many others have.

“When you approach your health

holistically, you’ll soon see that healthy choices

include plenty of options that treat your

body and your mind at once.”

Mind and body

You can also combine your health needs–after all, the entire idea here is that everything about your health is connected. You’ll need exercise as well as a good diet to keep your body healthy, so why not try yoga or another activity that will relax your mind? You need to shop for healthy foods, so why not also focus on taking the mental stress out of grocery shopping–perhaps by heading to a smaller, less stressful grocer with locally grown produce? Better yet, you could start a garden, gaining a hobby that produces healthy food while being mentally soothing and physically demanding.

When you approach your health holistically, you’ll soon see that healthy choices include plenty of options that treat your body and your mind at once. By making these choices, you’ll be improving your whole health.