Our Refining Our Focus Challenge for July is to focus on Overall Wellness.
Do you prioritize daily, consistent focus on natural healing and overall wellness? They each play a vital role in finding happiness in life.
Don’t we all want to have great health and to go out and have all the experiences?
I believe we do. However, I have noticed an ever-growing trend of many (including myself) feeling like that goal often isn’t all that obtainable. We feel like we are doing all of the right things and can’t pinpoint where we are going wrong.
Let me be clear that I am NOT saying that we never feel good or ready to take on the world. However, I see and hear about alarming statistics of struggles with many health issues, including the following (and many more):
- depression
- lack of energy
- battles with weight loss/gain
- hormonal imbalances
- infertility
- sleep struggles
- constant sickness
- ADD/ADHD
While these are not new to society, I believe they have become far more common than they used to and should be.
What Can We Do to Achieve Overall Wellness?
Honestly, it would do us all some good to do some research. I have spent the last 3 or so years researching for myself and how to overcome my own struggles. It has been worth every bit of my time. I am excited to share many of the outcomes of implementing my research into my own lifestyle.
I have learned that there are many ailments and even many cases of “incurable” diagnoses that can be managed through natural healing. Some can even be eliminated. Pills and medications are not the only option or even the best option in many cases for overall wellness.
Our bodies are incredible!
We have been given the most precious gift. Our bodies! They are capable of more than we give them credit for.
However, so often they are unable to do their jobs because we are not providing the necessary elements for them to function properly.
I want to be clear that there I am not a physician. This is all from MY own experience. Be sure to do your own research to decide what is best for you and your situation.
Also, there is SOOOO much more to achieving overall wellness than what I will be sharing with you in this post. This is just a fraction of what I have been working on and learned.
We plan to do more posts similar to this, so stay tuned. I feel confident in saying that these 7 changes I have made have had a noticeably positive impact on my overall wellness.
1. Daily Exercise
This is a pretty obvious one, but I am going to start with it because of its level of importance. I’ve always known the basics of why we should exercise. I’ve always been active to different degrees during different periods of life. Learning about what my body is capable of has been amazing and empowering.
Like most people, working out has always been part of my weight focus. That outlook has evolved to become so much more for me than just about getting into shape (which is also important, of course). Consistent exercise/movement really gave my mood, confidence, energy and sleep all a much-needed boost.
Do your own research to find what works best for you. I have found that low-impact (yoga, Pilates, etc.) and strength training (boosts metabolism) have been highly beneficial for me with weight loss and balancing my hormones.
What about cardio?
While not bad options, HIIT and other cardio workouts did not provide with the same overall benefits. I still do cardio, but after I began studying more on the topic and testing different methods out. However, I don’t emphasize nearly as much as I used to. There will be a future post elaborating on this.
I point that out because so many try the same exercises over and over again and may get frustrated with the results. I’ve been there! What works for some may not be the best option for you and won’t provide the same results.
What works for you? There are so many options out there to try out.
2. Salt and Electrolytes
Salt is BAD, right? I used to almost pride myself on the fact that I was ok without adding extra salt into my diet because of all of the negatives I have heard over the years. However, I stumbled upon information on the necessity of salt and electrolytes for our bodies by accident. I am so grateful that I did! After continued research and testing it out, I am sold on the value of adding high quality salt into our diets.
I have always been a water drinker. In college, I remember being a little embarrassed sometimes about how often I would have to get up and use the restroom. I used to get headaches if I didn’t drink enough water and I developed what I thought was a healthy habit of constantly drinking water. Even with that, I often still felt thirsty at the end of the day.
This only got worse once I became a mother and was nursing my babies. Constantly drinking all day and throughout the night when I would wake up with them. Headaches and seemingly never-ending thirst remained a problem.
Result of Adding Salt and Electrolytes into My Daily Routine
What I didn’t realize was that I was missing important nutrients from electrolytes and salt to help my body to properly hydrate. There are other options out there, but I use an electrolyte mix by Redmond, called Redmond Re-Lyte every day now, and absolutely love it.
Redmond Real Salt is a great dietary addition because of the necessary and natural trace minerals in it that you don’t get in just any salt on the market.
Drinking water is still a priority, but so is drinking Re-Lyte in the morning and occasionally more later in the day, if necessary. I do not hold back on my salt intake. I now drink a reasonable amount of water each day and don’t need to drink at night anymore. Headaches are also no longer an issue!
3. Sugar Intake
I know…this can be a tough one. I thought this would be way harder than it actually ended up being. This doesn’t necessarily mean zero sugar! There is actually a lot to sugar and how to manage it, but I will just point out a few things that are notable.
When I first experimented with my sugar intake, I actually gradually cut it out completely. For quite some time, I only consumed natural sugars and even limited those to a reasonable degree.
I also began pairing anything with glucose in it (carbs and sugars) with a healthy fat and/or protein. This helps keep the sugar spike lower and would not throw my hormone balance off quite as much.
What Makes Sugar Such a Big Deal When Seeking Overall Wellness?
Our bodies react to different things in different ways. Sugar may lead to type 2 diabetes in some. It may cause hyperactivity, major energy crashes, or depression in others. There are many known effects of sugar on our health.
I do not believe it should be eliminated. I do believe it is something to learn to manage based on each individual’s body.
Please note: be aware of artificial sweeteners. I’ll say it again. Do. Your. Research. I have felt pretty good about stevia leaf and monk fruit as sweeteners, but still learning. Others, I personally stay away from completely.
How Has Managing My Sugar Intake Helped Me Heal?
Throughout my life I have had some down times, but to a fairly normal degree. They were completely manageable. Later in life, I began to deal with a lot of hormonal imbalances (a result of PCOS), which caused more issues in that department.
Once I began having children, it all worsened and I began dealing with more and more bouts of depression, and they became much more concerning over time. I mention this because I have now discovered a huge correlation with my sugar intake and depression.
During the time when I cut out processed sugars, I did not have a single issue with depression! NOT ONE!
Since my experiment, I have noticed a huge change every time my sugar intake increases or I don’t consume it properly. I deal with a slump either later that day or it will hit hard the next day. This has consistently been the case and I have learned to manage it better.
I have learned more about my body and what it can handle and how to better manage those glucose spikes. You can, too!
4. Processed Foods
Here’s another one that can be tough. Keep in mind that I’m not saying to eliminate them all at once, or even completely. I still have plenty of work to do, here, but I have made huge strides.
I feel so much better and energized when I am doing well with this one. Working on this one will greatly impact your overall wellness.
So many everyday foods are processed and just part of life for many of us. If you are in a habit of eating a lot of processed foods, do not stress it. Take it slow. One thing that has worked great for me, is to find better options as I learn.
Learn about which ingredients to be wary of and which ones are beneficial. Homemade foods are technically the best option. If that’s your goal, that’s fantastic. I want to be realistic for the majority of us here.
Natural healing doesn’t require perfection. Don’t beat yourself up if you bought hamburger buns from the store instead of making them. Just look for a better option, when possible. Decide what your priorities are for what to make and what to buy and look for options with better ingredients.
Often, the better option is even a lower price; we just need to learn to look at the ingredients and to know what exactly we are putting into our bodies.
5. Raw Milk
Raw milk can be controversial for some but has become something that I feel very strongly about. I hesitated to include it since I can’t show as easily what I strongly believe it has done for me.
After over 7 years of having either no period or absolutely terrible periods, I now have had over 8 months of a completely regular cycle. No more missed or painful cycles or waves of varying emotions. This wonderful trend started shortly after incorporating raw milk into my diet.
I guess this could be a combination of many different things I have been implementing over the last couple of years as I’ve worked towards overall wellness. However, I find it hard to believe that raw milk is not a huge factor, here, because of how everything timed out.
Why I Began Drinking Raw Milk for My Overall Wellness
I have done my own research and feel 100% confident with myself and my family consuming it. Drinking raw milk is not only not bad, but it is packed full of benefits. It is the natural form of milk and excellent for healing. Here are just a few benefits:
- Packed full of probiotics – we have all heard plenty about the need for probiotics in our diets. This is an excellent and natural option other than a supplement. Your gut will thank you!
- Digestible – easy to digest, especially compared to pasteurized milk, allowing many who have been unable to have dairy to consume it. Pasteurized milk is tough to digest because of how much it has been changed after the exposure to heat.
- Healthy fats – we have been trained to steer clear of fat, but our bodies and minds need healthy fats to function properly. Tallow and lard are also great options.
6. Beef Liver
Do you struggle with fatigue? If so, this one is a huge game-changer. I promise this doesn’t have to be disgusting. You can do this many ways. Look up options or recipes that sound appealing to you.
- Beef Liver Capsules – I don’t take many supplements, but, unless I have consumed liver in another way, these are always part of my morning routine.
- Liver Pate – there are so many recipes for this that hide the fact that you are eating liver very well and are actually pretty tasty.
- Meatballs – This is next on my list to try for using the beef liver we have in the freezer. I have heard great things and you mix it with ground beef, so it takes some of the potency out.
- So much more. Do some looking around on Pinterest or on a Google search. There are so many options, including eating small pieces raw like a pill (working up the courage to try this option…not quite there…).
Why Beef Liver?
It is packed full of nutrients and benefits. These include vitamins A, B6, B12, C, folate, choline, antioxidants, protein, and much more. Finding clean, high-quality liver is vital. Grass-fed is highly recommended.
7. Gratitude Journal
I may have this listed last, but it is far from being the least important. We make this life what we choose to make of it. It is natural to think of healing just in for our bodies. Mental health is just as important for overall wellness.
Have you ever read Corrie Ten Boom’s memoir The Hiding Place? Wow. Corrie and her family, show us an amazing example of allowing gratitude to take precedence in our lives. The influence it has on us is incredible!
I had kept a gratitude journal for 1 week as part of a #givethanks challenge back in 2020. It was amazing! Unfortunately, I stopped after that week. When my husband was given short notice for a deployment a few short weeks after moving to a new duty station, I knew I would need some help to stay positive at times. I made it part of my daily routine while he was gone.
There were days when I had to search pretty deep to find what I was grateful for that day. However, most days, it helped me to be mindful of the good throughout the day. I would think more about it during the day so I could have something to write. This habit has continued and I love it!
I challenge you to keep one and pay attention to what it does for you and your overall positivity in life.
Natural Health, Overall Wellness and Happiness
I feel better than I have in over 7 years! It’s taken some time, but I have also spent a lot of time asking doctors, thinking they’d help. There are many who will. I was not lucky enough to find one. While frustrating, it did lead to self-sufficiency in my own natural ways of healing as a result. I continue to seek medical attention when necessary. However, when I don’t get the answers or help I need, I know to pray and research until I find what feels right.
We will be sharing more about these in the future, but here are some other aspects of overall wellness to note:
- Get out in nature and sunshine. Often.
- Get enough sleep.
- Include sufficient amounts of protein in your diet.
- Include healthy fats in your diet.
- Reduce toxins in your life.
Where to go from here to reach overall wellness?
This is completely up to you. I have learned how to better listen to my body and how to find answers for myself. The road to health and happiness requires consistency. This means there is no finish line but requires daily attention. Do not let this overwhelm you. Start where you are and take one step at a time. It can feel like too much at times, but it gets easier. I promise.
You will most likely take some steps backwards at times. That’s ok! Just don’t let it become your norm again.
Discipline yourself. Make a list of things that will keep you going strong. You can also find some tips and motivation here.
What about YOU?
As you work towards achieving overall wellness, what has worked for you? Comment below or follow us on Facebook and Instagram to share your experiences.
