March, 11th to 17th is the week in which we should be more aware about what we eat and drink. Then again nutrition is not only about the food we eat but also about mental nutrition and the nutrition we gain from our environment which can promote and uplift our physical and mental well-being.
A few simple tools I would like to write down, simple yet not everybody uses them to become healthy and healthier. People will ask: “Can I trust those simple remedies? Will they encourage me to get and follow further advice on the beneficial path of Nature?” As a Naturopathic Nutritionist I will say “of course, try them and see the results”.
Hydration
It is chronic water shortage in the body which causes most of the diseases. I will not tell you now you have to drink 2 litres of water each day and then you will be fine. No, there is much more to hydration than that.
We must think about the quality of the water; is it spring water we are drinking? Filtered or bottled water? If we filter, do we re-mineralise the water? What is the pH of the water? And many other questions which seem to be exhausting but how much research is your health worth?
You may know that our body is in best working condition if its pH is between 7.2 – 7.3 and therefore, we need to keep it at this level with alkaline food and liquids. As an example: Coffee has a pH of 4 which is very acidic and not beneficial for our body to function (the brain is yet another thing I shall not go into here) and is diuretic which means it dehydrates our body even more. As a result, you need 4 cups of hydrating water to neutralise the effects of that one cup of coffee. How many people drink more than one cup of coffee a day?
What do you give your garden plants and trees to drink so they can grow tall and beautifully? Water! So why do we need to drink anything else then or why do we give our children something else which is not beneficial for their growth and happiness? I know, I sound like the murderer of all fun but I would like you to think about your habits and their effects.
Nonetheless, it’s not only water you can hydrate your body with, but also natural fresh juices, fresh soups, vegetables and fruit containing a high amount of water. All these can be taken into consideration.
When we talk about hydration, we must mention Essential Fatty Acids (EFAs). They are, as the name suggests “essential” for hydration and for the body to do its work. Most people lack omega-3 fatty acids, highly needed especially by growing children since the brain will need it to get all the learning and homework done.
Diet
What else can we do on our way to good health? Cleaning up our diet and taking the stress out of our digestive system (very important to keep in mind: a happy and good working digestive system is more than a big step towards health-especially brain health if we think of all the mental issues which have increased in the last years). There are no general rules on how to clean up our diet. There are of course suggestions such as cut out gluten (in which case you need to make sure you get enough fibre from other food otherwise it can also end up with constipation and gas), avoid dairy products and eat fresh, organic vegetables and fruit as much as possible. As I always say to my clients, I would rather they add beneficial food into their diets than telling them what they are not allowed to eat. Once you have started giving your body the essential food it needs it will automatically reduce the desire to have the unhealthy.
Emotions and Environment
Finally, a few words about our emotions and the environment we live in. We’ve all noticed the connection between our moods and our body’s reaction. If our mind is happy, our body is happy, if we have negative thoughts, our body will respond with maybe some itching here or pain there and so on. Talk to somebody – friends, family – if you are unhappy or worried. Do not let toxic thoughts stay in your mind. They will eventually turn into physical unwellness.
The same should happen with toxins around us. Think about the pollution, the chemicals, the electromagnetic frequencies which influence you constantly. Our body needs much more antioxidants when exposed to these toxins. If you have tried everything to get better but nothing is working, it might be worth having a look at your environment for the cause.
These are just a few tips for those of you looking for a more natural answer to gaining more energy, better physical and mental health, and a happier lifestyle. Do you have a goal regarding your physical and mental well-being? Take it step by step and you will get there. The use of nature and its remedies is a journey not a quick fix.
Be healthy, be natural, be happy.
Photo by Linus Nylund and Erda Estremera on Unsplash
