At what point in our recent history did the term healthy lifestyle become equated with things that are boring, tasteless, or lacking in what we enjoy? It is often aligned with sacrifice -- giving things up to achieve something else.
Additionally, the notion of a healthy lifestyle can be matched to trends like fad diets or extreme exercise. However you spin the concept it has taken substantial effort to describe it as a positive way of life that encompasses all of our needs -- including physically, mentally, and emotionally.
So how do we define a healthy lifestyle in terms of what we gain rather than what we give up?
Nutritional Health
This doesn’t mean you have to convert to vegetarianism and eat only foods labeled organic. It means you make mindful choices about what you put into your body based on what is fresh, whole, and free from additives or toxins. It also relates to eating a varied, balanced selection of proteins, fats, vegetables, and fruits that are rich in vitamins and minerals. If you love to bake you can substitute gluten-free flour to create healthy baking recipes.
This is an area where bad habits were built over time and require time to reverse. Make small, but positive changes in what you eat, and those changes will become easier and more welcome.
Physical Health
To put it bluntly -- move your butt. Our often-sedentary lifestyle has indulged us in creature comforts combined with torpor. Lost muscle mass, decreased flexibility, and diminished stamina do not bode well for a long life free from disease or other detrimental health conditions. Exercise doesn’t require special equipment. You can walk, run, and dance on your own two legs. Get your heart pumping and breathe some life into your dormant muscles.
Creative Health
Your brain requires some exercise too. Ask yourself what ignites your interest or passion? Writing or drawing? Jigsaw puzzles or knitting? Move the cogs and gears of your mind just as you do your body. Enroll in a class or go back to school. Learn to play a musical instrument. Whatever you determine to be the outlet that drives your creativity, choose it then attack it with fervor. And one of the great things about creativity is that it can be shared. Enlist your friends to pool everyone’s talents -- form a book club, create a string quartet, or paint a neighborhood mural. Creativity is not just contained within. It can reach beyond self and collectively engage those in your sphere for enjoyment and enlightenment.
Social-Emotional Health
Isolation has been a difficult reality during the last couple of years. The irony is that while quarantining contributed to remaining healthy in one respect, it affected many quite negatively as social connections were dramatically severed. If you desire to make changes toward a healthy lifestyle then evaluating your social-emotional health as well as reconnecting with family, friends, and colleagues is essential to rejuvenate your sense of community and purpose.
It is always vital to remember that no one is alone. We often say we’re alone or lament that isolation has driven our spirits downward, but there are resources for comfort and support. Never forget to ask. Sometimes just letting someone know that you have reached a low point is the first step in rising above loneliness and rediscovering that with a little effort you have a world woven with connections.
A healthy lifestyle doesn’t have to look like a superfood smoothie or a hot yoga membership. It doesn’t necessarily have to be visible at all. It is a concept, a way of life derived from deep within us to commit to habits and changes that guide our existence toward healthy eating, consistent physical activity, creative pursuits, and social bonds. We all would benefit from taking a cognizant approach to what we eat, how we move, how we create, and who we connect with to ensure we lead fulfilling lives capable of both small and great things and never regret what we leave behind.
Would you like to make an easy and tasty change to your diet in pursuit of better health and more energy? Well, baking with gluten-free flour is one easy option. It is some of the healthiest flour for baking and ideal for creating tasty and healthy baking recipes.
