Last updated on October 11th, 2023 at 12:04 pm
When it comes to health, every individual and health enthusiast swears that their diet is the best, be it the conventional omnivorous diet, veganism, pescetarianism, Mediterranean diet, carnivorism, keto, or even fruitarianism. And maybe they are not wrong after all, they’ve tried it and can attest to the effectiveness.
Health and the best diet per individual can be very relative, you have to find what works for you. However, long-term sustainable holistic health goes beyond one’s diet. To achieve this type of health, there are common factors across the board, across all diet groups and I believe that’s what makes the difference in the long run.
Everyone who has been able to implement long-term positive changes to their health and even reversed their illnesses does one or more, if not all of these:
Natural foods:
They eat as many natural foods as possible. They consume minimal to zero processed foods and eat home-cooked foods and organic foods where possible. They also heavily include fruits and vegetables in their diet. Regardless of their diet group, they move away from the traditional conventional diet, and even when they indulge it’s few and far between.
Exposure to nature:
They also rarely detach from nature.
Given our current lifestyle, we’re detached from nature. These individuals who make long-term changes go beyond their diet because good health is not solely a function of the right diet. They may live in the city but they also try to incorporate communing with nature into their routine.
Movement:
They also don’t joke with their daily movement. They find what works for them and stick to it. They find little ways to be less sedentary and make movement part of their life.
Read 10 daily wellness habits that cost nothing https://yetundemoteleola.com/10-daily-wellness-habits-that-cost-nothing/
Social connection:
They are also heavily invested in their social life. You don’t have to be an extrovert to have a healthy connection to others. It can be as simple as a weekly call to friends, they emphasize fostering and developing the connections they already have while working on building newer connections.
A sense of purpose:
They understand that health is holistic and that’s the mindset shift that’s required to make these long-term sustainable changes. Health is not just in the superficial habits that we rush into.
One concrete change that these individuals make is to find or unveil a sense of purpose. For some, it can look like them planning and quitting the jobs they hate, for others, it can look like trying something or things that they are passionate about. They disconnect from the exterior and tune inwards for guidance. In general, they approach life with more openness and flexibility.
Removal of toxicity:
Toxicity can be material (as in products, water, air, etc) and non-material (as in thoughts). Not only do they clean up through their diet, but they also rid themselves of other forms of toxins that are not related to food.
They opt for cleaner sources of water, clean products for their skin and home, as well as purified air. They also attempt to confront their traumas and become better persons. Anxious and negative thoughts can also pollute the body, hence, they work consistently at thinking more positively.
…
Much as these are objective factors and no-brainers, there is the subjective and intuitive part of health which requires you to tune in to yourself and seek guidance from your deep knowing. If being vegan is what calls to you, fine, but to what end (and I ask this as a vegan myself)? We can easily fall into the trap of adapting the new to fit the old and this is where we get stuck. To transform your life, you need to fully embrace the new and take little steps consistently.
Your health journey is very relevant and sensitive, hence, it’s very individual. As with every other relevant aspect of your life, you have to find what works for you and not blindly follow every other person.
