1. Let food be thy medicine – Eat whole, real, unprocessed foods. As Micheal Pollan says “Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants.” Eating as much of your foods in their raw, whole, unprocessed, organic state as possible is critical. If you are not able to obtain all your foods in an organic state, be sure at least, to only consume animal foods that are organic. Pesticides, antibiotics and artificial growth hormones bioaccumulate in animal fats, so it is crucial to avoid them.
2. Drink pure water….and lots of it – Since our bodies are made up of over 70% water, it is one of the most important aspects of our health. Did you know that experts believe that 90% of all headaches are caused by dehydration? A good way to keep your body hydrated is this: whenever you feel the least bit thirsty or hungry – drink a glass of water first! Also remember that city tap water contains many substances that are harmful to your body such as chlorine and fluoride. Make sure you either use a good filter or better yet, find a local source of spring water.
3. Breathe – fresh air, outside, in the sun, preferably in a forest, on a beach, or watching the sunset…It’s amazing how easy it is for us humans to forget to breathe. We have become a people who breathe shallowly with bodies deprived of oxygen. Take full, slow, breaths down into the depths of your lungs until you can’t take in any more and then slowly exhale, fully and completely until you feel all the breath gone from your body, Then do it again, and again.
4. Exercise – We all know that exercise is a vital part of health and well-being. Moving our bodies is what allows all the wonderful nutrients that we put into our bodies to circulate and what moves the blood and lymph throughout the body. Bernard Jensen says that “A body can become anemic with the best blood stream in the world if the blood does not circulate fast enough.” In order to live a long life, filled with exhuberent energy you must move your body… and do it often.
5. Sleep – In our fast-paced culture, most of us either do not get enough sleep, or when we do, we do not sleep well enough. One of the biggest blocks we have to getting good sleep is the acknowledgement that we need a good solid 8-9 hours of sleep each night to support our health. We want to believe we can get by on 6 hours a night so we can get back to our multi-tasking rat race. Once we realize how important sleep is to our well-being, we can begin to find ways to support it – breathing exercises, meditation and relaxing baths, are just a few of the many options.
6. Spend time in Nature – Nature, whether it be in the form of a soft furry animal, a sweet smelling flower, or the soothing feel of a summer breeze, has the innate ability to connect with the deepest part of us, that part that comes from nature itself. That fundamental connection is one of the integral elements of well-being. Many of us have lost that connection, and suffer the consequences on a daily basis. But it is easy to reconnect….just open your door and step outside…
7. “Follow your Bliss” – This is one of my favorite quotes, from the late mythologist/theologist Joseph Campbell. In our society, doing what we love is not valued very highly. Instead, we are taught to value what will bring us the most financial wealth and prestige. However, we need to look further at what really makes us happy in life. Doing the things we love on a daily basis, whether it be painting, dancing or skiing is one of the most important things to keep ourselves in a state of vibrant health.
8. Be Present – “…the foundation for greatness is honoring the small things of the present moment instead of pursuing the idea of greatness.” Ekhart Tolle. Living life in the present, instead of constantly reliving the past, or living for the future is essential to our happiness, which in turn is essential to stress reduction, which in turn is essential to health and wellness.
9. Use natural remedies – Our bodies respond to natural remedies very readily and efficiently. Natural remedies, like herbs, homeopathics, healing foods and body work function by working with your body to support the immune system, provide nutrients and detoxify the tissues. Conventional medical intervention has it’s place, but it is usually best used as a last resort.
10. Use your Brain – Never stop learning. We all were born with an innate desire to learn. For many, as we grew up, that desire was taught out of us. Rekindle that desire and make it a goal to learn something new every day!
Oil – Oils like olive, almond and jojoba (which is not technically an oil, but a liquid wax) extract fat soluble constituents of medicinal herbs.
Alcohol – Various kinds of alcohol such as vodka and brandy are used to create high quality medicinal tinctures.
Honey – Raw honey makes marvelous herbal medicine, especially when using aromatic herbs.
Water – Teas are a very common way to create and take herbal medicine. Water is a wonderful way to extract many of the medicinal constituents of herbs.
