5 Ideas That Could Help Improve Your Holistic Health

If you follow me on Instagram you'll have seen I mentioned Holistic Health as a fitness trend to look out for in 2022.

So before I share my 5 ideas that could improve your holistic health, lets first understand just what holistic health means.

The concept of Holistic Health and Fitness centers around there being lots of different elements that make up our wellness. Rather than looking at things in isolation, we consider the whole person and their physical, mental, emotional, social, intellectual and spiritual health and wellbeing.

Personally I love this idea, the fitness industry often is too fixated on workouts and protein shakes and doesn't take into account the bigger picture. I've learnt in the last five years of personal training clients that if you fail to take into account your client as a whole, it is impossible to find a way for them to enjoy exercise and lead healthier lives.

So let's look at five simple and easy ways that you could improve you holistic health, starting now.

PHYSICAL HEALTH

It can be easy to think that in order to improve your physical health you need to be hammering the gym every day of the week. When the reality is there is so much more outside of the gym that will help you see a marked improvement to your physical health.

Tip number 1 is to move your body for 30 minutes every day.

This doesn't have to be a workout, this can be a stretch, a bike ride, a walk or hike in nature, whatever you like. The goal is to move your body in a way that you enjoy for 30 minutes every day.

EMOTIONAL HEALTH

After the last couple of years I think we all have a better understanding and appreciation for the importance of looking after our emotional health and wellbeing. This will look different for all of us and for some this could be seeking out therapy and for others this might be more about managing our stress levels and practicing mindfulness.

Tip number 2 is to journal once a day every day.

A journal is a really great way to record our thoughts and feelings and allows us to process the day and reflect on what happened. Journals are a great way to practice gratitude and affirmations which can often increase our sense of positivity in every day life.

SOCIAL HEALTH

Our social health combines the benefits of our relationships with others, whilst balancing this with our need to set boundaries. In-person connection is really important to our wellbeing, evidence suggests that women especially thrive in group environments. There are lots of ways that you can increase your social interactions, taking classes, volunteering or joining local clubs and groups is a fantastic way to meet new people and build that sense of community and belonging.

Tip number 3 is to put down your phone and meet a friend for coffee.

There is no replacement for the happiness we feel when spending time connecting with someone face to face. A quick coffee break with a good friend is a far better way to spend your lunch break than scrolling through social media.

SPIRITUAL

You may not consider yourself a spiritual person but that doesn't mean there aren't ways that you can support your spiritual health. If you're not religious and have no particular faith that you practice, you could instead practice daily meditation. This provides you with time to slow down and listen to your thoughts and check in with how your body is feeling.

Tip number 4 is to spend more time in nature.

I swear nature has magical powers. I have never come back from a walk or hike in nature and not felt so much better than before I went. Take some time to enjoy the peace and quiet, take in the views and get some vitamin D whilst you're at it.

MENTAL HEALTH

There are lots of things that can impact our mental health and wellbeing. If this is something that you really struggle with then I would always recommend you seek help and advice from your healthcare practitioner or a local mental health charity.

Looking at how we can better support our mental health, like keeping our minds active by learning new things is a great way to support our mental health. There is also more evidence now on how the brain is directly connected to the gut and that gut health is something we should be aware of.

Tip 5 Read five pages every day.

A story book, an article, a magazine or newspaper. Reading is such a fantastic way to stimulate the mind. Reading can also aid our sleep and reduce our feelings of loneliness. Having a book by the side of the bed and making a conscious effort to read a few pages every day is a great way to support our mental health.

Those are my five easy ideas to help improve your holistic health.

All of these small steps and behaviours are stepping stones towards improving your overall health and wellbeing. One of the biggest barriers for so many of us when we want to improve our health is that it feels like it's too much to take on all at once.

Adapting smaller and more manageable health habits and behaviours is a great way to start feeling like you're making positive improvements to your lifestyle.

Are you thinking of joining the gym or working out at home but can't get over that feeling that you just hate exercise? Read my blog post: Getting Fit When You Hate Exercise.