When you don't feel good, where do you start looking?!
I'm not talking about the sniffles or a cold, I mean that... ew feeling, when you know you're not operating at your best.
You start saying to yourself- I know I could have more energy, be getting better sleep, not feel so gross after I eat, I feel 'low' and cloudy, etc.
When I get to this place, the following 4 'buckets' are where I start looking to see which one (or two, or all!) might need my attention.
1. Sleep
Are you sleeping at least a GOOD 8 hours a night & waking up feeling rested? I know this seems like an annoying question, because we all have fallen asleep looking at our Instagram, or only gotten 5 hours of sleep... but when you feel like things have gone awry- this is the first place to start. Sleep.
No blue light- screens- for at least an hour before bed. Getting into the habit of reading before bed, is awesome. I charge my phone in another room and make sure that when I wake up, I immediately make my bed- so I don't grab my phone and then GET BACK IN BED. he he.
Sleep is when your body heals PERIOD. So if you aren't sleeping... it's only a matter of time until it accumulates and you start to feel poorly.
2. Nervous System
Are you constantly in fight or flight? Do you eat standing up? Do you eat quickly? Or unconsciously?
Your body cannot survive for long periods of time in a fight or flight response.
A good way to check in when you're eating, is to take a few deep breaths before you eat. I think this is ONE of the reasons religions say you should pray before you eat. Taking a minute to drop into Rest & Digest, tells your body to relax and prepare to digest food. This supports 'proper breakdown & storage' of food. Consciously eating also helps you FEEL when you are actually full so you don't consume empty calories, or eat more than your body needs.
Also, not just with eating- but if you wake up, jump out of bed, scramble, and have coffee first thing and continue this pace throughout the day- is your cortisol in overdrive all day?
When you feel you are in that anxiety flight or fight mode, take at least 2 deep inhales through your nose - with full lung expansion - and exhale fully out of your mouth.
For me, a good 45 min walk outside helps so much. Connecting with nature, getting natural light into my eyes, walking with nothing in my hands... it just relaxes and re-connects me.
The nervous system, the vagus nerve, and it's relationship to trauma is a bit more of a complicated wellness piece. However, start today where you are.
3. Environment
Are you cleaning with things from Walgreens, CVS, Safeway, or Publix? I know this sounds snobby, but Clorox & (as much as I love...) Fabuloso are doing exactly what they do to your countertops - removing good and bad bacteria and overlaying synthetic hormone disrupting fragrance on top- to YOUR GUT & MICROBIOME.
I love either Branch Basics or Koala Eco products.
Do you use Febreeze or Glade plug ins?
Again, I love a good pumpkin spiced anything this time of year, but it's up to you to decide where your toxins come from, and I don't want to waste it on this... so opt for DoTerra or Young Living Oils (I'm not a distributor).
4. Diet
Reducing inflammation is my number one basic goal. Inflammation is the root cause of all aging and disease. The best anti-inflammatory diet I have found is the Eat Right for Your Blood Type Diet.
If you don't know your blood type there is THIS test on Amazon, that will give you same day results.
Then check out THIS app, which will help you navigate what causes inflammation in your gut (reds), heals inflammation in your gut (greens), and doesn't help or hurt your gut (yellows).
Each of these 4 areas has an impact on your bodies ability to heal, be fueled, excrete toxins, and manage inflammation. Therefore, it's a good, short checklist to help you get 'back on track' if you step off course.
If optimizing these 4 Basic areas doesn't help give you some relief, or you'd like to do deeper detoxification, check out my Let's Go Package!