In previous times society considered diet and exercise to be the two exclusive categories of healthy living, but that has quickly changed in recent times. We now have the benefit of knowledge and exposure, and well as lifted stigmas, to allow everyone to expand their views and consider all the things that go into an overall healthy life. Thinking about what you might not have previously thought about can be an exciting way to experience personal growth and find empathy and understanding for people and circumstances that may not directly affect you, but as a human being, affect all of us.
1. Diet and Nutrition
Yes, this is stating the obvious, that a healthful and well-rounded diet and nutrition plan is an element of overall health but let us dig a little deeper. We all remember the food pyramid from elementary school gym class. A guide for healthy eating that illustrated portion sizes and daily recommendations broken down into six general categories. This is not totally irrelevant in today’s world however what it does not consider are things like food allergies or intolerances that might prevent people from eating from certain categories.
Gut health is a buzzworthy phrase right now, and for good reason. There are plenty of health benefits that can come from a diet that is geared towards optimizing for your gut and its functionality. Taking vitamins and supplements like probiotics are an easy add to your daily routine and can help your body digest food in a simple way so that your digestive system is working at its peak. Be careful about how you interpret the word diet as well. It is one thing to discover an eating plan that best serves your body, but it is quite another to be a slave to it. Consider consulting your doctor before making a radical change to your eating habits and learning as much as possible about the pros and cons of your elected plan.
2. Finances
Stepping away from the health that pertains to your body, consider how your finances impact your overall health status. Regardless of your financial status, having a healthy relationship with money will serve you in all areas of your life. Figuring out the best budget for how much you earn, how much you spend, how much you owe, and how much you want to save is going to save you tons of stress on the back end. Your finances and your physical health are linked in some ways, however.
Same as an emergency fund can assist you in times of life crisis, savings opportunities like a life insurance policy can save you in times of a financial one.
Someone who is terminally or chronically ill will likely require a specialized care plan that insurance may not cover in full. Planning for this possibility through a life insurance policy can help you achieve peace of mind knowing that if this fate befalls you, there are options. A viatical settlement broker like Mason Finance can help someone looking to sell their life insurance policy do so, so that they can allocate that lump sum of cash towards medical needs their everyday budget cannot support.
3. Relationships
Did you parents ever tell you that you are who you hang out with? Well even though that sentiment might be cliché, it is not entirely untrue. The people you choose to surround yourself with will undoubtedly have an impact on your mental and emotional health. The formula there is quite simple, care enough about yourself to not give yourself to those who dull your shine. There will always be relationships that have an element of obligation that may cause us occasional strain, but that is the exception. For the relationships you elect to enter, should serve you well and add value to your life.
Learning about your tolerance levels and triggers for an emotional upset is an important element of your overall health. Having boundaries does not make you impolite, or too guarded, or even unapproachable. Creating terms for your relationships and expressing expectations is a common practice towards having high functioning and healthy relationships. If you do not take the time to learn these things about yourself you may not be able to understand if you are experiencing emotional abuse in a relationship of any kind. There is nothing wrong with learning how to protect your own peace.
4. Career
Unless you are in the extreme minority of people who do not have to work, your career is an example of a long-term element of life that undoubtedly impacts your overall health. Needing a paycheck and dedicating forty plus hours of your life each week to a job that drains you are not mutually exclusive. Just because you need to earn, a living does not mean you must kill yourself to do so. Terms like ‘hustle hard’ and ‘beast mode’ have recently been associated with approaches towards career and earning potential. But take these trends at face value and understand that a meme should not dictate your entire approach towards work/life balance.
5. Self-Indulgence
Being kind to yourself and indulging yourself on occasion is not selfish, it is an important piece of your personal puzzle. The word indulgence gets a bad rap because it implies excess and vanity but reframe this to be more in line with the term self-care and you might quickly realize how essential it is. If you go through life never adding yourself to your own to do list, how do you think that is serving your life? The answer is, it’s not. We all need breaks, we all have hobbies, and we all deserve consideration. Even if your version of self-indulgence is simply enjoying a cup of tea and some silence a few times a week, do it. Your mind, body, and soul will pay you back in spades.
Travel is another way to give your overall health a boost. Taking a vacation means something different to everyone, but the common denominator here is a break from reality. No matter if you are someone who desires an international trip of a lifetime or simply a staycation in a hotel twenty minutes from your house, taking yourself out of the daily grind and into a space of blissful nothingness can help you reset both physically and mentally to be able to tackle your day-to-day without drain.
Nina Smith 
Kim Marks