My Seven Non-Negotiables of Wellness
1. Empowerment: Be the CEO of your own health. You deserve to have access to and control over your own health information. Don’t trust that your doctor will be the one to tell you how to eat or move to feel your best. Doctors don’t get much training, if any, in these things. Also don’t trust your doctor to be as proactive about your health as you expect. Western medicine’s bias is to treat the downstream effects with a drug once a symptom exists, not to address the root cause of many diseases with prevention.
2. Personalization: There is no one program that’s right for everyone. We each have our own unique genetic makeup, sensitivities, hormone profile, nutrient deficiencies, stressors, and limitations. So we won’t all respond to certain diets and exercise programs in the same way. In fact, many regimens could be impossible or dangerous for some people. Customization is key to make sure you’re getting the results YOU need.
3. Know your WHY: Why are you on this health journey and what do you hope to gain from it? How do you want to FEEL? This is the most important step, and the most overlooked. Knowing why you are eating a certain way, or moving in a certain way, or why you’re making changes to your life will help direct your goals and measure your progress. It will also be that motivation that sustains you when you have to choose between the healthy option versus the one that will make you feel like crap.
4. Prioritize nutrition: You can’t outrun a bad diet. Food changes you from the inside out, so if you focus on only one thing, focus on food for the biggest impact on your body. What you eat can be medicine, or it can be toxic. Giving your body the nourishment it needs will transform everything, from the way you move and look to how you feel.
5. No Restriction: Barring an allergy, no foods should be off-limits. The diet culture has traumatized so many of us that focusing on restriction will likely hurt more than it’ll help. While it might be useful to investigate how certain foods make you feel (for instance, an elimination diet to determine a food sensitivity), these tests should be short-lived to create a lifestyle that is sustainable for the long-term. Focusing instead on maximizing the good stuff and minimizing the bad stuff will ensure the best result.
6. Sleep: The importance of restful, quality sleep cannot be overstated. It is the linchpin to many health benefits, from cognition, to performance, to hormone health and blood sugar regulation. Creating routines throughout your day to optimize your sleep is a sure way to tap into more energy and to feel your best.
7. Move because you get to, not because you have to. Never use exercise as punishment. Your body is capable of incredible things, and moving it should be a celebration. This isn’t to say you shouldn’t work hard or push yourself. But having the self-awareness to know when to ease off and take a recovery is just as important as the days you PR.