Renewed Self Care for a Healthier Future

“Make your own well-being the start of global wellness.” Deepak Chopra

All of us, I’m sure, have a renewed appreciation for the NHS. What a privilege it is to know that when sickness befalls us, we have somewhere to get help. Not only is treatment free but it is given unconditionally by people who make enormous personal sacrifices on our behalf. But should we expect the NHS to cure us of everything or should we take better care of ourselves and prevent illness as much as we can?

Too many of us live to work instead of working to live, sacrificing our well-being for the benefit of someone else’s gain or for more, more, more. I have certainly learned that I can be content with less.

I am so grateful that I don’t have to commute and I hope for the sake of a healthier future, many more commuters will be able to work from home and that they will use the time saved, not to work longer hours but to implement self care.

Self care requires a balance of exercise with relaxation, quiet contemplation and a healthy diet. For me that means 2-3 aerobic sessions per week, the daily dog walk, Yoga and meditation and a mostly organic diet. Yoga is relaxation; if you work with your breath and take advantage of gravity you can move at a slow, relaxing pace while simultaneously strengthening the body. Meditation, once we are able to let go of ruminating, is deeply relaxing. Both practices benefit mind, body and soul ticking all the boxes of self care. Of course this is my ideal but given that my hormones still prevent me from a good night’s sleep for a number of nights of each month, the reality is that I do what I can and I don’t judge myself.

We are what we eat. We are where our food grows and if our food grows in poor soil and is sprayed heavily with pesticides, herbicides and fungicides, then we are not eating well. We are what we eat eats; meaning that if we consume meat that is fed on poor quality food, it is not worth eating and it is certainly not worth eating anything that has lad a stressful life shut up in a barn. Stress causes damage to our cells and it is no different for animals. A mostly organic diet is a lifestyle choice for me and one that requires sacrifices; I don’t consume material goods, I try to make the most of every essential car journey and I hardly ever go on holiday but I live in a beautiful location, I have all that I need in reality and I have friends and family close by.

I urge you to ponder what self care means to your future. Can you adjust your work/life balance to be more in line with your values? Admittedly we might have to be patient while life returns very slowly to normal, but it’s good to have a goal, as long as you do not judge yourself for not achieving it.