Your body is precious. It is our vehicle for awakening. Treat it with care.
– Buddha
NIH guests enjoying an early morning bike ride on retreat.
So often in modern day society we neglect our physical bodies. Generally if everything is going along ‘ok’ our physical bodies needs are often pushed down the list of day to day priorities and it is not until something breaks down or we start to feel unbalanced or unwell that we give it our attention.
In my clinical and personal experience I would say that most people don’t know what it is like to feel really healthy and happy on a daily basis. Sure we float along ok and things get done and we experience life in a pleasant way. But to wake up rejuvenated and completely rested, to feel such excitement for another day ahead, to feel your body charged up, alive and energetic for whatever you need and completely clear in the mind with motivation, inspiration and full self-awareness it what I am talking about and I very rarely meet these people.
There is a difference between being well (enough) and absolutely thriving and I can always spot the difference between the two. The people that are fully thriving in their health have clear skin, clear eyes, a beautiful glow, strong fingernails, luscious hair, toned physique (not necessarily thin but healthy and strong looking) and they are always very present in the moment and usually will have a smile on their face. They have a certain ‘glow’ about them and when they walk into a room people notice. They are like a breath of fresh air and seem to somehow radiate sunshine wherever they go.
To fully thrive to your fullest potential you MUST look after your physical body and treat it with the care and attention it deserves. It’s very simple in the inevitable fact that if you are kind to your body it will be kind to you. It is your vehicle; it takes you everywhere you want to go. It’s an intricate engineering machine that is keeping you alive right now without you having to do anything. It has so much going on behind the scenes that centuries of scientific studies have still not fully uncovered every detail of the inner workings of the body. It really is amazing. I personally have studied the body academically for 5 years plus continue to do so post grad (over a decade now) and I am still so in awe of it’s capabilities.
A little bit of respect, love and care shown towards your body will yield enormous results. By prioritizing the health of your physical body you bridge the gap between just being well and fully thriving. You will start to experience life in a new healthier, energized, light and fun way as you reach for fullest potential with ease.
So here are 10 of my top tips for treating the body with loving care in order to thrive.
- Water. I cannot emphasize this enough, increasing your water intake is one of the most underestimated and critical power tools for good health. Aim for a minimum of 2 Liters per day. Hydration = healthy cells.
- Move everyday. Aim for at least 30 mins per day of exercise that gets you sweating, increases your heart rate and shortens the breath.
- Get outside. In amongst nature, feel the sunshine (or rain) on your face, breathe in some fresh air and connect with mother nature.
- Massage. My personal favourite as it has incredible benefits from deep tissues releasing to simple relaxation. A perfect and necessary treat to show your body some TLC.
- Stretching. Enhances the bodies capabilities on all levels plus it is a great way to detox and remove stored stiffness and tension. Yoga is my personal favourite.
- Choose organic foods. This is a no brainer for me, limit your exposure to nasty chemicals and your body will benefit enormously.
- Pleasure yourself. Yes you read that correctly 🙂 Pleasure creates endorphins that heal the body so run yourself a hot bath or listen to some sweet music or make love to your partner or cook yourself a delicious meal – anything that allows you to feel pleasure is good for the body.
- Quit comparing yourself to everyone else. Comparison (women are particularly prone to this) causes negativity within the physical cells of the body. You are perfect just the way you are.
- Load up on your vitamins and minerals. Know what you need to meet the everyday demands of your life and ensure that your nutrition needs are being met. Having a consultation with a Naturopath or Nutritionist is a great way to assess this and get on a good protocol that will make you thrive.
- Gratitude. Be thankful for the body that you have today. Be thankful you can walk, see, breathe on your own and smell, taste and experience life through this beautiful vessel. You are lucky to have the body that you do, never lose sight of that!
