Understanding Holistic Health

Photo Credit: Go Interactive Wellness

By Colleen Palat

Every thought and emotion affects your health. A holistic health approach encompasses treating the whole person: the body, mind, emotions and spirit. Traditional cultures have known for thousands of years that these aspects are intimately connected. Every food we eat, every thought we entertain, every emotion we feel and every interaction we experience impacts overall health.

Many blame their health problems on genetics, a virus, toxins in the air, and stress. While these factors can contribute to illness, very often problems result from a lack of fundamental health-enhancing qualities such as responsibility, a strong will, family support, passion, a balanced lifestyle and a knowledge of good health. Without these, whatever modality is chosen becomes just another pill to be taken and discarded when symptoms disappear.

When disease is artificially removed without changing the underlying cause, long-term health will NOT be achieved. The quick fix approach brings little or no permanent success. I am not suggesting that we abandon medical treatment. I am recommending that we look for the deeper causes of the problem from a physical, mental, emotional, spiritual, and lifestyle perspective. We need to take the holistic health perspective. Lasting solutions can be found to multiple illnesses of society by getting at the root of the problem holistically.

I have observed patterns among those who have successfully reversed health problems. These traits are not rigid models. We all have them to some degree. They are holistic health approaches that each of us can maximize in our own unique way to return to our natural state of health.

Here are some very important steps you must take to achieve optimal holistic health. I can assure you that by putting these into practice, your overall health will be much improved! Sometimes you have to reevaluate what it is that you are doing with your life. By doing this, you will start to see the big picture.

Lets start with the first step, RESPONSIBILITY. This means not blindly accepting the opinion of some outside authority as the only way. Take a look at your previous choices for they may have led you to the problem. Then recognize that you can make new choices to remedy the situation.

I am not telling you to stop seeing your health practitioner. I am suggesting that you gather as much information as possible and make your own decisions. Taking responsibility is meant to empower us to make new choices for a healthier result.

Next is AWARENESS, which simply is deeply knowing yourself by observing your thoughts and beliefs, your choices and outcomes, and your response to the world around you. As you observe, ask questions. Do you believe you can recover your health? What does the illness have to teach you? Why do you make the choices you make? What do you need to know? Through questioning you will discover the things that seemed unchangeable are actually flexible and can be manipulated.

PROPER NUTRITION is the cornerstone of good health. Health and longevity depend on our daily nourishment. In 1988, the Surgeon General stated that two-thirds of the deaths in this country are related to diet. Our eating habits play a major role in many common diseases and emotional disorders.
Most Americans have a limited awareness of the power of food in maintaining health and reversing disease. The most effective diet includes whole grains, vegetables, low fat, no cholesterol, proteins and fruits.

LETTING GO OF THE PAST. Resolving conflicts and discovering their positive impact in our lives is paramount in healing. Resentment, anger, guilt and all negative emotional states are self-poisoning. They weaken cells and immunity and can be the reason for illness. Let it go and move on.

FAITH and the developing of sound judgments are important qualities in healing. Faith is knowing there is an order and unity to life, a sense of wholeness and connectedness with something larger than oneself. With faith, unlimited opportunities unfold, and we gain a sense of confidence in our choices.

FINDING YOUR PURPOSE IN LIFE is prevalent among those who are healthy. Everyone has talents and skills through which they express themselves, and so do you! If you do not find your unique creative expression, you will be restless and frustrated, regardless of the success in the conventional world.

Purpose stimulates a deep sense of fulfillment and joy. With purpose, your life will take on much more meaning. I did not have a purpose for many years. The second I knew where I was going my life took a turn for the best. If you do not have purpose yet, do not worry! Focus on what makes you the happiest and visualize where and what you want to be. By working toward a goal and a purpose, you will feel alive and ready for anything.

Each of the above factors has a profoundly positive influence on your health and are more effective when bring them together. When utilized, you can go beyond sickness to health and happiness. Start with small steps and build upon them for a holistic approach to your health. Action is the only thing preventing you from achieving optimal health.

About The Author: Colleen Palat is a health and fitness enthusiast who loves to pass on the latest information on health and wellness. Sign up for your free e-newsletter filled with cutting-edge information on health, nutrition, weight loss, and fitness. For your free e-newsletter, visit http://www.HealthyRevelations.com.

Three Reasons Why You Should Practise Yoga

 

  Photo credit: takebackyourhealthconference

Yoga has become a trendy fad all around the world. Everyone from famous movie stars to your next door neighbor is starting to practice yoga. In case you have never tried it and are curious, I would like to explain how yoga might be of benefit to you.

Prior to discussing the reasons for practicing yoga, it is useful to know something about the nature and origins of yoga. The practice of yoga originated in India several thousand years ago. Yoga is a comprehensive system of exercises and its goal is physical, mental and spiritual well-being. The main components of yoga are physical postures, relaxation techniques and meditation exercises. Today it is the physical aspect, the physical postures known as "asanas" that is the most popularly practiced form of yoga and you can find it taught in gyms, health clubs and studios all around the world.

Now if you are interested to know "what's in it for me" then here is a brief list of some of the most important benefits that the practice of yoga can bring to you.

  

Photo  credit: Lachlan Hardy

1. Yoga will help you to become very healthy. This is what people are generally looking for when they begin the practice of yoga, and yoga does the job of improving physical health. If you combine a practice of yoga postures along with a sensible diet and other physical exercise then you can reach very high levels of health and fitness. One of the reasons for this is that yoga can help you to improve the functioning of your digestive system, and prevent acidity, indigestion, constipation and other more serious problems that have their root in the digestive system. Yoga postures (when combined with relaxation and meditation) have the additional benefit of helping to control blood pressure, and this is a great asset as you grow older and become more susceptible to heart disease.

2. Yoga will make you look better. A lot of people begin yoga in order to lose weight and look better. Can yoga be of help in this area? If you are healthy then you will look better! In fact that is the evolutionary, biological basis of beauty. Biologists tell us that living beings choose partners who appear to give them the best chance of spreading their genes successfully. We don't think about this when we see a handsome man or beautiful woman, but a glowing skin and attractive appearance is the outer sign of health and vitality. So, the practice of yoga, with its previously mentioned health benefits will help you to look your best.

3. Yoga will help you to manage and relieve stress. Modern life is stressful. Whenever we feel a threat from the outer environment, our body goes into a "fight or flight" mode. This was extremely useful to primitive humans who had to run for their lives or fight for their lives, but for modern people it only leads to inner problems. Sweating and turning red is useful when you are running, but when you are standing in a business suit and being chewed out by your boss it is not particularly desirable!

Yoga postures, deep relaxation and meditation all combine to help you achieve an inner state of peace that will enable you to function steadily and calmly even in the most stressful environment.There are many more things that I can say about the benefits of yoga, but these three should be incentive enough for you to check it out   and maybe to start practicing today.

About the Author: Randall Barnett is an avid runner and yoga devotee. He writes about health, exercise, and educational subjects including online degrees, distance education PhD programs, online colleges, and scholarships for adult students.

Credit (picture above): stevendepolo

Will Yoga Help Weight Loss?

  

 

 Credit: Evan-Lovely

Weight Loss Through Yoga  The answer to the question in the title of this article, 'Will Yoga Help Weight Loss?', is a resounding 'Yes'. Yoga will help weight loss and has been proven to do so. Yoga will work on both your body and mind to provide a new and leaner you.

Yoga is well known for it's abilities to create a wonderful state of relaxation in the practitioner which has been proven to lower blood pressure and many other physical ailments. It is also a great way to remove that access weight that has been plaguing you for months or years.

The reason that yoga is such an effective way to lose weight is that it burns calories at a much faster rate. It increases one's metabolism, thus speeding up the rate at which calories burn.

There are many forms of yoga. Some practices, like power yoga, is a much more active form which will burn calories much faster than other yoga practices like ashtanga yoga. Power yoga though is NOT for the faint hearted. Like all forms of exercise you should check with your family doctor before setting off to engage in a new fitness regime.

It is becoming more and more recognised that overeating is related to our emotional state and our minds. Thus, a quieter mind, brought about through yoga practice will make it less likely that you will reach for that cream cake every time you get the urge.

This is not to say that you have to diet on celery and lettuce leaves. The idea of weight loss through yoga is to become relaxed about this area of your life that it causing you problems. That way you are in a better state to deal with it.

It is said that 'what we resist, persists'. So, stilling the mind through yoga will certainly give you a more positive outlook on life and lead to a calmer mind and body.

Now, on to the physical aspects of yoga for weight loss:

It is not difficult to see that yoga exercise will burn those stubborn calories that you have been trying to rid yourself off. Have you watched some of the asanas or poses? Any physical activity at all will help you lose weight but the turning and twisting of yoga helps to break up the stores of fat and rid them through the body's natural processes.

Don't let the gentler forms of yoga fool you either. It looks very serene to watch those that have been practicing it for years. It almost looks as though there isn't much going on. Believe me, you will be surprised at how much perspiration is generated by these simple poses. When I first started off on a half hour yoga regime of simple poses, I was absolutely surprised at how much workout I had actually achieved at the end of it.

Things do get easier as you progress and the feeling that yoga gives at the end of a workout is second to none. You WILL get a feeling of achievement and relaxation that you may have never felt before.

Keep at the yoga regime and the calories will surely burn off like you wouldn't imagine.

About the Author: Jake Kennedy has more great tips on finally ridding yourself off those stubborn calories through yoga check out: http://www.freeonlineyogasite.com/ and http://www.healthybodysecrets.com/