3 Ways to Boost Your Health Today

(That don’t involve nutrition and exercise)

Of course a good diet full of nutrient rich foods and daily movement are a necessary part of your wellness routine. They pack a one-two punch when it comes to your health, supporting immune function, enhancing brain and body performance, and dramatically improving your odds at avoiding illness and disease. But are there more pieces to the puzzle?

I dove head first into the world of optimal health and wellness a few years ago and have used myself as an experiment of sorts. Reading and researching, trying and adapting new and old practices, some of which date back hundreds, if not thousands of years. Ancient civilizations were on to something, fast forward to modern day, we now have the science to back it. The take away? These three practices have not only enhanced my well-being, but millions of other's around the world to date. You too can incorporate these simple daily wellness "tools" to increase your potential, improve your health, and elevate your life.

Nature.

Hippocrates said "If you are in a bad mood go for a walk. If you are still in a bad mood, go for another walk". Now lets unpack that and look at the science that supports what he's saying. Aside from obvious benefits of moving your body the way it was intended (instead of the standard American lifestyle of too much time spent sedentary) studies have proved the correlation between daily movement and mood. According to a recent study done by Harvard University, your odds of anxiety and depression disorders decrease 26% when adding in just a daily 15 minute walk. Similar studies have shown the numbers greatly improve in participants if that walk was done outdoors in nature. Another study done by Michigan University correlated nature exposure to memory showing a 20% increase in student's memory after a leisurely outdoor walk.

Now, there is lots of research behind WHY this is. One major reason is the negative ion factor. These negatively charged molecules are abundant in nature, especially near trees and water. Don't let their name fool you, these little particles bring all the positive vibes! Once we are exposed and they reach our bloodstream they produce a biochemical reaction that increases serotonin production (the happy hormone), alleviating stress and boosting energy levels. These powerful negative ions also have the ability to keep your body in an alkaline (optimal) state. Alkalizing the body is proven to reduce inflammation, neutralize free radicals, and have an anti viral / bacterial effect…lowering your risk of MANY of today's most common chronic health problems and reviving almost every function that occurs in your body. How awesome that a short walk outside every day can do ALL THIS?! This is a great video on reducing anxiety naturally and my friend Autumn Bates RD shares more about negative ions at about 6:30

How I got rid of my lifelong anxiety WITHOUT medication or meditation [anxiety success story]

Visualization.

I started a daily meditation and visualization practice almost 10 years ago and I can't even begin to explain what it has done for me...but here's the summary.

Back then I let my thoughts control me. I allowed them to dictate how my day would go, morph my patterns and habits, and distort my beliefs and values. I struggled with anxiety and depression disorder and was medicated to help quiet my thoughts and regain personal power over my life. I complied with my doctors orders for sometime until I realized "I am not my thoughts". That statement was only the beginning of a major transformation to come.

The Buddah said, "Nothing can harm you as much as your own thoughts unguarded", and I wanted to know how I could tap into mine and use them to empower instead of paralyze me. I began reading and learning as much as I could about visualization and how to harness it's potency. At first I believed I did not have the capacity to sit with my own thoughts, let alone learn how to reinvent and redirect them. Beginning a meditation practice of any kind can be difficult, but the rewards are exponential.

The difference between a meditative state of being and performing a visualization technique is that meditation is passive, where visualization is active. Studies done by the National Institute of Health (NIH) have observed benefits in health from improved immune function to pain management and even self healing. There was also positive effects in physical performance, cognitive abilities, self esteem and the capacity to achieve personal goals of study participants. Today, visualization practices are used commonly as treatment of anger, anxiety, and other emotional issues as well as helping people let go of bad habits or improve relationships. The key concept behind visualization is to incorporate as many senses and emotions as possible while creating the "picture" you wish to see in your mind. Whether that is you succeeding in your profession, having a tough conversation with a loved one, of replacing unhealthy habits with better for you options, it is a practice you'll want to utilize over and over again. Try this short visualization for reference and then create your own. The sky's the limit! Simple visualization exercise for students

Temperature.

As someone who dislikes the cold climate, the concept of using temperature as a healing modality had me shook. The very first time I heard the term "cryotherapy" I was training for a half marathon and the idea of a quicker recovery post race definitely had me intrigued. So I booked a session at a Cryobar for a post run session. I arrived at my appointment excited to experience a new form of athletic recovery (although it does FAR more than that, more in a moment) and a friendly employee began walking me through the protocol. "Dressing room here, yada yada, here's your socks and gloves, blah blah, you'll step in to the chamber here", and then…he said it…"It's about NEGATIVE 250 degrees Fahrenheit"…Excuse me?!

I nervously prepped for the cryotherapy chamber and when I was ready stepped into the coldest temperature I have ever seen. My new friend distracted me from the incredible temp that was literally breathtaking with all the benefits my body would reap from this session. Here's some of the key health promoting reactions of cold therapy: Muscle recovery and joint pain relief, reduced inflammation, migraine treatment / prevention, eczema and other skin condition improvement, lesser symptoms of anxiety and depression, dementia prevention, improved circulation and heart function, and increased energy, to name a few.

All of these benefits from a few short minutes of cold exposure? YES PLEASE! You can do the same thing by sitting in an ice bath or even a few minutes in a cold shower will have similar effects. Is it challenging? Absolutely. Is it worth it? Exponentially. And another benefit of these unfavorable temperatures? Leaps and bounds in your mental toughness and a great way to silence the inner critic in us all that says "I Can't".

"If we all choose comfort we never learn the deepest capabilities of our mind or body" Wim Hof, the ice man. He is the king of cold therapy healing and an inspiration in the health and wellness field. I've linked his website below if you are interested in learning more about the benefits of cryotherapy, from autoimmune disorders to athletic performance and so many things in between. All this on cold therapy, heat therapy such as infrared sauna also hold great value in your health and wellness routine…but I'll be sharing more about that end of the temperature spectrum in another article soon! www.wimhofmethod.com/benefits