‘Health’ is such a broad and varied notion, and it tends to mean different things to different people. For some, it could be a certain weight or gaining a particular level of fitness. To others, it could simply mean feeling well, and free of pain, and able complete do their day to day activities without a struggle. It’s difficult to define, although according to the WHO (World Health Organisation) health isn’t just the absence of disease, but is a state of complete physical, mental and social wellbeing. So to really be considered healthy, we need to look further than just the physical body. Here’s how you can improve your wellbeing and feel fantastic in mind, body, and soul.

Eat a Clean Diet

Our lifestyles might have changed a lot from our early human ancestors, but the way our bodies work is the same. We were built to run around, hunt prey and eat a variety of foods (none of which contained the chemicals we have today). Take it back to basics, try and eat foods that are as close to nature as possible. Buy organic wherever you can, and replenish your body while giving it a break from things like refined sugars, refined oils, pesticides and other nasties. These all have a profound effect on our bodies and can lead to everything from cancers to mental illnesses. Chemicals can be useful as they can stop things like food spoiling so quickly, and mean farmers crops aren’t being eaten by pests. However our bodies weren’t designed to handle them, and they have been linked to some pretty worrying illnesses.

Make an effort to eat clean wherever you can so you avoid consuming them. You can also easily filter your tap water too, which removes almost all of the unpleasant extras it can include. This can be things like heavy metals, bacteria, viruses, chemicals, and plastics. It’s shocking but just a few of the things your regular tap water can contain! If you’re worried about chemicals or just want to cleanse and replenish your body, it could be worth looking into nutritional cleansing. They can help with healthy aging and weight loss too which is no bad thing.

Stick To a Good Workout Routine

We don’t need to walk miles hunting berries or chase after animals to eat any more, and instead many of us work sedentary desk jobs. So to keep your body in good form, a proper exercise routine is essential. If you find an activity, you enjoy it won’t feel like hard work. You could take up a sport and play with friends, go running, swimming or hit the gym. Either way, burning off excess calories and using your muscles will keep you feeling healthy, improve your appearance and give you a confidence boost too.

Take Up a New Hobby

Hobbies are fantastic, everyone should have an activity that they love to do in their spare time. It allows you to improve your skills, meet new people and give you something to look forward to. Often we’re so busy with work and other commitments it can feel that all we do is work, sleep, and repeat. Hobbies make you happier, so have a think about what you really enjoy. See if there are any clubs or lessons you could attend- or whether it’s something you could do at home.

Be Social

Humans are social creatures, when we feel lonely or isolated, it can have a big impact on both mental health and physical health. It’s important to connect with others, make an effort with friends and family. Get out there and meet new people if you can, you could even volunteer to both speak to new people and help others less fortunate. Don’t underestimate the importance of your support network.

Mediate

It’s now widely recognized by health professionals that there’s a strong link between mental and physical health. So you can look after your body perfectly but still suffer if you’re struggling with your mental health. Speak to your GP if a condition like anxiety or depression affects your life, it can be a scary step, but once you have the right support and treatment, you will begin to improve. Techniques like meditation are useful for everyone, they allow you to practice mindfulness which focuses your mind on the current moment. That way you’re not feeling sad about the past or worried about the future and can feel a deep sense of calm. Meditation can also promote good sleep which is something else of course necessary for good health.