Her Unique Glow

We all know that prevention is way better than cure. The cure has been more commonly addressed in the past few years – with increasing numbers of all sorts of illnesses and hurt going round the world, there’s no wonder we’re all looking for a cure. Let’s face it, no one wants to be in pain any longer than they have to. Prevention however, has taken a bit of a back seat and it’s only recently started to make an appearance again! The truth is simple:

Prevention is better than cure.

Preventing illness (of any form) is much better than going through any pain and having to find a cure. I’ve always been a massive fan of prevention and although my relationship with food hasn’t always been smooth sailing, the relationship I’ve had with my curiosity for health has been. I guess being a HSP (highly sensitive person) means that I’ve always been curious about what can prevent the people I love from hurting and how I can improve my health to be the best version of myself possible. I got into health and nutrition for that exact reason! To help you make smarter choices that will empower you to take charge of your health and live nourished and fulfilled lives. That’s where prevention comes into it. It’s about teaching ourselves what our bodies need to thrive.

All mammals know exactly what they should eat and what they shouldn’t, they know what’s good for them and what’s not, when they should get sleep and when they should be moving; it’s only humans that seem to defy that knowledge. We all know we shouldn’t eat massive amounts of chocolate, over indulge in biscuits or crisps and we all know that take-away’s aren’t good for us – yet we still eat them! We know that we should be getting 8 hours of sleep a night but settle for 5, we know that we should move our bodies more but give into the temptation of ‘Netflix and chill’ and we know that we should reduce our stress levels but still say ‘yes’ when we really mean ‘no’.

Our bodies are designed to be that exact way! We are designed to be the most amazing bio-chemical machine that can run the world and create the most amazing lives, but we are selling ourselves short by neglecting what we truly need. Prevention is all about taking care of our bodies and nourishing it in every right way so that we can show up for ourselves every day without falling flat.

Prevention is the biggest form of self-care.

You need to start prioritising prevention above all else because once you take charge of your health you’ll be more present for others, have more energy to share, be more efficient & productive AND be truly fulfilled and happy. Once you have PREVENTION down there’s no stopping you.

There are 6 elements of prevention that I want to share with you today and I wanted to share not just why they are good for you but how to set yourself a ‘prescription’ for each one. Think of them as doctors writing a prescription for you to live with even more health and vitality than you have right now.

DIET

Diet is KEY (which is why it’s the first one on this list). There’s truth in the saying ‘you are what you eat’. Whatever you put into your body is the fuel your body runs on and it’s the nutrient density and the quality of that food that’s going to determine how our bodies respond to that food. Think about it, your body will feel so much more energised from having a quinoa salad on a bed of baby spinach with a side of sweet potato than if you ate a massive burger from a fast food restaurant. When we eat rubbish our bodies feel rubbish – you don’t need science to tell you that. The last time you ate junk food how did you feel? More likely than not you felt bloated, your skin flared up, you felt tired, sluggish and irritable. Then think about the last time you ate a meal made from whole foods, prepared at home and made from scratch – how did you feel then? Energised, light, happy?

What we eat dictates so much more than our waist size – it has the power to completely transform our mood, energy, stress-levels, sleep patterns AND it can even change how our bodies read our own DNA!

Diet prescription:

Write down 3 things that you can change about your diet right now.

Diet is completely bio-individual and without me even suggesting what you should or shouldn’t be eating, you already know! After you write down your own 3 suggestions add these 3 to your list:

• Eat more greens
• Eat more whole foods
• Cook more at home

WATER

Our bodies literally can NOT function without sufficient water – there is a reason why it’s the first thing I address with every single one of my clients. We can become dehydrated so easily that drinking enough water is essential for true vitality. You need at least 2-3 litres of water a day and even more than that if you have been exercising, live in a hot country or have been sweating for any reason. Cups of teas and coffee just aren’t going to cut it – I mean 2-3 litres of good quality filtered water. The quality of the water is just as important as the quality of our food. Our cells need water in order to work and so the better the quality of the water, the more they can work efficiently.

Water prescription:

• Drink 2-3 litres of good quality, filtered water
• Check the quality of the water supply in your local area and add filters to your taps if they’re needed
• Whenever you’re craving a food drink a tall glass of water first (most of the time cravings are a way of telling our bodies they’re dehydrated

EXERCISE

Your body was designed to move. Exercise has proven time and time again that it’s essential for true health and wellbeing. It is preventative because it keeps us mobile and moving for longer. Our bodies become stronger and more resilient the more we exercise. Our muscles were designed to move, grow and strengthen – they strengthen our joints and allow our bones to be stronger and our joints to be more supple. Exercise not only supports the health of our muscles and joints but of our heart and lungs too! We need a strong heart to carry us through life and moving your body regularly is a great way of preventing heart disease. It also improves our mood and brain function. In short: MOVE MORE! You don’t have to become a gym bunny to exercise – there are so many different options out there now from home DVDs to online fitness programs to trapeze classes! Find what works for you and then go for it. You will notice a change in your body straight away from exercising – not just the fact that you may shed a few pounds, but your mood will improve, your brain fog will decrease AND you’ll have way more energy! It can be daunting if you’ve never exercised before but take it slow and work your way up. Exercising should be fun whether you’re a seasoned athlete or have never worn a sports bra in your life. Find a way to make it fun for you so that you enjoy it – when you enjoy it you’ll start to prioritise it.

Exercise prescription:

• Schedule working out in your weekly diary and commit to a time
• Make a list of what exercise/workouts you want to try and give them all a go
• Workout with a friend so that you have someone to be accountable to and to have someone to push you when you need a little nudge

SLEEP

Sleep is vital for true health. If we want to function optimally it’s so important to get good quality sleep (yes, the quality of your sleep is just as important as the quality of your food or water! – can you see a pattern here?). We live in a world where sleep is seen as a luxury and the fact that we hardly get any sleep is worn like a badge of honour. Well, we have got it ALL wrong. Sleep is a necessity NOT a luxury and if you don’t get 7-8 hours a night then you are far from earning that badge of honour. It is so important to get good quality rest as that’s the time our bodies repair and regenerate for the next day. It may seem ‘normal’ to go through life in a tired haze but trust me, it’s not. We’re not supposed to wake up in the morning still tired and reaching for that snooze button – in fact, our bodies are designed to get up and go. We’re not supposed to wake up 20 times during the night, we’re supposed to sleep straight through and feel totally refreshed in the mornings. So start working on improving the length and quality of your sleep.

Sleep prescription:

• Get into bed by 10pm as that’s when ALL our bodies naturally slow down
• Avoid looking at blue light before bed (so that light from our TV’s, computers or phones) and focus on calming activities to wind your brain down
• Don’t have a heavy meal right before bed and avoid drinking lots of water before you sleep

FRESH AIR & SUNSHINE

Have you ever noticed how amazing you feel from walking in the countryside or getting out of the city and enjoying the fresh air?

Have you ever stood in the sun and just smiled because you’re that content and happy?

Both the fresh air and sun make us feel good – the sun for its Vitamin D and the fresh air for the smells, the sound of nature and the lowered pollution content of the air. All of that combined just makes us feel more energised and full of life. So many of us are Vitamin D deficient now a days and although I’m not saying to sunbathe all day every day, there is something to be said for being present where there is sun. The warmth and the light on our skin is not only makes us feel happier but also gives our bodies chance to create Vitamin D inside of us. The fresh air makes us feel fantastic because the air we breathe day to day is of a significant lower quality. Think about where you spend most of your days whether at home or work. Is there air stagnant? Are the windows closed? Is the air conditioning on? Is there cigarette smoke in the house? Do you live or work around industrial smoke?

Our bodies take in pollutants all day every day from the soap we clean ourselves with to the car fumes when driving – so being in ‘fresh’ air gives not only our lungs a break from filtering all that junk out, but also our cells. That’s why we feel amazing after being in the fresh air.

Fresh air prescription:

• Open your windows at home and circulate the air
• Take a daily walk outside
• Use an air purifier if you live in a smoky environment

REST

This is different to sleep – this rest refers to resting from the stresses of life and taking the time to de-stress both mind and body. Today’s world is so highly pressurised and we all seem to be living with a go-go-go attitude. However, our bodies weren’t designed to function or work that way. Yes, a little stress is good for us but not a lot and not all of the time. Stress is a way for our bodies to move away from danger – when we’re stressed a number of hormones (including cortisol) are released into our bodies to help them do just that. They’re alert signal that tell us something’s wrong and we need to get out of there. It’s not a normal state for our bodies to be in, it’s meant to occur only in times of danger, the problem is that with this modern day stress we end up with a constant stream of these stress hormones going through our body and that ‘normal’ functions of rest, digestion and regeneration get shut off. Too much stress can also cause heart disease, high blood pressure and increased cholesterol. It’s so important to put a massive focus on rest and actively tell our bodies to de-stress and calm down so that we can return to our natural state without those stress hormones.

Rest prescription:

• Go through your day with a more mindful approach and take your time to be present
• Have a designated ‘switch off’ time where you can have a bit of me-time to relax
• Practice meditation or deep belly breathing

Prevention will always be better than the cure and don’t kid yourself by thinking you can skip on prevention and be living the best life you possibly could be. I’m certain that no matter how great you feel, if you’re not making time to look after yourself, you’re still selling yourself short.

Ask yourself:

What can I do today so that I can feel fitter, healthier and more energised tomorrow?

What can I do this week so that I can feel fitter, healthier and more energised next week?

What can I do this month so that I can feel fitter, healthier and more energised next month?

What can I do this year so that I can feel fitter, healthier and more energised next year?

How can I implement prevention into my daily routine so I can live the rest of my days with more vitality than I could ever dream of?

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