What is your body telling you about your health?

With the plethora of information out there on health and natural lifestyle choices, the decisions we need to make about our health can be overwhelming to most people. A lot of people might be into a new diet or the latest low-carb, high-fat craze and sometimes jumping on the bandwagon can be too good to be true. The importance of trusting your own body and what it needs cannot be overemphasized. Many people will persist in a lifestyle because they are made to believe it is healthy. And while it may be based on science or research that proves this, that doesn't mean it is healthy for them. 

Whether you are embarking on a new regime or are interested in trying something different, here a few tips to prepare yourself and help you check in with your body daily to ensure that what you are doing is right for you.

1. Sit in stillness for at least 10 minutes a day : It is amazing what can happen when we just sit quietly by ourselves, without any distractions and listen to the internal rhythms of the body. Most people will notice a few common things right away : Wow ! I'm tired and ouch! Something hurts ! Our bodies speak to us in very subtle ways and so we must listen to them equally subtlely. The problem is that when we ignore warning signs from our bodies over a longer period of time, the red flags get louder and more pronounced, often resulting in illness becoming more deeply found in our bodily systems.

2. Journal about your body : A lot of people write about their emotions or life events in a daily or weekly journal, but rarely mention how they are feeling in terms of energy levels or bodily functions on the written page. Get into the habit of jotting a few notes, even in the corner of your daytimer so you have something to look back on as a reference point of wellbeing.

3. Get your blood tested : A lot of people know very little about what is happening in their bodies and getting your blood tested is a small snapshot way of getting a glimpse at its inner workings and temperment ! A standard blood test can tell you what blood type you are (and how rare that is compared to other people) levels of vitamin and mineral stores in the body, the presence of excess inflammatory immune chemicals and so forth. 

The first step to understanding your own health is empowering yourself through knowledge. Visiting a myriad of qualified health care practitioners can also educate you about your own body and determining what is right for you and you alone. Don't be afraid to get second opinions and try alternative practices.

This article was written by Nakita Valerio, B.A, CSN, BMSA Technician. She has been working for Optimum Health Vitamins since 2007, during which she has gained a deep appreciation and understanding for the complexities of human nutrtition, and has spent hundreds of hours researching the topic. Her current position is online media assistant - a job she currently enjoys from Morocco!