Be Good To Yourself

Be good to yourself. Being good to yourself also means being good to the environment. When you think about it, you are the air you breathe and the water you drink. You are what you eat doesn’t only apply to the food substances we consume. I try to think of this everyday by weighing how I feel with what I’m consuming whether it be food I’m eating or products I’m purchasing, along with how I’m experiencing my surroundings. Everything goes hand in hand, and while it might sound daunting to think about all these things being so connected, I think after taking a step back to realize how simple treating yourself kindly can be, you’ll see how easy it is to treat the environment with the same regard. With all of this said, there any many ways in which we can align ourselves healthfully and physically through the mind and body within the context of our surroundings.

First, let’s start with something we can all relate to: stress. Stress as we know, is brought on by various physical and emotional challenges from being overwhelmed at work to personal relationships to the noisy neighbor living above us. Every single body deals with stress and therefore everyone can benefit from new and/or additional ways of ridding ourselves from its effects.

As fall is upon us, the changing of the season is a perfect place to begin. As the weather becomes cooler the body tends to breathe a little easier and the mind eases from the tension of the summer heat. We can take time to incorporate easy steps in our day to day to relieve stress as well as contribute to the well being of the environment. As these two things are inextricable, we can feel good about improving our health and the planet at the same time.

Exercise is essential to a healthy body. Taking brisk walks two to three times a week will vastly improve circulation, muscle tone, and controlling high blood pressure as well as easing anxiety and depression by improving our mood. It allows us to breathe deeply and is easy on the joints. Instead of driving to run a few errands, try to choose places within walking distance that not only reduces pollution by saving fuel, but gives you the time to stretch your legs. Many friends have told me that once they started working out regularly, and this can be anything from running in the park to a yoga class once a week, they became more cognizant of what they put into their bodies as well as what they put back into the environment.

Next on the list is food. This is my favorite topic because there are so many ways to love your body and your environment through simple and delicious choices. “Greening” your diet is a great way to get healthy and contribute to saving the planet for both carnivores and vegetarians. Meat eaters can start to think about where their meat is coming from and the process it takes from farm to plate. Grass-fed, free-range and organic local farms are a great source for meat and poultry. There is no denying that eating meat from high end corporate production houses has serious consequences on the environment through contributing to water pollution, the production of greenhouse gases and the usage of fossil fuels. By purchasing your meat from local farms that are conscious of these environmental hazards, as well as the treatment of the animals, you can make a huge impact on your life and the planet.

Next, think about reducing the meat you eat in a single week. Try a vegetarian diet two days a week and see how you feel. I know there are many people out there, while not necessary vegetarians have found ways to enjoy satisfying meals without meat. There are dozens of ways to make sure you’re getting enough protein as well as feeling full in order to gain energy for an active life. For example, beans and legumes are an excellent source of protein, and fiber. Of course no one wants to eat beans every day let alone at every meal, but this is a good place to start, and the different recipes are endless. Varying your diet with different foods guarantees that you get enough of the nutrients necessary for a healthy body. Mushrooms are a great source of nutrition as well. Shiitake mushrooms for instance, are rich in flavor and make a great substitute for meat due to their texture and substance.

Vegetarians and meat eaters a like may also want to consider purchasing produce from local organic farmer's markets. The freshness quality is paramount when it comes to taste and local farms use considerably less pesticides when growing their crops. Eating locally grown foods means less traveling which reduces the use of gases into the air. Local organic farms also use methods of growing their crops that help contribute to the health of the soil by putting back good nutrients into the ground and not just stripping it of those necessary nutrients the earth also needs to live and be healthy. Unlike big corporate farms, smaller more conscious farms give back to the earth they use to grow.

And lastly, the issue of buying more and more bottled water is not simply about wasting plastic. As easy as it is to buy water on the fly, it’s worth thinking about a couple things. One, the repeated usage of a single bottle can be dangerous due to the buildup of bacteria that can creep into the body. Of course the idea of only buying one bottle is appealing due to cost, but can be detrimental to our health. We’ve also heard over the years that certain chemicals could be leaking into the water from the plastic. Think about purchasing eco-friendly water bottles you can clean and fill up easily. I recommend a stainless steel bottle. They are easy to clean, are recyclable, and pose no threat of leaking toxic substances into the body. They’re as easy and lightweight to carry around as any other plastic bottle purchased at the store.

Being good to yourself should be easy and accessible so that new and healthy ways of improving your life become habits you keep forever -- habits we can all benefit from.

C. Benzing Oct 2008

PLEASE NOTE: I am not a qualified medical, nutritional or fitness expert and therefore not able to dispense professional advice. My experience is personal and I simply want to share that experience with you. If you have questions or comments about the specific content please email them to me. I am more than happy to discuss. Please seek out a licensed/certified medical, nutritional or fitness professional before trying anything in my article.