Health is wealth. Here, we are going to explore how we can start a new journey towards a healthier and happier lifestyle. There are two aspects about healthiness: a fit body and a sharp mind. Physical and mental health cannot be separated.

They are intrinsically correlated and what affects one affects the other. We must then treat them with the same level of importance. Our whole existence is about cycles and balance, and the idea is to break free from vicious circles if we get caught in them, to create virtuous circles where positiveness in one field attracts positiveness in another field. To be healthy means reaching a state of great harmony of the body, mind, and spirit. A healthy mind blossoms in a healthy body and vice versa. Working on achieving this harmony is a sign of happiness in your life.

#1: Prevention is better than care

It is sad and unfortunate that so many people, especially in big cities, show signs of stress, anxiety, as well as weak physical health. Instead of being in control of their inner self and enjoying the pleasures of life, it seems their life is controlling them. They complain they don’t have time to take care of themselves, until they get forced to waste their time treating the illness resulting from that negligence.

Investing in your health has never been a luxury and will always be a necessity. The numbers of deaths caused by chronic diseases is very alarming. And having an unbalanced lifestyle is a major risk factor leading to such diseases and conditions. More importantly, if you are not sick today, it doesn’t mean you are healthy. You must constantly feed your body and mind with things that grow them stronger. Everyone is at risk of living his last years in agony.

Prevention is therefore of prime importance. There are several ways you can reduce your risk of developing the most common chronic diseases – the trick is to maintain low blood pressure and cholesterol levels:

– Quit smoking

– Drink with moderation

– Eat a healthy, balanced diet

– Exercise more

– Maintain a healthy weight

#2: Your body is a temple

When you are physically healthy, your bodily functions and processes are working at their peak. You feel strong and powered up. And this gives you enough motivation to face the daily challenges with confidence and energy. Always see your body as the temple where your soul can elevate and speak to the universe. And a great temple should be a clean place where you can feel the presence of mysterious powers and a strong sense of spirituality within its walls and structures. When your body feels strong and alive, this is a good place to discover the greater you. The effect of having a non-healthy life on your body is similar to continuously damaging its pillars and throwing garbage on the floor. First, it doesn’t smell spiritual anymore. And second, how can you focus on inner peace when the whole temple can crumble anytime?

Cherish and respect your body because it is the only place you can live in. Your body is the vessel that takes you through your life journey. A good start is that it can move with ease. If you keep fueling it with the wrong nutrients because it is cheap and readily available, you might go faster the first few miles but be sure you are not going very far. A healthy body feels light and has endurance. And since it doesn’t get tired easily, it makes you more resilient to fatigue, weather conditions, and stress. You just need to make time for regular exercise and balanced nutrition. And if you don’t have time, the make it. Since I had long hours at work every day, the solution for me was to wake up earlier and exercise in the morning. Once I started my new Morning routine, I figured out that these extra-hours of sleep I sacrificed were not a necessity.

In a sum, your body benefits from movement. A healthy body not only prevents the onset of diseases but also makes your whole existence glow differently. Also remember your body needs to rest to replenish and refill. That’s just how nature works. Sleeping well is thus extremely important for your health. Take good care of your vessel and keep maintaining it constantly. That’s the only way you can explore some wonders way beyond your imagination.

“Our nature lies in movement. Complete calm is death.”

– Blaise Pascal

#3: Learn to beat the behavioral deficit phenomenon

We all know that having a good nutrition and exercising  are good for us, but we usually don’t pay attention to that. I can’t stress enough the extreme importance of physical health. Keep reminding yourself of all these things that are positive for you. What you put in your brain influences your thoughts, which in turn influences the outcome of your life.

Nowadays, people have easy access to information about nutrition and yet they keep feeding themselves with what will certainly make them sick. This is called a behavioral deficit where people do not react rationally despite having the right knowledge. Knowledge coupled with awareness is awakening. And when the strength of your will transforms the information into action, you will see the doors of success completely opened.

#4: A healthy body in a healthy mind

As  said earlier, physical and mental health are intimately linked to one another. The same way a healthy body makes you feel energized, a healthy mind strengthens your immune system. Studies have shown that negative emotions, chronic depression, or anxiety can significantly damage your body.

Conversely, being in a relaxed and happy state can do wonders for lowering your stress. This reduces the cortisol levels, thus allowing our whole body to function more efficiently. Indeed, a healthy and happy mind requires stillness, and we find it sometimes difficult to focus in a world where noise is everywhere. So it’s very important to incorporate meditation and laugh practices in our daily routines, as they will provide us with health, infinite joy, and inner peace.