Navigating Healthier Choices without Stressing Yourself Out!

Intentionally stewarding your health is one of the most important and life-changing commitments you can make. You only get one body, and ultimately, you are the one responsible for your daily choices!

The commitment to living a healthier life may come with a steep learning curve, as well as many rabbit holes of "the best ways to do x,y,x", health gurus, gadgets and supplements, conflicting information, and even fear mongering at times. It can be super confusing and even cause you to stall out in your unhealthy habits, especially if you have the type of personality that fears making a mistake. I have seen fear and overwhelm come up often in conversations about health, and I also personally know what this feels like. The stress that results can completely derail your efforts, and become even more toxic to you than your polyester leggings.

When you are on a healing journey, there are certain details that are very important to consider to optimize the results you are after, for example: filtering your water, prioritizing quality ingredients, avoiding chemical exposures (and yes, switching out polyester for natural fibers is a good idea), reading labels, etc, yet some things may be out of your control. I'd like to share a practical approach to making the best choices you CAN make:

• Assess your current situation, and what you would like to change. Remember that you don't have to change everything all at once. Small changes made over time have big impact, and will also likely be longer lasting than quick, impulsive changes. Choose to change just one thing, and be satisfied with your effort!

• Understand what is Good, Better, and Best, and make the best decision you can make given your current circumstances, finances, values, and season of life you are in. I will use food as an example: If the best you can do right now is purchase conventionally raised meat from your local grocery store instead of fast food, then consider that GOOD! You are eating real food, and that is always a good choice. If you can purchase organic, that would be BETTER since that animal has not been exposed to antibiotics, pesticides, hormones, etc, therefore your body doesn't have the added burden of filtering out those additional exposures. If you are in a position to buy your meat directly from your local farmer and/or raise it yourself, that would be BEST because you know exactly how the animal is raised and how the land is managed, you have access to the freshest, highest nutritional quality there is, and you are directly supporting your local agricultural community. Everyone has to start somewhere, and honestly if you can start by choosing real food over highly processed food products, then you are doing your body so much good.

• Pay attention to what is causing you stress. A stressed out, hyper-vigilant, flight or fight-activated body is not in state that invites healing no matter how crunchy organic you are or how many health hacks you throw at yourself. Turn down the influencer noise and get outside in nature! Prayer, journaling, deep belly breathing, humming and singing, sunshine, bare feet in the grass, community, hobbies, and joyful pursuits are also key to good health and can help move your nervous system from a sympathetic state (flight/fight) to a parasympathetic state (rest/digest), which will do far more for your healing journey than worrying about whether you should or shouldn't wear linen and wool together or if your crock pot is poisoning you.

Again, life is a journey, and we can only try to do the best we can with what we've got. Lifestyle changes can be simple, but they are not always easy! Remember that changes can be made one step at a time, even if the steps are baby ones. Part of my job as a GAPS Coach is helping you make the best choices you can make to support your health journey, and even Dr. Natasha says that people can heal with conventional meat! Have hope & take courage.

Blessings!

Kyla