The Power of Self-Care and Nutrition
Nov 09, 2023
In our fast-paced, hectic lives, it’s easy to neglect self-care and make nutrition choices that don’t always feel great in our bodies. It’s common to prioritize work, family, friends, and socializing while putting our own wellbeing on the backburner.
This has been the theme recently in my client work - balancing others’ needs with their own. This time of year especially tends to be a little harder with extra obligations as we all get ready to close out the year. The importance of finding this balance is something one of my clients summed up perfectly when she said “When I take care of myself, I have more energy and love to pour into those that I’m supporting.” (BOOM!)
Self-Care: A foundation for health
Self-care is one of those words that gets thrown around so much that it’s starting to lose its meaning. The definition, according to Oxford languages and Google is “the practice of taking action to preserve or improve one's own health.” And health is both dynamic and holistic. It encompasses our physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual selves. Self-care is not about indulgence, but rather recognizing our own needs and addressing them, in any of these areas.
Self-care and nutrition go hand in hand
Emotions impact the food choices we make because emotions use energy. Food is an energy source, so when energy levels are low, it’s common to lean on food to refuel. This may manifest as overeating or reaching for fast-acting processed sugars and carbohydrates, which makes sense because these foods give us a quick energy spike.
Also, proper nutrition fuels the body so it can engage in self-care practices, like going to your favorite dance class, taking a walk, or heading to the grocery store and cooking a delicious homemade meal. When self-care and nutrition choices work in harmony, you can experience the full benefits of wellbeing.
2 ways to identify when it’s time to slow down and put yourself first
- Tune into your feelings
You can often feel things in your body before you can figure it out cognitively. Are you feeling jittery? Anxious? More worried than normal? Drained or exhausted? Maybe even sad? Pay attention to these feelings - they are great ways to communicate with your body.
- Watch your mood
If feeling your body is a struggle, paying attention to your mood and energy levels might be an easier place to start. Personally, I get irritated, have jittery energy, and feel like I can’t sit still even though all I want to do is go to sleep because I’m so tired. These are signs for me that say it's probably time to go fill up my cup in some way.
Self-care and nutrition choices are not separate entities, but interconnected aspects of your overall health. Take a step back and look at your nutrition from a birds-eye view. It's not just about your willpower and motivation that impact your choices - your whole life affects how your physical health journey plays out.
Download a free copy of the 5 Pillars of Holistic Health to get an idea of different avenues of self-care that are simple, easy, holistic, and free.
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