Choosing to lead a holistic lifestyle will send you on a journey of self-fulfillment and natural living, while improving your overall health and well-being along the way.
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ho·lis·tic /hōˈlistik/
adjective
philosophy / characterized by comprehension of the parts of something as intimately interconnected and explicable only by reference to the whole.
medicine / characterized by the treatment of the whole person, taking into account mental and social factors, rather than just the symptoms of a disease.
Basically, holistic living involves living in balance with your mind, body, spirit, and environment. It’s an approach to life that has been around since the beginning of time. However, as technology has advanced and the world has evolved, so too have our lifestyles.
Nowadays, many put their trust in modern medicine and chemical-based prescriptions and products instead of first utilizing what mother nature has gifted us: freshwater, herbs, fruits, vegetables, and not to mention our beautiful planet as a whole. Nature is medicine, and that is one of the main beliefs to remember when living a holistic lifestyle.
There is no one way to live a holistic lifestyle. Like our fingertips and personalities, each of us is different and unique in our own ways. Whenever you meet someone who lives holistically, chances are they do things differently from yourself or another person who practices holistic wellness.
Each approach to wellness is different depending on your own health, your location, personality, and your biology. However, here are some tips to begin living a holistic lifestyle.
Incorporate plant-based medicine.
One of the major aspects of holistic wellness and living a holistic lifestyle is choosing plants before modern medicine. Head to your backyard or the vegetable section of your grocery store before popping over to the pharmacy.
This is one of the areas of holistic wellness that can take some time to learn. You have to get familiar with herbs, their properties, and where and why to use them.
For example, did you know that garlic is a great alternative to antibiotic ointments like Neosporin? Garlic has long been used in medicine to prevent infection, kill off bacteria, and fight diseases.
So, if you have a small cut, clean it and then crush up garlic (mortars & pestles are great for this!), and apply the paste onto a wound. Works just like Neosporin, but it’s holistic and arguably much better!
That’s just one quick example. You can also learn how to make your own salves, soaps, ointments, and teas when uncovering more about herbs.
The best way to learn about holistic medicine is through reading. Buy as many books as you’d like and you’ll be well on your way toward understanding this aspect of living a holistic lifestyle.
Books to read on holistic medicine: Encyclopedia of Herbal Medicine, The Modern Herbal Dispensatory, The Green Witch.
Also, if you need a little help, I highly recommend checking out Plant People. This brand creates tinctures and capsules, incorporating mushrooms and other plant-based medicine, that improve mental health, focus, congestion, and more. You’re welcome to use this Plant People link and code HELLOCHRISTA at checkout to save 15% on every purchase. <3
Understand your body.
Being holistic is about understanding your body and being connected to it, while then connecting it to the world around you. Harmony! You want to understand your body to live a holistic lifestyle.
You can begin to understand your body in a number of ways. If you’re a woman, this can begin simply with tracking your cycle and understanding your hormones and why they work in the way they do. Fercci is a great place to start for holistically understanding your body as a woman. Read up on hormonal health here.
Beyond that, spend some time looking at your body, getting to know it, and familiarizing yourself with it. How can you know your body without that?
Improve your spirituality.
Whatever your religious affiliation may or may not be, your spirituality is something unique to you and isn’t necessarily tied to a religion in this case.
Spirituality is commonly viewed as a sense of purpose or direction, without which, values can slip, upending one’s life balance. Many fuel their spirituality through prayer, meditation, or a connection to nature or higher power.
To improve your spirituality, start to practice mindfulness with these ideas.
- Set aside time in your day for yourself. This can be a mindful yoga session, meditation, a time of quiet reflection, a walk in nature, or sitting at your altar. It’s up to you and your spiritual journey.
- Reflection is also a major key in growing your spirituality and it will be very handy when you begin living a holistic lifestyle. There is much to keep track of and a lot of reflection and thoughts will likely start flowing. That’s why a fresh journal (like this mindful journal) will be very helpful for you on your holistic spiritual journey.
- You can also follow the moon phases. For example, a new moon is all about setting new intentions, cleansing and rejuvenating yourself. Here’s a mindful guide to the moon phases to get you started.
Be conscious of your environmental impact.
Those who live a holistic lifestyle strive to live in harmony with the environment because if we don’t have the environment, we hardly have anything at all. So, we care for our surroundings (being our physical house and our planet) and strive to limit our waste.
There are many ways to reduce your environmental impact and live a more sustainable and holistic lifestyle. Here are a few ways to reduce your impact.
- Reduce your plastic waste consumption by eating in more, bringing a keep cup when you get takeaway coffee, using reusable shopping bags (this is a biggie!), and so much more.
- Lower your carbon footprint by carpooling, walking, cycling, and using public transport. Walking and cycling are, of course, the preferred methods of travel for a 0 carbon footprint.
- Compost your food and recycle. Check out my lazy guide to being eco-friendly for some top tips.
- Use more environmentally conscious products like bamboo toothbrushes, sustainable bathroom products, and natural alternatives.
- Start a garden, plant more trees, and join a community clean-up organization.
READ MORE: The Dos and Dont’s of Transitioning to Sustainable Living
Educate yourself.
I don’t mean go out and get a Ph.D. or anything, but do consider spending some time educating yourself on holistic-relevant topics. Choose what interests you!
Maybe you want to learn how to sew or knit and make your own clothes. Perhaps you want to perfect your gardening or herbalism skills. Or maybe you want to learn how to wild camp and care for yourself while completely immersed in nature.
Choose your niche and interest and find something that appeals to you.
You can even do something as simple as reading more books, watching YouTube videos, or chatting with others. There’s no one-size-fits-all method to education, just like there’s no one-size-fits-all holistic lifestyle.
Choosing to begin a holistic lifestyle will take you on a beautiful journey of self-love and admiration for our planet and its valuable nutrients, plants, and sheer beauty. Choose your path and see where it leads you.
