THE KEY ROLE OF NOURISHMENT IN LONG-LASTING HEALTH AND WELL-BEING

Second step of the five-step journey to make you healthier and happier

In Eastern philosophy, nourishment is much more than just nutrition. Of course, providing for our basic but fundamental needs with light, air, water and food is essential. As complex living beings, we also fuel our vital energy with our connections, education, and core beliefs. Assimilation of all forms of nourishment empowers our actions in this world. Like you cultivate your garden, you cultivate your true purpose in life and see your destiny unfold with happiness and serenity. Nurturing yourself holistically is easier than you think, but to be effective it requires the acknowledgement that you deserve such a nourishment.

Taking the time to be outside every day, whether it is a proper walk or a lunch break in a park. Light and air bathing is an opportunity for your brain to catch up with the circadian cycle and your lungs to catch up with fresh air. Also, breathing chemicals released by trees and plants lowers your stress and improves your mood.
Being mindful of what you drink and eat goes beyond staying hydrated and eating healthy food. It is a sensory experience whereby you become aware of how your body feels when nourished by clean water and natural unprocessed food. Consciously using your senses of touch, sight, hearing, smell and taste when drinking, cooking, eating is an opportunity to notice how your body-mind responds.
Learning and experiencing new things enables you to identify your true purpose in life. Drop your guard to actively listen to new ideas, concepts or beliefs; be curious and explore how the world works beyond your life frame, learn a new language to expose yourself to cultural diversity; open your eyes and actively watch how nature unfolds or design and cook a new dish to step out of your meal routine.
Being able to both give and receive goodness from others and let the power of compassion influence your body at cellular level and heart-mind. It takes only an engaging smile, a supportive hand or a receptive ear to activate goodness if you consciously make the choice to care about you and others. Nothing materialistic, just the priceless alchemy.

Nurturing ourselves like this helps us acknowledge the sensation that today we have grown wiser than we were yesterday and that we’ve found the anchor to this world. The rootedness generated by proper nourishment, in whatever form, can only be perceived as inner harmony if we become aware of it and the benefits we gain from it, which leads us to the third step on the path to optimal health.