Trying to start a wellness journey can be overwhelming; so many “experts” are out there telling you what to do! To help make things simple in this article, we’re breaking down the 4 essential pillars of health to help you make those healthy lifestyle changes. There are just 4 key areas you need to focus on to pave the way for long-term success.
This post is all about Healthy Lifestyle Changes.
Let’s be real – trying to get healthy and fit can be super overwhelming. There are so many different opinions and methods out there it’s hard to know where to start. What if we told you that there are just a few key things you need to focus on to set yourself up for long-term success?
In this blog post we will talking about the “4 Pillars of Health”, what they are, and how they can help you make healthy lifestyle changes.
Understanding the 4 Pillars of Health is like having a roadmap to a healthier, happier you. It’s the key to having the energy to conquer your day, the confidence to make healthy choices, and the motivation to stick to them. So, in this article, we will break down the 4 essential pillars of a healthy lifestyle that you need to know.
Healthy Lifestyle Changes: 4 Pillars to Ignite Your Wellness Journey
The concept of the “4 Pillars” of health was popularized by Dr. Rangan Chatterjee, a renowned medical doctor based in the U.K. Dr. Chatterjee’s books on living a happy and healthy lifestyle, based on these 4 principles: food, movement, relaxation, and sleep, have gained widespread recognition. Today, we’ll explore these pillars, as well as the common interpretation of exercise, nutrition, sleep, and mental/social health.
These pillars were created after Dr. Chatterjee saw many patients with sub-optimal health and started to feel that “health” was becoming “overcomplicated.” Today, we will unpack these pillars to help you kick-start your wellness journey. Let’s dig into the first of these pillars!
1. Nourishing Your Body: The Power of What you Eat
If you’ve tried to make healthy changes in the past, you are probably familiar with the sheer number of diets and ways of eating out there. Keto, vegan, paleo, Mediterranean, IIFYM—the endless arguing about the best can be very confusing! We have good news and “bad” news.
The “bad” news is that there is not a “perfect diet” for everyone, and because nutrition science is still relatively new (comparatively), there is not much evidence to prove that one diet is better than another. But, the good news is making healthy lifestyle changes in this area may be easier than you think!
Focus on whole foods! After researching most of these diets and ways of eating (as well as some personal trial and error), we’ve found that adding whole, unprocessed foods not only can be beneficial for weight loss or maintenance but is also essential for overall health! We know it can be tempting to reach for convenience foods, but trust us, it’s worth it to make the effort to fuel your body with the good stuff. Fresh fruits and veggies, whole grains, lean proteins, and healthy fats. These are the building blocks of a healthy lifestyle, and when you eat them, you’ll notice a huge difference in your energy levels, your immune system, and just overall how you feel.
Here’s a few tips on how to focus on whole foods:
- Think of what fruits and veggies you can add to your diet
- Make most of (if not all) of your meals at home
- Shop on the perimeter of the grocery store where the produce and meats are
- Look for easy recipes with minimal ingredients
- Stay consistent with your healthier choices by indulging every once in a while
2. Moving Your Body: The Importance of Regular Exercise
We all recognize that exercise is essential to a healthy lifestyle, but what if we told you you don’t have to kill yourself in the gym or do some intense cardio to reap the benefits?! While working on healthy lifestyle changes, we found that some of the healthiest, longest-living people in the world incorporate movement into their daily lives without ever stepping foot in the gym!
There are many reasons to move your body besides losing weight and being lean. Benefits include stress and anxiety management, strength building, proprioception work, and reduced risk of chronic diseases. By incorporating gentle movement and intentional exercise into your routine, you may begin to notice a transformation in many areas of your life!
Focus on what you can do! Whether it is taking the stairs instead of the elevator, parking farther from the grocery store door, or walking around the office on your lunch break, think about ways to add more movement to your day. Movement doesn’t have to leave you gasping for air to be effective! Remember to pick a form of movement you enjoy and will stick to! If you don’t like running, don’t run; find other ways to get active!
Here’s a few tips on how to focus on adding movement:
- Try gardening or pulling weeds in your lawn
- Find an active hobby like biking or hiking
- Walk instead of driving when it’s possible
- Set aside 10 minutes when you wake up or in the evening to stretch
- Turn on some music and just dance!
3. Social /Emotional Health: The Role of the people around us and doing things we love
It’s been said that you are most like the 5 people you spend the most time with, so when you think about these people, are you leading each other to a healthier, happier life? Research has shown that social connectedness positively impacts many health markers. This is why spending time with family and friends is fun and could add years to your life!
Not everyone has a positive relationship with their family or feels they have friends they can count on, so cultivating new relationships is also key to achieving social and emotional health. It’s essential to develop relationships with people who uplift and support us rather than those who drain our energy and are negative.
Focus on reducing stress! Reducing stress and doing activities you enjoy also contribute to emotional well-being. Slowing down and taking time to pray, journal, or doodle can be a great addition to your daily routine and can increase mindfulness!
Here’s a few tips on how to reduce stress:
- Call a friend or family member at least once a week
- learn a new instrument or pick up and old one
- Paint, draw, or create a scrapbook page
- Take a walk with a friend or join a run club
- Set aside time to spend in the quiet talking to God
4. Restoring Your Body: The Necessity of Quality Sleep
Often overlooked, sleep is vital to restoring your brain and body and helping your overall wellness. When you are overtired, you are susceptible to illness, decision fatigue, and irritability, and you just don’t feel your best. Think of sleep as the foundation for your healthy lifestyle; without quality sleep, you can’t be the highest quality version of yourself!
While it can be hard depending on your work schedule, kids, spouse, and other life factors, aim to set a bedtime and start winding down a few hours beforehand. It can also be beneficial to wake up around the same time every day to help your body get into a rhythm and aid in quality sleep.
Focus on “sleep hygiene“! You can do a few things during the day to get quality sleep at night. While you may believe that going to bed earlier is the answer to better and more sleep, there’s a bit more to it than that. Being intentional about your day is helpful with the above pillars of health and can also help you with sleep!
- Stay away from caffeine in the afternoon and evening
- Manage stress by journaling or writing down your worries from the day
- Make your environment good for sleep (comfortable, cold, quiet)
- Exercise during the day
- Try supplements or natural sleep aids like magnesium or herbal teas
