BMO's Guide To Healthy Living

If you’ve been following along with my blogs you know we’ve encouraged prioritizing physical health, we’ve touched on the direct relationship between your environment and your emotional well-being and we’ve introduced practices to improve mental strength. Now we put it all together in this Guide to Healthy Living. Here you will find all my favorite tips and tricks to incorporate healthy habits into every day life. I share my favorite brands and methods for supplements, workouts, food waste, and more.

 

I’ve ideated a sort of hierarchy of healthy living philosophies. There are seven “philosophies” that are all equally important, but I’ve listed them in this specific order for a reason. Much like Marie Kondo’s KonMari Method that emphasizes the importance of tidying in the right order to ensure success, these philosophies are listed in a thoughtful and intentional way too.

 

Marie recommends approaching a Tidying Festival in the following order :: 1. Clothing 2. Books 3. Papers 4. Komono [or, Miscellaneous items] 5. Sentimental. Her reasoning for this is simply that you start with the [in general] easiest items to let go of and move upwards in level of difficulty from there. Of course, there may be exceptions, as we are all unique and have different attachment styles. The foundation of easiest to hardest and the principle of building strength to make decisions is there.

 

These seven philosophies of healthy living are ordered with that same foundation and principle in mind. Incorporating one into your daily, habitual life will empower you to achieve the next with more grace and ease. If you find you want to switch up the order - go for it! Everything in life can be tailor-made. If you prefer to follow my guidelines, I suggest you focus on implementing one habit for at least twenty-one days and then adding in the next habit, until you’ve built a routine that encompasses all areas of wellness into your daily life.

 

 

 

1. NOURISH

 

It has been said that the gut is the “second brain”. Whether or not you believe in the spiritual, energetic mind-body connection, science shows and tells us our anthropomorphic anatomy operates in unison. We at Bear Method Organize believe that taking care of your mind benefits your body, and vice versa.

 

When you optimize nutrition for your physical body, it supports both of your “brains” in functioning properly. A bloated belly isn’t too far off from a foggy brain; they can both lead you to a low-vibrational life of lethargy, indecision and a lack of a sense of control. This deregulation can - over time - lower your ability to be your best self.

 

To take care of yourself nutritionally speaking, our brains and bodies need a balanced, whole-foods-based diet and lots of mineralized water. Individually, you can tailor your diet to what works best for you. Some might opt for an entirely vegan diet with minimally processed foods. Others nosh on ethically sourced animal products and fresh, organic produce while avoiding packaged goods all-together. The perfect formula is the one you pick for YOU. Accessibility and affordability are huge factors that can’t be ignored.

 

Here are few ways to save money while eating whole foods ::

 

1. Meal prep! Planning ahead prevents spontaneous eating out and cooking in bulk often lowers the cost per meal. You can do this every 3-4 days and have fresh leftovers, or you can freeze pre-made dishes that can last months. I love to freezer prep a variety of burritos, soups and air-fried chicken strips.

 

2. Eat plant-based meals a minimum of 1-2x per week. Many grains and legumes are less expensive than animal products and it can be fun to switch up your meals. Let your creative juices flow and get inspired to re-make some of your favorite dishes into plant-based ones. One of my favorite no-fuss, inexpensive ways to do this is with nachos! Load them up with beans and cashew cheese and all your favorite veggie toppings. Salsa and guacamole can be very nutritious and delicious, and they’re already plant-based!

 

3. Stop buying bottled water!!!! Invest in a Berkey or other filtration system to protect yourself, your home and your wallet from unnecessarily costly plastic toxins. The filters last super long and you’ll feel better about tracking refills over counting the clutter of empty plastic bottles.

 

4. Buy local brands and shop at the Farmer’s Market. Supporting local brands helps overall inflation and supports small businesses which can also drive down costs. Farmer’s Markets vendors are often willing to cut you a deal for bulk purchases or produce that didn’t sell before closing hours. Top tip - fruits and veggies are supposed to look special and unique. The uniformed produce we see at the grocery store are often laden with GMOs and irresponsible harvesting techniques. Find the beauty in organic, responsibly farmed crops.

 

5. Plant your own garden or source an indoor growing module. This can be an initial financial investment that can have a strong return in time. You can go as big or as small as you want to. Herbs are incredibly easy to grow indoors or out. When my husband and I lived in New York, we had a Lettuce Grow with the indoor growing light rings. It was a beautiful feature that also saved us many grocery store trips. We later planted a larger, outdoor garden at our home in California and had fun learning how to care for different types of fruits and veggies. Spending time with your food, nurturing and appreciating it makes it all that more nourishing for you.

 

6. Compost - just do it. Whether you compost for your own garden or donate it to your local Farmer’s Market, this is a grand step in the circle of both plant and human life that doesn’t take as much effort as it seems. If we can re-nourish our soils, we can amplify the nutrition our produce can provide. Buy some compostable bags and collect your food scraps in it. Most cities have a drop off, or you can contact vendors at the Farmer’s Markets and arrange donation. Currently there are several high-tech tools that can easily convert your scraps into soil with the touch of a button.

 

7, Amplify hydration by adding in trace minerals, sea salt, or fresh fruit to your water. I’ll say it again - STOP buying bottled water!!! It pollutes the planet and strips our bodies of hydration. I don’t care if it’s encased in glass or aluminum, it is still an excessive contributor to the carbon footprint. I don’t care if it says “purified” “alkaline” “with added electrolytes” or whatever - it is likely a marketing fib that we too easily fall prey to. STOP BUYING BOTTLED WATER. A slice of lemon or a sprinkle of sea salt in your at-home-filtered water will make a huge difference in the amount of hydration you absorb. I also love LMNT packets, especially for on-the-go!

 

 

2. RELEASE

 

Detox naturally by taking chlorophyll, dry brushing before a hot//cold shower, hop on an oscillator to get circulation flowing, take Dead Sea salt baths to relax and rejuvenate your body, put lemons in your water, or drink detox tea [burdock root, ginger, alfalfa, dandelion]. These are all simple and affordable ideas that you can implement daily. Pick one or try them all!

 

Declutter your belongings and feel the space you create by letting go of that which no longer serves you. We can feel heavy and bogged down by the weight of things that are not bringing us joy. This extra weight can be a literal drag, holding us back from our full potential. LET. IT. GO.

 

Design something. Art is a great form of release. See what you can create by letting your feelings and thoughts release onto paper or canvas - you could even borrow your kids’ chalk and let it out on the sidewalk! Other forms of designer art include dance, pottery, sewing, knitting, crochet, collage, crafts, cooking, writing, painting, and more.

 

 

3. MOVE

 

Move every day. Period. It could look like an hour long hike or a one-minute wall squat. Just get up from the seated position and shake out your body. You don’t need anything other than time and the commitment to yourself and your health.

 

Take this to the next level by doing an actual exercise class or workout program three times per week or more. The options are endless here. You can mix cardio with resistance training, swim, bike, run, walk, skate, jump, dance, lift weights, pick up your children, lift jars of bone broth, the list goes on. My favorite ways to move include Yoga, Pilates, functional body movements and walking outdoors. Some apps I love are Melissa Wood Health, P.Volve, Pilates Anytime, YouTube, Open, and Peloton.

 

Check out the Organized Fitness blog for a more detailed exercise routine.

 

 

4. BE STILL

 

Meditate :: Take a few moments for yourself to be still and close your eyes. Even one minute makes a difference. Follow a guided meditation on the Calm or Headspace or Open apps, try a walking meditation from Melissa Wood Health, or just sit in silence. Other good stillness activities include yin stretching, sound therapy [healing frequencies like Solfeggio, crystal singing bowls, hertz for specific chakras or body parts] and sitting in nature.

 

I’ve enjoyed learning more about Yoga, Meditation and Breathwork through Loka Yoga’s certification courses. You can find more information here.

 

 

5. REFLECT

 

Journal :: It’s important to remain reflective. Staying continuously curious about ourselves allows us to grow and evolve in the best possible ways. Letting go on paper is a proven stress and anxiety relief technique. You can write down your deepest, darkest thoughts and then burn them. You can write down something you think you want to say to someone else but are afraid of hurting their feelings. You can write down your truest desires in an effort to manifest them into reality. The words are yours to get out of your head, off of your chest and onto the paper - let the paper carry them for you.

 

Therapy :: Talking to a trusted person, especially a licensed therapist, can be an effective way to work through the challenges that life brings. We weren’t designed to move through life on our own. Investing in therapy whole-heartedly can make a huge difference in healing from past trauma and acquiring effective methods to handle anything that life brings going forward.

 

 

6. CONNECT

 

Community :: We are in the midst of a loneliness epidemic. The irony is excruciating - never before have we had so much instant contact and yet almost one-fourth of the population is lonely [CNN] and Gen Z is the loneliest generation with almost 80% reporting feelings of loneliness.

 

Social time is a necessary piece to the wellness puzzle. We must spend quality time with others regularly. If your friends and family members don’t live nearby, find connection in volunteering. You can nurture and maintain relationships via Zoom and FaceTime or Skype, but in-person contact is key. Joining a community group is a great way to achieve this.

 

 

Consideration :: Giving back to the Earth is important. Most of us are operating on Auto-Pilot, unconsciously taking without thinking about the energy we are putting back out into the world. We’re all familiar with the circle of life, thanks to Walt Disney and James Earl Jones! Some of us may also recall the plant life cycle from Biology class. The Cliff’s Notes are :: The seed germinates, the plant grows and flowers, the flower produces fruit, the fruit releases seeds, etc. etc. The circle within the cycle involves plants absorbing carbon dioxide to emit oxygen. Some say oxygen is the source of all life.  Some say it is water.  And some say it is Beyoncé.

 

Whatever gives you life, oxygen is an important and necessary ingredient for all beings, sentient or not, on Earth.  Robert Korpella states on sciencing.com, “As a result of photosynthesis, animals live in a symbiotic relationship with all plant life on Earth.”  We get the majority of our oxygen from plants, specifically phytoplankton (oceanic plants + bacteria).

 

Planting your own garden, harvesting your own produce, composting your food scraps are all helpful ways to give back to the Earth. At the very least, just hug a tree. Seriously. Give a tree a hug - it is working hard for you, for all of us - to keep the air we breathe clean.

 

Give thanks :: Simply saying thank you in out-of-the-ordinary scenarios is massively impactful to shift the energy of your day-to-day life. The Universe rewards gratitude. When we are genuinely grateful for EVERY thing we have - big or small - the Universe grants us more. Be thankful for your toothbrush and toothpaste, your hand-eye coordination to open a door, the ability to think and to feel infinitely, and the calculator on your SmartPhone for doing that simple addition for you when your brain just CANNOT.

 

Another great practice is to send a hand written thank you note to someone. It can even be yourself. A thoughtful thank you text or email also resonates. Express your gratitude as much as you can in every way that you can.

 

 

 

7. CREATE

 

Work with purpose :: Working can include making//earning a living, organizing, scheduling, and planning. Carve out time for passionate work and hobbies. Plan free time, family time and fun time. Make it easy for yourself to check off three things on your to do list every day [hint :: brush teeth, eat, sleep].

 

Having a sense of purpose is vital for human beings. Working can provide that feeling of purpose - it arguably grants a little bit from each of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. Working can encourage you to strive to become your best self [self-actualization], it can bring you respect and status [esteem], it can create friendship and community [love and belonging], it can generate resources, health, and property [safety needs], and it can subsidize water, food and shelter [physiological needs]. We all have a place in this world and it is our duty to find it, appreciate it, and maintain it.

 

 

 

Wellness is a trendy word that we hear and see often these days. By definition it is “the quality or state of being healthy in body and mind, especially as the result of deliberate effort”. Wellness is more about the prevention of dis-ease and illness, rather than the treatment of it. If we can live by these seven philosophies, we might find ourselves existing with more joy, becoming more naturally mindful and present, and living longer than we ever thought possible.

 

I hope you are inspired to make a positive change today, tomorrow, and for the rest of your days.

 

 

 

 

Bear Method Organize provides in-person declutter + tidy sessions in Los Angeles, California; Orange County, California; Malibu, California; Denver Metro, Colorado and all of the United States. We are available to travel to you. We offer virtual declutter + tidy sessions worldwide.

 

Disclosure: Some links may contain affiliates. When you buy through one of our links we may receive a commission. This is at no cost to you. Thank you for supporting Bear Method Organize and allowing us to continue to bring you valuable content.

 

 

 

Sources ::

https://www.cnn.com/2023/10/24/health/lonely-adults-gallup-poll-wellness/index.html#:~:text=Listen-,The%20loneliness%20epidemic%3A%20Nearly%201%20in%204,feel%20lonely%2C%20new%20survey%20finds&text=In%20a%20new%20Meta%2DGallup,29%20having%20the%20highest%20rates.

 

https://www.discoveryaba.com/statistics/loneliness#:~:text=Loneliness%20by%20Age&text=Here%20are%20some%20loneliness%20statistics,in%20a%20survey%20by%20YouGov.