“A condition in which different elements are equal or in the correct proportions.”
I was reminded of balance today from the owner of The Dailey Method in Lake Forest where I work out. She was discussing the importance of finding the time for yourself, regardless of the obstacles and joys in your life.
Balance has a different meaning for everyone, but I want to focus on the importance of health in your life and how that plays a huge role in feeling centered. We’ve all been in a place where we ate whatever was convenient, didn’t have the time to work out and went to bed still answering emails. More than likely this caused a need for more coffee in the morning and the entire cycle started over. Not only will this decrease your energy and your mental focus, but this will start to increase pain in your entire body.
How do we find balance in a world where we are pulled in multiple directions everyday? It comes down to planning and making time for what is important to you. We get stuck thinking about what needs to be done right now, and don’t think of the impact we are having on our bodies long term.
“Take care of your body, it’s the only place you have to live” ~Jim Rohn
Daily and monthly activities that make a long term impact on health
- Take Vitamins - 2 minutes
There is a lot of back and forth regarding the validity of supplementation. In 2004, the Journal of the American College of Nutrition found significant declines in the mineral and vitamin content of 43 crops grown in the United States. Some of these crops showed declines for 40-80% loss of vitamins such as C, A, potassium, magnesium and more. Those statistics have only continued to decline. We now have to eat 8 oranges to get the same amount of vitamin A that our grandparents got from a single orange!
In my professional experience and expertise from these studies and others, a person should be taking physician quality vitamins and at a bare minimum a multivitamin, omega, probiotic and Vitamin D3. Always remember there are tiers to supplements, and recommendations are made on a person by person basis.
- Daily Activity - 30 minutes
- Sleep - 5-8 hours
Sleep is where your body restores all systems. The National Heart, Lung and Blood institute has shown that ongoing sleep deficiency can raise your risk for numerous chronic health conditions. If you are finding it difficult to sleep you should contact your MD or DC to see what may be the cause of your sleeplessness.
- Get adjusted - 10 minutes once a month
Chiropractic adjustments restore balance to the most important system in the body, your nervous system. Every person, from age 0 on can benefit from a chiropractic adjustment. There are research studies linking improvement in pain, blood pressure, scoliosis, frozen shoulder, ear infections, neurological conditions and more from chiropractic adjustments.
Every spine should be checked, just like having your oil changed and your teeth cleaned. Preventive care of your spine and nervous system will help you experience “overall increased bodily function” as studies state. Who couldn’t use an improved immune system, improved mood and energy, decrease mental stress and more?
These are just a few of many items I make the time for to feel balanced and healthy. There are always pieces being added to the health puzzle such as balanced home cooked meals, meditation, socializing and more. What is important is that you create your own list and find a way to fit them into your schedule. Remember the long term benefits of these instead of looking at the short term obstacle of fitting them in your schedule.
“Balance is not about better time management, it’s about better boundary management. Balance means making choices, and enjoying those choices.” - Betsy Jacobson