The Unexpected Way Doing Less Boosts Your Health
We live in an age of information.
And there’s so much input coming at us all day long, but not everything needs a peer reviewed study to make sense.
What if the secret to creating your healthiest life is actually... LESS?
Less stress
Less overwhelm
Less complexity
Less saying “yes” to things you really don’t want to do
Less clutter (physical, mental, and emotional)
Less burnout
Less exhaustion
There are metrics for literally everything. You can track everything from your sleep and caloric intake to your heart rate variability, hydration status and the number of steps you take in a day.
I am trained in both conventional and functional medicine, which at their very core are about gathering information.
Functional medicine digs deep to identify root causes of disease. And conventional medicine relies on the data, the evidence for everything while ignoring all magic and mystery.
I know that for many people this data is helpful (so if that’s you, keep at it!).
But I’m just not convinced that more information is always better. In a lot of ways we are already so disconnected from our bodies and relying on more external data vs. learning to listen to how your body is communicating with you may not be what you actually need.
There are so many different ways to interpret science. And it’s always changing! So at the end of the day I’m a big believer that you’ve just gotta listen to your body and do what works best for YOU.
Because wellness isn’t one-size fits all.
AND the whole point is to make your life BETTER, not just add one more thing to your to-do list!
So in a world that loves to demonize carbs and gluten and dairy and animal products or beans (depending on the on-trend diet at the time) I try to eat and move in a way that makes my body AND my mind feel good.
No labels, no restriction, no rules. And I know that approach is not for everyone. But it’s what works for me, and I think it might work for you too.
And it’s why I’m never going to tell you that you need to give up everything you love in order to live healthy, or that you can never eat dessert again!
But I AM here to help you find out what works best for your body and your life and find a little more balance in all of it!
LEARNING TO LISTEN TO BODY SPEAK
Your body is almost always communicating with you.
But sometimes you've been ignoring it for so long it's hard to receive the messages. But tuning in to these messages has a lot of benefits for your mind and body.
Your body can give you almost instantaneous feedback on what things are right or wrong for you.
Sometimes the messages are subtle, like when you feel a pit in your stomach or tightness in your chest that alerts you that something is not quite right. Or when you get the same pain in the same shoulder during times of stress.
Other times you may have felt a full body “yes!” When something feels so right for you, your entire being feels lighter.
Tuning in to these subtle energetic shifts can be a powerful guidance system.
Yet, as women, so often we give our power away.
And we look to others as the “experts” on our own bodies! But, YOU. ARE. THE. EXPERT. ON. YOU.
THE RESEARCH
For so many women, food, and movement and staying healthy in general has become a really big source of stress . . . but there are studies showing that your digestion actually IMPROVES when you eat happily and mindfully.
And when digestion is improved your body actually absorbs more nutrients!
I’m constantly amazed by the power of our minds! And the ability of your mind to impact the way you digest and assimilate food is just as incredible.
A recent study looked at blood glucose response after giving participants a beverage with a known amount of sugar per serving.
Each beverage had the exact same amount of sugar but the labels read differently. SO on one label, it read zero grams of sugar per serving and on the other, it read 30 grams of sugar.
When they tested their blood sugar at baseline, 20 min, 40 min, and 60 min, there was a significant difference between the beverages even though they were the EXACT same.
The only thing different was their perception!
There are absolutely times when more data and tracking metrics is helpful.
Full disclosure, I actually do track my blood sugars. But I have specific health issues where this data is helpful feedback.
So I’m definitely not saying you should never, ever track things. Just offering another perspective and an opportunity to evaluate if it’s actually helpful for you or not.
The reality is there is no such thing as “one size fits all” when it comes to health and nutrition. And if something works for you, keep going!
But if your ‘healthy’ diet and obsession with hitting certain benchmarks (number of steps, macros, time in REM sleep. . .) is stressing you out. . . you may need to reevaluate.
Your body has a lot of wisdom to offer when you get still enough to listen and there is no one (and no thing) that will ever be more of an expert on you, than you.
But just because something is SIMPLE, doesn’t mean it’s always EASY!
A simple way to get back in tune with these signals is to start paying attention to AND actually responding to simple physiologic signals from your body, like feeling thirsty or hunger or even the urge to pee.
Instead of making yourself wait until “lunchtime” to eat, despite the fact that your belly is growling and you’re feeling grumpy and tired (aka: lot’s of physical signs of hunger!) Try honoring youir hunger instead.
It’s amazing how often we ignore the need to pee or wait until the “right time” to eat instead of listening to our own bodies.
Start responding to these signals and bring more awareness to the other ways your body is communicating with you.
Here are a few questions that can help you get started:
How you feel when you eat certain foods? (both after eating them and your mood before) Do you feel energized and focused or bloated and tired? Just because a certain food is considered healthy (or unhealthy) doesn’t necessarily mean it’s right for you.
What movements feel best at different times? Energy levels vary from day to day, and that’s 100 percent NORMAL!. Give yourself permission to rest when needed or try going for a walk instead of forcing yourself to run. You’re not necessarily going to feel like working out every day, but there’s a difference between listening to your body and giving yourself an easy out.
Where in your body do you tend to hold onto stress? Have you ever cried during hip opening poses in a yoga class? or noticed that you get the same pain in the same shoulder during times of stress? Do you start breathing more shallow or tense up your jaw? Pay attention to where you feel stress in your body so you know where to release a little.
Which habits are most supportive for you? What daily practices help you feel fulfilled and calm and show up better? What are the small things you can do that help you feel more resilient to life’s daily stressors?
And which ones may be better to move away from? And what are the things that feel heavy? Sometimes you can’t even put it into words but it feels like it just sucks your soul and your energy? Foods, people, activities, social media. . . less of those.
It’s ALL about just paying attention and then responding with intention.
If listening to your body feels hard, here’s a simple practice that can be helpful!
TRY GROUNDING TO START TUNING IN
One of my favorite practices for getting back in tune with my body when I’m feeling disconnected is grounding.
It’s super simple and it's exactly what it sounds like. Standing outside with your feet on the ground. Not your shoes but your actual feet in contact with the earth.
Like when you were little and you’d run around for hours climbing trees and running through tall grass and feeling sand between your toes. Even just being outside has a long list of benefits!
Kids have a natural desire to connect with the earth without even knowing why. It just feels good.
Placing your feet in contact with the earth quite literally makes you feel more grounded.
HOW TO PRACTICE
Go outside and feel your feet on the earth. Close your eyes and take a few deep breaths into your belly.
Begin to move your breath through your body and pay attention to any areas it’s getting stuck or any areas of tension.
Spend just a few minutes bringing awareness to anything in your life that may be associated with the tension you’re holding. Send more breath to these areas to unblock the tension, then slowly open your eyes and use this awareness throughout your day.
It’s such a simple exercise but just a few minutes really does have a profound impact on how connected you feel to your body.
Your body responds to your life, and prioritizing your own health and wellness helps you show up better for everyone! If you could use more simple strategies to help you STRESS LESS and SHOW UP BETTER, i’d love to work together!
xx
Ashley