Total Health: Taking Care of Yourself, Body AND Soul

Health is a hot topic in today’s society thanks to COVID 19. Even before the pandemic, weight loss regimens, exercise programs, and health foods were a lucrative market for those who sought to help people take health to the highest level. However, many of the offerings for “bettering one’s self” focus on the physical body, and leave out the emotional component of being healthy.

Emotional health is, in fact, most important when focusing on health, because in many ways, it directly affects the physical body. Emotions, and emotional distress, can adversely affect eating habits and weight, heart rate, blood pressure, immune strength, and more. Ever been in a highly stressful situation and felt lightheaded, or ended up with a headache? That’s your mind’s way of sending you a message with physical signals. Our emotional state can be a help or a hindrance to our physical body, if we only take the time to focus on managing it.

So, what can you do to improve, or maintain, your emotional health?

Good nutrition is a MUST for your mental health. When you are overly hungry for example, you will notice that your blood sugar dropping leaves you in a bad mood, likely grouchy and short-tempered. Make sure you eat at regular intervals, and make healthy choices that are still delicious. Don’t forget to let yourself indulge every now and then too. One of your mom’s famous cookies or a sandwich from your favorite local deli are good ways to treat yourself and add a bright spot to your days.

Exercise and physical activity are key to emotional health. This can be a rigorous exercise routine, or something gentle like yoga, but it must help you relax, and leave you feeling accomplished. Additionally, participating in physical activity can help you lose or maintain weight, improve cardiovascular function, lower blood sugar, and tone muscles which means you are aiding in both physical and mental health.

Having a support system of family and/or friends is perhaps the most important part of emotional health. They offer acceptance, companionship, and accountability. Take care to put effort into the relationships with those close to you. With current restrictions in place for many of us, time with friends and family might not look the way it did before. Be creative and come up with new ways to support one another during this time! Video calls, “socially distanced” meetups, or even a window visit with an elderly or at-risk loved one can do wonders for your mental state.

Of course, one of the additional key elements in total health is making sure you stay on top of medical care. If you feel that your emotional state is not able to be managed with some of the changes mentioned above, and you think something deeper is going on, you need to talk to your doctor. They can help you determine if there is an underlying cause, and how to fix it, so you can get back to a better state of mind ASAP.

Don’t let yourself go uncovered. Having adequate health insurance means that your medical care doesn’t have to be another worry added to your emotional stressors. Carroll Marshall Insurance can help you determine exactly which plan is right for you, including healthcare plans that cover needed medications and services. Give us a call and let us customize the plan that’s right for you!