Femallay believes in the power of the holistic mindset, encouraging you to be well - mind, body, and spirit. 

Today, we want to explore how you can improve your family's life by finding the right nutrition solutions and active steps to help you on your wellness journey!

Take a Holistic Approach to Nutrition and Wellness

You may say, "I already tried to change things in January..." or " I don't know that I can give up certain things." 

Holistic health views nutrition as more than eating well or taking care of the physical body but moves to taking care of the emotional, social, spiritual, and intellectual parts of yourself as nurturing your entire person.

If one of these aspects of your life is out of sync or unhealthy, you may not have the energy, happiness, or joy that you're searching for. And you might not stick with your nutrition goals! 

Steps to Whole-Body Nutrition and Wellness

Instead of having a "diet" mindset, let's explore how you can pursue living well everyday with small and sustainable choices.

Here are 10 steps that build on each other, to encourage you to live well every day. 

1. Define Why You Are Making Changes.

Before you start to explore your options for eating plans or try to make sweeping changes, sit down and write out the goals you have for your life and what you want to accomplish during and after your immediate changes are made. 

As good as we are as coming up with "intentions," acting intentionally takes work and we have to sell ourselves on the lifestyle and mindset shift so we understand fully what we're working towards!

2. Find Your Joy in the Journey.

3. View eating well and treating your body well as a blessing, not a chore.

When you shift your mind to viewing eating good foods and treating your body with respect as supporting your core self, you can truly begin to appreciate what nature — natural foods and wellness practices — can give you.

Instead of viewing your health through diet-tainted glasses or doing it for one end result, you start to see how your life and those around you can improve by crafting a healthy lifestyle and mindset. 

4. Craft a Healthy Eating Model

Find Your Balance. There are so many "fad" diets out there — while all of them can benefit you in some way, some take out vital nutrients your body needs. If you have any issues like Celiac disease or if you've found that you just feel better eliminating certain food groups, then certainly continue to do so! But if you find yourself doing Keto, Gluten-free, Vegan, or Vegetarian, be sure you're incorporating enough sources of all vitamins and minerals.

Focus more on nutrition vs. calorie deficit. While caloric deficit will produce results, if you're eating empty calories, then you're not nourishing your body. Be sure that if you're trying to lose weight, you are focusing on whole foods and feeding your body well. 

Make Colorful Food Choices. This is the best advice when approaching a balanced diet. As much as you can fill your plate with vibrant fruits and vegetables, do it. 

Explore Family Meal Planning and Meal Prep. When you're wanting to change your eating habits, it's helpful to encourage the entire family to eat well, especially at dinner. And as your children see you prioritizing good foods, it will help them form good habits as they grow. Meal planning and prep is an easy way to save money and generate a consistent rhythm to your food habits.

5. Enjoy the Sun, Nature, and Exploring

Getting outside and soaking in some Vitamin D can do more for your overall health and nutritional mindset than anything else. In our technology-driven culture, it's become increasingly easy to feel "in touch" with everything when you're really in tune with nothing. 

There is a time and a place to know what's happening on the grander scale, but we have to have a healthy balance. Try to minimize how the larger world impacts your daily thoughts by going into nature, enjoying the tangible world, and relishing in the beauty, energy, and life that surrounds you.

Whether it's an early morning walk by yourself, or some time exploring your local park with your kids, make time to see, experience, and touch nature. 

6. Supplements to Support Whole-body Wellness

If you find that you're feeling drained or aren't sleeping well, it may be a vitamin deficiency.

Be sure to study what you're eating and what gaps might exist in your nutrition.

If you're eating well, and still aren't feeling as good as you should, take a look at your stress levels, hormone health, or other supplements (adaptogens and herbals) that can help nourish your body.

If you're still feeling unwell, be sure to check in with a functional doctor who can help you address the root causes of your issues. 

7. Encourage Mental and Emotional Wellness

While the two may seem completely intertwined, there are some core differences to explore.

Mental wellness focuses on the way your brain actually functions while emotional health factors in mood, emotions, and hormones. 

To improve mental health, challenge your brain with problem-solving, ensure you're getting enough omega-3s and antioxidants, avoid caffeine, alcohol, and drugs, and promote gut health with bone broth, prebiotics, and probiotics. 

If you find yourself struggling with emotional highs and lows, ensure you're getting enough sleep (around 8 hours), practice mindfulness, and reduce stress. Often, if you hold to faith, praying more and reading the Scriptures can help you manage your emotional happiness through practicing gratitude, no matter the circumstances.

Journaling, meditating on truth, enjoying quiet time, and reading books can also help you de-stress and get in tune with your inner peace and joy!

8. Explore alternative healthcare practices.

There are a few different wellness practitioners that you can visit to help promote whole-body wellness, including holistic nutritionists, chiropractors, herbalists, acupuncturists, massage therapists, and doctors who practice functional medicine.  

9. Choose to purchase from farms and companies who have the same priorities you do.

One way to really support your community as you grow in holistic wellness, is supporting the doctors, farms, and companies who prioritize whole-body health, organic ingredients, and non-toxic living. 

10. Find a Community to Support You

And the other side of supporting others is finding the community that can support you. We are social creatures who need others to help us wade through questions and times we're struggling, and celebrate the wins that we have in different seasons.

Find a group of likeminded people — whether through social media or in person — and be part of the life-giving mindset of community!

We hope that this guide has been helpful and practical steps for you to start living a holistic lifestyle and find nutrition solutions that work for your body! Let us know if you have any questions about our products and how they can help you live to your highest potential!