Our health is influenced by individual, environmental and social factors.

While we do not have control over all our health factors, we can develop personal skills and holistic health practices that reduce the impact of stress and promote health.

HOLISTIC HEALTH PRACTICE?

Holistic health practice is a set of strategies that help to slow down our body’s hyperactivities related to stress. They allow our body systems to recover and promote positive emotions, which act as a reservoir to counteract negative stressors and negative emotions and keep us well.

1. Quiet time: Quiet time helps to calm our mind and allow us to recover from stress. E.g. take a long bath, read a book and listen to music, etc.
2. Deep Breathing: Deep breathing calms the body and mind, improves our blood circulation system, and increase our capacity to deal with stress.
3. Exercise, Stretching & Having Fun: Regular exercises improve our body endurance; increase oxygen, blood flow and nourishment to the brain and all our body parts. Stretching increases flexibilities of muscles and tendons and mobility of the joints.
4. Healthy Eating: Avoid or reduce the intake of caffeine, alcohol, nicotine, fat, salt, sugar, and spicy or acidy or fried food. Caffeine makes our blood vessels constrict and may lead to migraines and high blood pressure; spicy or acidy food irritate the digestive system; alcohol and drug may worsen depression. Drink at least 8 glasses of water each day. Eat a balance diet of grain products, vegetables and fruits, milk products and meat/alternatives. Healthy eating helps the immune system and repairs our cells. (Refer to Canada’s Food Guide)
   Good Postures: Good postures like standing and sitting up straight promote the relaxing of muscles. (Consult doctors, ergonomic specialists, chiropractors and other service providers for suggestions)
   Progressive Muscle Relaxation: The tensing and relaxing of specific muscles in the body help to release tension and allow more blood flow and bring oxygen to tired muscles.
5. Massage: Massages and heat improve blood circulation, relax tense muscles and help to relieve muscle pain.
6. Meditation: Meditation quiets our mind through an active process of focusing on our breathing or music or an object. Meditation increases our mindfulness - the nonjudgmental awareness of the present moment. It also decreases our stress hormones, relaxes our muscles, improves our brain function and enhances the health of our body, mind and spirit
7. Guided Imagery: The use of images of a scene, an event or a place that we perceive as safe, peaceful, beautiful, restful and happy can help to reduce stress.
8. Stress Journal: Keeping track of our stress, responses and how we function under stress can help to identify our optimal level of stress, causes of our stress and ways to reduce or cope with stress.
9. Positive Reframing: Negative emotions and too much stress make it easy for us to lose perspective. Learning to see the positive aspects of every situation helps to reduce stress.
10. Affirmation: Positive affirmation can be used to counteract negative thoughts. When used with other holistic health strategies, affirmation can contribute to positive emotions and build our self-confidence.