We live in a society obsessed by how we look, what we eat, how much we workout and how much we weigh. However, true wellbeing and health is much broader than just how we look and often doesn’t relate to how much we weigh.
Let’s take a look at how you can actually tell if you’re healthy or not:
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You can fall asleep easily and wake up feeling rested: I’ll admit, I’m kind of obsessed with sleep (the more you read from me, the more you’ll notice this), but for good reason! It’s the single most impactful thing you can do for your mental and physical wellbeing. If you’re waking up tired and find it difficult to fall asleep and/or sleep through the night, then it’s worth exploring that in more depth. Sleep is often the thing we sacrifice first and prioritise last and this is an approach we need to flip on its head since, unfortunately, no amount of exercise or healthy eating will truly compensate for a lack of quality sleep.
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Your digestion is regular and comfortable: I couldn’t do a blog about understanding if you’re healthy or not without mentioning regular, easy BMs. Ideally you have the urge to go in the first hour of waking up and are going at least once a day. If this isn’t the case, it’s a sign of constipation, meaning your detoxification systems need some support. If this is an issue for you, start by drinking more water and less coffee and see how you go!
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Your skin is clear and bright looking: The skin is our largest detox organ, so whatever you see on the skin is a good indicator of what’s going on internally. Aside from being not-so-aesthetically-pleasing, spots can be a sign of hormonal imbalance and liver congestion. We also want to see that skin is fairly bright and smooth – dry or dull skin can reveal dehydration and potential nutrient deficiencies.
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Your pee is clear and odourless: I know, a lot of toilet discussions today, but it’s another essential sign of our wellbeing. Many of us are dehydrated a lot of the time so it’s important to keep an eye on this. This is obviously an easy fix!
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You can breathe into your belly: If you can’t seem to breathe past your chest, this is a sign you could be chronically stressed and is really worth addressing through yoga and conscious breathwork. Moving into our relaxation response state as regularly as possible is an essential tool for our wellbeing and longevity.
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You have a good appetite: Hunger is good! It means we’re alive and our metabolism is working. Many of us wish for hunger to go away to aid weight loss, but combined with the rest of these indicators of health, it’s a great sign that things are working well.
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(If you have a menstrual cycle) Your menstrual cycle is regular and mostly pain-free: Hormonal imbalances can be a great indicator that something is amiss. Usually lifestyle changes can make a big difference to hormonal imbalance, so it’s best not to mask the symptoms with artificial hormones in birth control. For people with menstrual cycles, our period is the fifth vital sign and a great insight into our health.
If one of these areas isn’t a clear check off the list, don’t panic! A teeny wake up call is often just what we need to bring ourselves and our health back into balance. Remember that balance isn’t a fixed state or a destination your reach and stay at, it’s a repeated, constant action of coming back into or towards balance.
Let me know in the comments how healthy you think you are using this checklist and what you may need to work on!
