Taking

Care of All of You

By

Latifah Abdullah

This

article has been adapted for RNR Magazine.

We

might think that since we’re out of school and no longer have a physical education class that we don’t need to exercise. After all, there’s a lot of automation out there – can’t exercise be automated too?

Well,

I’m sure by now you’ve found that your health doesn’t take care of itself. The body does a lot, but it doesn’t do well on autopilot. There is something that we have to do.

Mind

Care

A

holistic approach is the place to start. As we live in a fast-paced world of news headlines, work deadlines, and our normal daily tasks, mind care should be a top priority. Sometimes we may not even be aware of how the steady drumbeat of various things affects

us -- mentally, emotionally, and spiritually But our bodies know and are subject to prolonged fight or flight modes. Whew - change the channel!

So,

whether it’s everyday living, a lifestyle of

self-care,

recuperating after giving birth, after winter “hibernation,” or after a pandemic stay-at-home order . . . the whole of you requires your attention.

Periodically,

taking time away from the phone, computer, and social media gives your mind and body a needed break – a bit of time to refresh. Take breaks during the day and make it a point to decompress before bed. Pay attention and be good to yourself.

Rest

Have

you ever wonder why your body is acting weird -- seemingly out of nowhere? It could be that you’re not getting enough rest. Sleep deprivation causes strange things to happen with your skin, digestive tract, histamine reactions, and overall health.

So

no matter how many things you have on your plate that you feel you need to get done before the end of the day, remember those things will be there bright and early for you tomorrow . . . ready for you to take another stab at them. Be wise and get your rest.

Physical

Exercise

Yep

- you gotta get it in. Get those 10,000 steps in a day. If you have well-kept walking trails in your community- take advantage -- as things are opening up.

Granted

- you might need to start slow to get back into the swing of things -- start with 15 min each day at home. Check out the videos on this channel

to

get started.

Be

consistent, so once the time change occurs, you already have a routine.

Be

committed. Because when winter rolls around, dynamics change, it gets darks faster, and it’s easy to slip back into your pre-exercise days. It’s not just because of the holidays that most gain weight, but the commitment level changes -- relaxation sets in.

Be committed!

Nutrition

Yes

- nutrition matters. If you’re looking to reset your body, try lots of water daily, along with raw fruits, vegetables, nuts, and dates.

Juicing

also produces great results; bodies respond well!

As

you explore what works best for you, make sure it fits with you and your lifestyle. If you attempt something that’s too out of the ordinary for you, you may be setting yourself up for inconsistent follow-up.

Once

you’ve decided to pay good attention to your nutrition. Make sure you make those grocery runs and keep the right things in the house, e.g., fresh salmon, cucumber, lemon, apples, spinach, olive oil, nuts, and dates to name a few. If you miss a grocery run,

you might be tempted to grab something quick - like fast food. Don’t let that happen too many times!

Putting

it All Together

So

there you have it. Take care of every part of you - mind, body, spirit. You’re then in a great space to go deeper with yourself, and also, to add value to those around you.

Lastly,

certainly not least, get that quiet time in. It’s okay to go inward; it’s okay to have some alone time. Make it part of your lifestyle. That way – you can always choose peace. Peace goes a long way to putting everything else in order.

_____

The

author, Latifah Abdullah, is an instructor and course creator on authenticity and self-care. And as an extension of her work empowering women, she manages online businesses for budding women-owned brands.