by Setareh Moafi, Ph.D., L.Ac. & Salvador Cefalu, M.S., L.Ac.

“The first wealth is health.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson

In the absence of health, you’ll struggle to have the energy or clarity to set goals, let alone achieve them. You can’t enjoy quality time with loved ones.

But In health, all things are possible.

This is why in Chinese Medicine philosophy, health is the first of the Nine Palaces that bring us to completion in our lives.

Nevertheless, we realize that if you’ve ever struggled with your health, the word or topic alone can be overwhelming and instigate a variety of feelings and responses. 

You may even feel shame and guilt about your choices with your health or think that creating a healthy lifestyle may be too costly or too time consuming. 

And quite frankly, with all the information that’s available about the topics of health and wellness, it can be challenging to know what to believe or even where to begin. 

By definition, health is “the condition of being well or free from disease.” And to be healthy means “enjoying health and vigor of body, mind, or spirit.” 

So, to be healthy is to be well, free from disease and have vigor of body, mind or spirit. 

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Note that the spirit is also contained in this definition, which is why we’re going to look at why being healthy is fostered through a deeper relationship with ourselves. 

Having a healthy lifestyle does not mean letting go of all the fun and pleasure in life and it certainly doesn’t mean making healthy choices all of the time. In fact, being healthy means doing things that keep you feeling good physically, mentally and spiritually. 

The World Health Organization’s definition of health as “a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease” illuminates just that. We’re all comprised of a physical body, a mind and a spirit. So why is it that most of us forget about at least one of these parts of ourselves throughout the day?

The most complicated element of the human experience is the mind - and it’s also the most difficult to condition and change. Luckily, if we notice that our mental state is imbalanced early on enough, we can use our physical body to reshape our thinking. Ancient practices such as Yoga, Qi Gong and Meditation are designed to help us do this.

The ‘monkey mind’, as many of these ancient traditions call it, is like an animal that needs to be trained. Otherwise, the mind can lead us to the demise of both our physical body and our spirit.

You truly are the healer in your life.

When you’re able to focus your mind on healing, you can more effectively uplift your spirit to then help the body recover. This can be done through a variety of spiritual practices and very simply through the daily and routine practice of gratitude. 

Gratitude creates space for positivity and joy to flow into our lives. 

The more you focus on the good you have, the more you magnify those things and begin to cultivate better things to come into your life. This is the fastest way to heal the body, which really is simply a reflection of the health of the mind and spirit.

To be healthy then doesn’t necessarily mean eating the right foods and exercising right and sleeping well. 

2 Keys to a Healthier Life:

1. Each morning when you wake up, move your body & write down 3 things you’re grateful for in your life.

   If movement isn’t possible, close your eyes and visualize yourself moving. That’ll begin the process to move the Qi in your body.

   Just visualizing yourself moving will enhance your physical body because your mind moves the Qi, and as you use your mind you’re conducting Qi through all your tissues and cells.

2. At the end of each day, review the challenges of your day and do your best to make peace with and let go of those things.

   This practice comes from a Daoist alchemist named Ge Hong who used to teach this practice.

   This process will help you not carry the challenges of today to the next day.

   These things aren’t always easy when we have challenges, but this is the cultivation when we come up against uncomfortable aspects.

In its very essence, health is cultivated through a sound, peaceful and positive body, mind and spirit. 

Health is the state of ease you cultivate through an intimate relationship with your body and mind.

This means that you care about and pay close attention to both your body and mind. 

To pay close attention, you have to be fully present. 

Being mindful about how you start and end the day is essential to wire your subconscious mind so you can create a healthier relationship with yourself.

By simply creating a regular morning and evening ritual, you become more present and more aware of your needs.

For many of you this may mean that you do less, rest more and spend time in fewer yet more nurturing relationships and surroundings.

Once you really slow down and pay close attention to yourself, the realization of a truly fulfilling life simplifies making healthy choices.